How To Safely Neutralize and Remove Battery Acid

With over 50 years of experience in the auto repair industry, I’ve lost count of the repairs I have made due to corrosion caused by battery acid. Learning how to neutralize and remove battery acid safely offers great benefits. Most importantly, neutralizing and removing battery acid reduces the possibility of a no-start condition due to corroded battery terminals. Although the corrosion build-up (that powdery white or blue powder build-up) you see on a battery terminal is bad, it’s the corrosion you don’t see between the battery terminals and battery post that causes all the problems. Battery acid can also erode the hardware that secures your battery in place. A loose battery jouncing around when driving can short circuit, quickly causing a fire.

Battery acid is nothing to be toyed with. I remember the first uniform my parents bought me when I got a job at a service station in 1970. On the first day of work, I had to remove a battery from a car. The battery was heavy, and using my belly as my “third hand,” I held it against my uniform. By the time I got home, all the fabric that touched the battery had disintegrated. Worse, the owner emptied acid from old batteries to scrub the greasy shop floors rather than using soap. Make no mistake, battery acid did a fabulous job degreasing the floors. However, besides being a nasty biohazard that “releases lead and lead-contaminated sulfuric acid into the environment,” it deteriorated our work shoes and pant leg bottoms, along with the bottoms of any metal equipment or tool chests close to the floor.

Ahead, seasoned automotive technicians share practical DIY tips on how to safely neutralize, remove battery acid and prevent this nasty, dangerous stuff from getting a toehold in the first place. But safety first! A battery contains sulfuric acid that can cause serious burns. Always wear thick rubber gloves and eye protection (or a face shield) when working around a battery. You can also consider a respirator. If you come into direct contact with battery acid, flush with plenty of water and seek medical attention immediately.

What Is Car Battery Corrosion?

Battery corrosion occurs when hydrogen gas from sulfuric acid (battery fluid or electrolyte) is released, leaked or vented from a lead-acid battery. Mixing with moisture and road salts causes a chemical reaction that attacks and oxidizes battery terminals, hardware and other metals.

How to Neutralize Car Battery Acid

You can use commercial battery acid neutralizing agents, but nothing beats plain baking soda and fresh water to neutralize battery acid safely. On the pH (potential of Hydrogen) scale from 0 to 14, baking soda (a base, or alkaline) has a pH of around 9, while battery fluid (an acidic) has a pH of about 1. Acids and bases are chemical opposites. Mixing baking soda with battery acid increases the acids pH to around 7 (water, or neutral) through a process called neutralizing.

Use this basic formula to neutralize battery acid:

• Add one or two tablespoons of baking soda to two cups of hot water in a clean plastic bucket.
• Thoroughly mix the baking soda and water until the baking soda has completely dissolved.
• To neutralize battery acid on or around the battery, use a clean plastic bristle (no metal) brush and carefully scrub the top and sides of the battery, the battery terminals and anywhere else you see a build-up of the white or greenish powder.
• To fully neutralize battery acid, flush with plenty of cool, clean water.

How to safely neutralize battery acid and clean your battery

Let the engine completely cool. Place a clean drain pan under the vehicle to catch the runoff from cleaning battery corrosion. If you have fender covers, use them now and follow these steps:

• Remove battery terminal protective covers.
• Without splashing, scrub the battery and terminals with the baking soda solution and a small clean plastic brush.
• If your battery has removal battery fluid fill caps (check here if you’re unsure), keep the baking soda solution from getting into the battery, weakening the sulfuric acid inside.
• Soak disposable shop or paper towels with plenty of clean, cool water, and carefully rinse the battery and other parts you scrubbed. Again, DO NOT splash any of the water or cleaning solution on you or other parts of your car you are not cleaning particularly the paint finish.
• Flush Immediately with lots of cool water If any solution or battery acid spatters on other parts of your car.
• Clean and dry the battery posts with disposal shop or paper towels.

Inspect Battery Terminals

If the battery terminals are solid, in good shape and just dirty, you can clean them yourself. However, if they are damaged, pitted, or rotted, or the clamping nuts won’t tighten, it’s time to replace them.

How to Remove Car Battery Acid

You may need to use a stiff wire brush if the baking soda solution doesn’t fully clean heavily corroded parts. Battery acid can damage threaded fasteners, hardware, or other components can remain frozen in place from oxidization. Try these steps to remedy:

• Spray stuck fasteners with penetrating lubricant to help loosen seized parts.
• Replace any parts damaged or galled beyond repair with new (or used) parts, including nuts, bolts and other fasteners whose threads are severely deteriorated or pitted from corrosion.
• Ensure all wire connections, whether plug and socket or exposed body grounds held in place with fastenersespecially the negative (-) battery cablehave been thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper, wire brush or electrical contact cleaner and are securely attached.

SAFETY NOTE: To eliminate sparking, never use a wire brush to clean battery terminals and posts when connected.

How Do You Dispose of Hazardous Waste

Check with your local township or waste management provider before discarding the rinse water and paper towels (or any hazardous materials) with household trash.

FAQ

What will happen to my car if I don’t fix the battery corrosion?

“Besides a no-start condition, battery corrosion between wire harness connections and body grounds can cause extreme voltage and amperage surges. Lights and other electrical devices can act weird and fail prematurely, as well as cause engine and drivetrain drivability issues,” said Jon Stull, a National Institute for Auto Safety Excellence (ASE) master technician.

What happens if you don’t neutralize battery acid?

Besides numerous safety factors causing terminal corrosion, Tom Diamond, ASE Master Technician and Mazda Senior Certified Technician and Trainer, said, “battery acid accumulating on a battery attracts dust, dirt and moisture producing a film. The film acts as a conductor between the (+) and (-) battery terminals that results in the battery short-circuiting, overheating and reduced life.” Diamond explained, “Voltage fluctuations caused by a short-circuiting battery can easily damage expensive, sensitive electronics, such as the engine control module (ECM), HVAC or infotainment system touchscreen control panels.”

Clean and protect other parts corroded or rusted by battery acid (follow these directions for exterior paint finishes):

• Use a wire brush, sandpaper, or with a wire wheel on your drill to remove oxidation.
• Wipe damaged areas with a small amount of acetone using a clean, lint-free cloth and let dry.
• Mask the area with painter’s tape, then prime the area with rust converter paint to prevent further rusting or deterioration.

How do I prevent car battery corrosion?

Basic preventive maintenance is the best cure to prevent battery corrosion. Diamond recommends:

• Regularly inspect your battery for cracks and leaks and battery terminals for corrosion and damage.
• Clean the battery and terminals regularly before corrosion begins.
• Ensure all electrical connections are clean and tight.
• Keep your vehicle’s electrical system in good working order. Loose or worn drive belts, bad body grounds, or not servicing the battery can cause it to overheat. Diamond said, “An older battery or an overcharging alternator can easily cause a battery to overheat, releasing excessive, corrosion causing, hydrogen gas.”
• Install battery terminal anti-corrosion washers onto the battery posts.
• Coat both battery posts and terminals with Vaseline, dielectric grease or anti-corrosion spray.
• Stull suggests “using anti-seize compound on threaded components to inhibit corrosion.”

About The Experts

• Jon Stull spent 19 years working as a Ford technician and 8 years in the heavy equipment repair industry and has been an ASE Master Technician for 27 years. Jon left industry to become a Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) certified automotive technology instructorpreparing the next generation of automotive service professionals. He is also PDE certified as a diesel mechanic and small engine repair instructor, as well as a PA Department of Transportation certified state safety and emissions instructor and inspector. Jon attends Temple University and is working towards his degree in vocational/industrial education.
• Thomas Diamond has over 30 years of experience in the automotive repair industry as a technician, certified original equipment manufacturer (Mazda) trainer and shop supervisor. He has been an ASE Master Technician for over 25 years, including ASE L1 advanced automotive engine performance certification and is a PA Department of Transportation certified state safety, emissions and reconstructed vehicle inspector as well as a certified welder.

Sources

Interviewed sources:

• John Stella has been in the auto service industry for over 30 years, first as an ASE and Oldsmobile certified technician. John traded in his wrenches to become senior bodyshop estimator at Faulkner Collision located in Phila., PA.
• Joe Ann from Interstate Battery technical support provided information on how to prevent car battery corrosion.

Other sources:

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Incident Waste Decision Support Tool (I-WASTE DST) (2024)
• Cole-Parmer: Oakton pH Indicator Strips (2024)
• Khan Academy: Acids, bases, pH, and buffers.