Years ago I experienced the day that my car would not start. Bummer. I was a consummate driver but was mechanically challenged. Thank God for my father. I called him up to explain my distress and practically the first question he asked was, “Have you checked the battery?”

Well, no. I had not checked my car battery. In fact, I had forgotten the car had a car battery! I am intensely aware that my IPOD, CD player, cell phone and other “essentials” needed regular battery maintenance and replacement. Why would I not remember one of the most important machines I own needed car battery maintenance and occasional replacement as well? Blame it on youth, I guess.

My dad walked me through the essential steps of taking care of a car battery as we put it at the top of the troubleshooting list we were compiling in order to determine why my car would not start.

 It is very common for car battery corrosion to be the culprit in car-starting woes. Acid condenses on the battery terminals and battery cables, eventually interrupting the connection from the battery to the electrical system of the car. A very basic chemical application with ordinary household products will get rid of your problems.

But keep in mind that because what you ARE handling is BatteryACID, then you should take some precautions in performing the examination of your car battery and cleaning of your car battery. Why? Because my dad said so.

You most likely already have some of the materials you need to properly inspect and clean your car battery and car battery terminals. Follow the easy list below to gather your materials:

• Safety goggles, safety glasses – #1 rule: as with ANY project, you should protect your eyes!

   

• Regular baking soda – at least ½ box full

   

• Box wrench set – try to have a selection of sizes available with open ends

   

• Angled battery pliers with insulating handles

   

• Screwdrivers with insulated handles

   

• A small, stiff-bristled brush like this battery terminal brush tool (It’s only $1.44!) .

• Small metal or plastic scraper

• Special battery tools, including a cable puller and cable

• A liquid squeeze bulb like a turkey baster

• Spray All-purpose household cleaner

• Rinsing water from a garden hose or shop hose

• Rubber gloves to keep any corrosives off of your skin

Sulfuric acid can be present in the form of corrosive deposits and can possibly harm your skin, eyes and materials on you car such as the car paint. Wear gloves and eye protection!

It may be necessary to remove the battery from your automobile if the corrosion has built up bad enough.

Get your cleaner brush with the stiff bristles and brush away as much of the white and / or green corrosive parts as you can. After you are finished with the brushing (and scrape with the scraper if some spots are stubborn), make a mixture of water and the baking soda with a ration of 1 TBSP baking soda to 1 pint of water. Gently fill the irrigation bulb (turkey baster) with the baking soda mixture and slowly apply it to the cable terminals and cable connections. Use your bristled-cleaner tool to further scrub away areas that may be more heavily corroded. Disconnect the cable clamps and terminals to clean more thoroughly if they are overly-corroded. It is recommended to use battery cable removal tools to properly disconnect the cables for cleaning. Disconnect the negative side first and then disconnect the positive side.

Then, use your battery cable brush to remove the corrosion from the terminals, battery posts and hold down clamps and brackets. Flush these parts with your baking soda solution to rid them of any trace of corrosion. After this, wash the outside of the battery, the cable ends and the hold down parts with a liquid cleaner in a spray bottle. After that, use a sponge or rag to get off any remaining dirt or grease. Dry the battery off with your cloth when you are finished cleaning.

Now just carefully put everything back together and tighten up the clamps securely around the battery terminals, making sure to reconnect the battery with the positive cable first. Now you have one less car maintenance task and it will perform better for you during the cold winter months!