In order for your automobile to run properly, the battery must be running properly. If it isn't up to peak efficiency the car may be a real headache to start. If the battery is in poor condition, the car may not even start at all. Maintaining a car battery will enable it to last for two to five years.
Clean the battery posts. Make a paste with baking soda (about one cup should be plenty) and lukewarm tap water. Add the water slowly so you don't make it too thin. Stir it until it is smooth and well mixed.
Dab the paste on the battery terminals (the posts where the cables attach to the battery) thickly. This will help to remove the rust and crud that forms around the posts. Leave the paste on for about 45 minutes. Clean all around the posts with your toothbrush and then wipe the paste off completely with a damp rag. Dry the battery posts off well.
Try a can of cola for cleaning terminals. If you don't have baking soda or would like to try this solution which is much less messy, just pour a whole can of cola over both battery posts. Cola has phosphoric acid which dissolves rust quite nicely. It will also take off any dirt or grease. The cola will bubble and as soon as it stops you can clean the posts with a damp rag. Make sure to wipe them completely dry afterward.
Transfer the corrosion to something else to keep the battery posts clean. Tape a copper penny to the top of the battery—not on the posts themselves. Over time the copper will turn color and become corroded but your battery posts will be clean. Spread a thin layer of petroleum jelly over each battery terminal before you attach battery cables to it. This will also prevent corrosion on the battery posts.
