# Best way to clean battery acid corroded contacts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315 "2014-11-11T06:00:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/1 "2014-11-11T06:00:41Z")
My wife wants me to repair an old battery powered music box where some batteries left in leaked and corroded the contacts and wiring. Is their a way to clean them or should I break out the soldering gun and try and replace them? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/2 "2014-11-11T06:26:15Z")
make a paste of baking soda and a little water. apply to the contacts. clean off. Vinegar on a Q tip is another option. This would be easier to clean off spring contacts than the baking soda paste. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/3 "2014-11-11T23:03:18Z")
diluting some vinegar about half and apply with a cotton swap. it shouldn’t be dripping and some paper towel below the contacts should catch drips (refresh towel as needed). apply every once in a while until the corrosion has mostly disappeared, it may take days. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/4 "2014-11-12T00:27:25Z")
There may still be some corrosion products on the terminals after the crud is removed. You can use an ink eraser, if you can find one, or very fine wet/dry sandpaper. 600 grit or finer would be best. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/5 "2014-11-12T00:39:14Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > make a paste of baking soda and a little water. apply to the contacts. clean off. > > Vinegar on a Q tip is another option. This would be easier to clean off spring contacts than the baking soda paste. vinegar would be far better, since the electrolyte that leaks from a dry cell or alkaline battery is (as the name implies) alkaline/basic. though even plain water might be sufficient since the electrolyte isn’t terribly caustic or anything. > [@GaryM](#): > > There may still be some corrosion products on the terminals after the crud is removed. You can use an ink eraser, if you can find one, or very fine wet/dry sandpaper. 600 grit or finer would be best. this will probably work. it might be worth taking the cover off of the device (if possible) and make sure the leaked electrolyte didn’t get all the way onto the circuit board. But cleaning the schmoo off and giving the contacts a light sanding should be sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/6 "2014-11-12T01:08:03Z")
OP said it was old. The batteries could have been the old non-alkaline type. Baking soda paste works better on those leaks. Use vinegar on alkaline leaks. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/7 "2014-11-12T05:14:48Z")
The springs that came into contact with the negative terminal on the battery and kept the battery tight have broken off.Is there a way to replace them? I’ve been checking electronics parts catalogs and no luck. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/8 "2014-11-12T05:55:57Z")
Solder a short wire to the battery box and then to the base of the battery. I’ve repaired old test equipment that had batteries hard wired like that. They didn’t have the more modern battery boxes. It’s not a big deal. Use a solder iron and don’t hold it on the battery too long. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-clean-battery-acid-corroded-contacts/704315/9 "2014-11-12T15:36:04Z")
I have had excellent results spraying wd40 and wiping with a cloth for a very similar application