# Removing battery acid from flash attachment

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 14, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063 "2004-05-14T03:48:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063/1 "2004-05-14T03:48:26Z")

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I haven’t used my camera’s flash attachment in quite some time, and now there’s green battery acid in the battery compartment. Any ideas on how to remove it?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063/2 "2004-05-14T04:37:26Z")

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Cotton swab soaked (but not dripping) with vinegar rubbed gently over the contacts should help. Blow dry with some compressed air.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063/3 "2004-05-14T04:42:52Z")

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Better still, get a fiberglass-bristle battery contact brush at a camera or electronics shop. These do a wonderful job of shining up corroded contacts, plus they can get into the tight spots.

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**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063/4 "2004-05-14T05:02:50Z")

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Denatured alcohol (99%) or a pencil erasor are two other options, depending on how bad it is.

If it looks like it’s beyond the contacts, tho, the flash might be trash.

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**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-battery-acid-from-flash-attachment/245063/5 "2004-05-14T05:05:42Z")

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Is the corrosion dry or slimey?

If it’s slimey, your flash is probably wasted.