Coke! One of the most favorite drinks of people of all time. In fact, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t like this thing!
But do you know this favorite can of yours has the ability even to clean your car battery?
Yes, you heard it right. In addition to soothing one’s thirst with its bubbly flavor, it can work wonders in cleaning your car battery.
This article will discuss how to clean a car battery with coke with step-by-step guidelines. So you can do it yourself without going to the garage every time.
List of the Things You Will Need to have in Hand before Cleaning
- A set of glasses
- A pair of goggles
- One face mask
- A piece of clothing or rag
- A spray container
- A funnel (Optional)
- Some swabs
- A brush with firm bristles
- A cup (Preferably paper)
- Microfiber napkins or a towel
Once everything is within reach, move on to the following stage and begin the cleaning process as instructed.
How to Clean a Car Battery with Coke: Step By Step Instruction
Coke contains a kind of acid that can be used in several ways for cleaning. You just need to know the technique of how to clean it.
Here, in this section, we will break down the steps you need to follow in cleaning all the dirt and corrosion from the metal battery box surfaces and battery terminals using your favorite drink—coke.
One crucial point to note is to ensure you wear the safety equipment before cleaning. Such as gloves, goggles, and a face mask, unless you don’t want to get your hands dirty. In addition, when it comes to car maintenance and care, safety is always the priority.
Let’s get started and follow the below steps. Easy peasy!
Step 1: Locate your car battery and disconnect all the cables
Open the hood of your car and find the corroded battery. After then, remove the two connected cables from it.
Make sure to put a cloth or rag. It will thus work as double protection so that you don’t shock yourself while handling them. Alternatively, you can knot the wires to keep them out of the way if you want.
If the corrosion is too severe for you to reach the cables, sprinkle some coke on it and wait a few minutes before touching it again.
Step 2: Apply the Coke and allow some time to settle and work
Put the homemade Coke in a spray bottle. After then, fill it with water. It will clean any portions of the battery that you spray it on.
Make sure to spray evenly over each area, one at a time. Lastly, let Coke take care of the rust and grime while you see the magic happening.
Step 3: Rinse it off
Here, your first task is picking up the brush and cleaning up the places where the coke is sprayed. Move in a circular, up-and-down, or another way down.
Moving on, your car battery’s accumulation needs to be removed from the terminals of the batteries. Remember to use just moderate force—neither too high nor too low.
Hold a cup in a different hand to catch the debris brushed off. Throw away the cup in the trash bin so you won’t have to clean it up later.
Also, please have patience with this phase, as it will take some of your time. After all, to successfully complete this step, you must pay close attention to every nook and corner.
However, you will need to scrub the automobile battery for a longer or shorter period, depending on how much it has been rusted. As you work, add additional coca cola whenever required.
Make sure you are working through each section properly with no part left out. To avoid mistakenly leaving out any important pieces, it’s better to try to start at the top and work your way down.
Read Also: Can a Weak Battery Cause a Car to Run Rough?
If You Have a Hose, Use It to Clean the Battery and the Surrounding Region. Rinse the Dish Until no More Bubbles or Dirt are Visible.
Bonus Tip:
Make sure you have a good quality stiff-bristle cleaning brush on hand. In case you don’t have any other option, then only you should use the toothbrush.
We advise you to get brushes with hard bristles. However, if you don’t already own a dependable brush, consider these well-suggested models available on the market: Good Grips by OXO Amazer Scrub Brush Comfort Grip and Flexible Stiff Bristles, Chemical Guys, and Deep Clean Brush Set Interior carpet/upholstery detailing brush, model ACCG25 Induro 7.
Step 4: Dry it off
With a dry towel or microfiber towel/napkins, clean the battery. Ensure that every space is totally dry and liquid-free.
In case you choose to use a towel, be careful to wipe it off frequently with clean water. Or, if you use napkins, replace them as necessary.
Otherwise, you risk spreading the rot and having your previous efforts backfire. Continue doing this until you are confident that the automobile battery is fully dry and clean.
Once you complete cleaning, you can reinstall your automobile battery now. Make sure the battery is inserted correctly by shaking or hitting it. They might not be properly locked into place if any rattles or noises come from them. And just like that, you can easily clean your corroded car battery.
Note:
Store your battery in a cool, dry location to keep it sparkling neat, and clean. In case you live in a warm climate, make sure to keep it covered to avoid heat from getting to it.
Step 5: Reassemble the car battery system and do a final check
This is the last step. Here, it is about reassembling the car battery system to its previous form.
The battery cables should be reattached, starting with the positive cable and moving to the negative cable. Do not panic if the cables start to spark while doing this.
Just make sure the connection points are protected. After that, shut off the engine and start the engine to do one last inspection.
With that, you have now finished the entire process of cleaning the battery with coke. Much simpler than you expected, Right?
Read More: How to Clean Battery Terminals with Coke and Toothbrush
Can I Pour Coke on a Running Car Battery?
The answer is a complete NO due to the presence of sparks here. It may ruin your battery completely. So, you must unplug the cord first from the power source and then follow the steps above.
Next up, cover any corrosion or rust on your battery with coke. After that, some bubbles will start to come out of it.
Leave it in that position for about ten minutes. Then add water to the battery, and bubbles will appear. However, the bubbles will disappear with time, so avoid touching or moving anything close to them.
Does Coke Remove Corrosion?
Of course. Coke works wonders when it comes to cleaning rust from car battery terminals. They contain phosphoric and carbonic acids, which are excellent for removing rust. To prevent corrosion from returning, coke’s citric acid can also help remove it while leaving a protective film in its wake.
To Conclude
Having a clean car battery is of utmost importance. Luckily, you have coke to help. Just by following some easy steps mentioned above, you will be all done cleaning your car battery without putting in much labor, which is the best part.
That’s all from the discussion about “how to clean a car battery with coke?” Happy cleaning!
FAQs
Still have confusion about cleaning the car battery with coke? Check out the below most commonly asked queries to get it clarified right away:
Is it safe to pour coke on a car battery?
Absolutely. Although they contain mild acidity, the good news is that it doesn’t react with battery acid. So you can rest assured and pour it over the car battery to wash away the dirt and corrosion.
Will corrosion on the battery keep it from starting?
Yes, battery corrosion can make it difficult to start an automobile. The corrosion may cause an interruption between the battery terminals, eventually making it impossible to start the car. So you need to keep the battery terminals corrosion and dust free.
Can you clean car battery terminals while they are connected?
Yes. But, it is not recommended. You can clean the battery terminals on a car while it’s still powered up. However, you must maintain proper caution to avoid getting any water or cleaning solution into the battery, which could eventually lead to damage. Instead, disconnect the battery terminals from the electrical connection, wipe the terminals down with a cloth or brush, and finally remove any corrosion or debris.
Can coke be used to clean batteries?
Coke can efficiently clean batteries as it comes with an exact amount of acidity to cleanse the oxidized terminals. Although it won’t revive a dead battery, it could help you avoid making a costly trip to the parts store.
Can you remove rust from a car battery by putting coke on it?
Yes, you can do it. Coke contains a certain level of acidity that works like magic in neutralizing the corrosion on the battery and the cables. Put some coke into the corroded area, and let it form bubbles. Once the coke has bubbled, use a wire brush to remove any corrosion accumulated around bolts or in any other difficult-to-reach spots.