As an Amazon affiliate, we earn a commision from qualifying purchases.
Prevention is always better than cure even for your battery health- learn how to prevent battery terminals from corroding effectively and cheaply in this guide
As you may be aware, corroded battery terminals tend to lead to problems such as hard starting, weak battery flow, and ultimately battery failure.
Of course, cleaning your battery terminals often helps but most of us agree that it is better to stop the corrosion ‘fluff’ from building up on the terminals than it is to deal with it after it has happened.
This guide will teach you how to prevent battery terminals from corroding —with materials you’re likely to have at home or using proven cost effective methods such as spraying battery terminal protectors.
How to prevent battery terminals from corroding most cost effectively
Here is how to prevent battery terminals from corroding effectively and cheaply:
I should mention that many of these tricks work like a charm in protecting your battery terminals against future corrosion.
Option 1: Apply Petroleum jelly after cleanup
Believe it or not, the humble pot of Vaseline is one of the best protectors when it comes to corrosion on battery terminals.
It works superbly, lasts a long time, and it is, of course, incredibly cheap.
Battery terminal corrosion prevention vaseline- application procedure
Clean the terminal first (if they’re already corroded).
Here you can use a solution of baking soda (one tablespoon) thoroughly mixed in a cup of water- you then dip an old toothbrush in the ‘cleaner’ and proceed to scrub corrosion off the terminals.
Next, once your terminals/ battery posts are dry, you go ahead and dab a little vaseline onto them.
Voila!
This should lubricate them (creating an airtight seal over battery connectors and terminals) and help keep further corrosion at bay for a long time.
As a bonus, it also helps strengthen the electrical connection!
Option 2: Apply some grease around the terminals
Back when I bought my first car, I used grease to seal the battery posts – the same grease you use to pack bearings- and I could not see any little bit of corrosion for months.
All you need to do is just clean the terminals shiny and coat them with grease- be sure to clamp them tight.
The other alternative would be to use battery terminal grease- the premium chemical compound stops terminal corrosion almost permanently due to the superior corrosion protection.
In addition, it is way easier to apply thanks to the exclusive “Easy Squeeze Spout”.
Buy it on Amazon
Option 3: Use battery corrosion prevention spray
The other trick if you’re looking to slow the corrosion of your battery cables and posts is spraying specially-made battery terminal spray.
This grease-like chemical also provides an impenetrable protective coating over your battery terminal connections and it never hardens.
If you’d like to go this route, perhaps your best bet is the NOCO battery corrosion preventative spray (An ultra-premium oil-based battery terminal corrosion inhibitor that stops corrosion for years!).
How to apply battery terminal protector /battery anti corrosion spray
For the best protection, first clean the terminals and cables.
You spray them after re-connecting.
I should add that it is a good idea to re-spray periodically for lasting protection.
Useful tip: Before spraying, cut a tiny piece of cardboard then cut a slit/circle (in it) then proceed to slide it over the terminal to prevent the spray from splashing everywhere.
Shop for the best battery terminal anti corrosion gel or protectors on Amazon now
Quick Tip: T-9 Boshield is another awesome battery terminal grease substitute for preventing battery terminal corrosion problems- it is created by Boeing to protect the electrical circuits in their airplane from salty water damage. Go for it if you are not convinced by the other options (it works on nearly all batteries and electrical circuits).
Option 4: Use felt washers for battery terminals
Although some don’t really like them- they may attract dirt over time- washers can be another handy option for your car battery in my opinion.
My experience is that anti-corrosion washers help keep terminals clean by deterring the annoying acidic build up (they’re usually pre-treated with anti-corrosion oil).
One of the best things about these washers is that they’re very simple to install whether on 6V or 12V batteries -remember to give your terminals/posts a good wire brushing before that.
Most importantly, the buffer they provide can last for the long haul!
Useful tip: For some, the best way to prevent battery corrosion is to install the anti-corrosion washers then coating the top of the battery terminal posts with Dielectric Grease. It may be worth trying!
Shop for the best battery Anti-Corrosion Washers on Amazon
How to prevent battery corrosion in electronics
There are a couple of choices for consumer electronics: Vaseline, conventional grease, dielectric grease, and more.
However, there is one major concern that you cannot overlook here: is the product safe with your electronics (most electronics use alkaline batteries)?
The good news is: there are several products designed specifically to prevent corrosion in electronics that you can purchase online.
There are quite a number but the ones that are highly recommended are:
- Corrosion Block – This is designed for use on various electronics parts including battery terminals- it’s a thin,oily liquid(Not a surface wax/paste) and works pretty well.
- CorrosionX– CorrosionX protection tends to last for a long period even in harsh environments because of the better barrier protection compared to regular anti-corrosion products. The underlying chemical is super safe on electronics as well.
How to stop battery corrosion on terminals – 3 Tips to save your battery
In the future, observing the following suggestions could help prevent corrosion:
- Don’t use aged batteries– check their nominal date and discard them if expired. Expired batteries are more prone to leaking.
- Avoid mixing new and old batteries– for items such as a remote control, it is a good practice to replace all the batteries at a go rather than mixing old and new. In fact, even installing new batteries from different brands of batteries can sometimes cause corrosion problems.
- Store the battery in proper conditions– refer to your owner’s manual for the best storage conditions. Don’t forget to remove batteries from a device if you’ll not be using it for months.
What to put on battery terminals to prevent corrosion – Final words
There you go! You now know how to keep battery terminals from corroding including in electronics so go ahead and test the method you have loved most.
Be sure to keep it here for more informative blog posts!
ALSO READ:
Your Honeywell thermostat not working after battery change? Try this
How to clean battery corrosion in remote control quickly and get it working again
How to test a lawn mower battery without a multimeter easily
How to clean corroded battery terminals in electronics [step-by-step]
How to prevent battery corrosion in toys
