How To Clean Flashlight After Battery Leak

Nancy asked: A battery corroded in the bottom of a flashlight. How tin I remove it without ruining the flashlight? This is a small, plastic flashlight that uses 2 AA batteries. I left one batter in the bottom for two twelvemonth, and now it is corroded. New batteries do not work in this flashlight. How can I make clean out the corrosion without damaging the working mechanism of the flashlight? Cheers.

Corroded batteries tin can exist a existent nuisance to remove and clean upwards. But when information technology comes to saving the flashlight, information technology is often worth the effort. The kickoff pace is to remove the battery while keeping it every bit intact as possible. So, it's time to tackle the mess left behind. Hither' due south what to do:

You Will Demand:

Prophylactic gloves
Towels
Bottle brush
White vinegar
Dowel rod (modest plenty to fit in the flashlight, but equally large equally the bore of the battery)
Hammer
Drill (optional)
Water
Slice of woods or hard surface

Steps to Clean Out the Battery and Corrosion:

The first pace is to put on gloves and eye protection. Bombardment corrosion is very caustic and touching it could give you chemic burns.
Remove the corroded bombardment. If both ends of the flashlight are removable, this will exist quite easy. In this case, simply place the flashlight on a piece of woods or other hard surface.
Place a dowel rod in the flashlight and on top of the corroded bombardment.
Tap the end of the dowel rod with a hammer to knock the battery loose.
Remove the bombardment and dispose of it properly.
If both ends of the flashlight cannot be removed, information technology will be slightly more than difficult to remove the old battery, simply information technology can be washed. I method is to employ a drill.
Use a drill with a long bit and screw it into the end of the bombardment.
Once the fleck is secure in the battery, pull information technology out. Information technology may take some maneuvering, but the battery should come out with information technology.
Next, you volition need to remove the corrosion from the interior of the flashlight.
First, audit your flashlight to decide where the electrical parts are. Usually they are located right around the seedling, non most the bombardment compartment.
If the electric parts are located near the bulb (separate from the battery compartment), you can employ a mild acid (vinegar) to loosen the corrosion and scrub it abroad. This works on both alkaline and acidic batteries. (Skip to step xvi if the electrical parts are not separate from the bombardment compartment.)
Pour some white vinegar into the battery compartment. You only need a petty; merely enough to moisture the corrosion. Don't be surprised if it starts fizzing; that means you had alkaline batteries.
Use the canteen brush to scrub the within thoroughly. If you lot don't accept a bottle castor, y'all tin can utilize a cleaning cloth wrapped effectually a slice of wire, such equally an unfolded wire hanger if needed. Practise not put your manus into the flashlight; y'all may get chemical burns from the corrosion.
If necessary, allow the vinegar to soak in the flashlight for a few minutes, just no more than five minutes total.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Dry information technology as much equally possible with a soft towel and allow it to air-dry completely before use.
If the electrical parts on your flashlight are not separate from the battery compartment, do not pour vinegar into the flashlight as information technology might seep into the electrical surface area. Instead, wet a fabric with the vinegar and wring information technology out and then that information technology is only damp, non dripping.
Wrap the damp cloth around something sturdy like an unfolded wire hanger or a stick.
Put on rubber gloves.
Use the textile to make clean out the corrosion.
Rotate the cloth to a clean area every bit you remove the corrosion.
Continue wiping out the corrosion until information technology is gone.
Use another cloth that is damp with evidently h2o to wipe out the within to remove any remaining residue.
Allow the flashlight to air dry fully before putting in new batteries.

Additional Tips and Ideas

Battery acid should not come in contact with the skin. Protect your skin with rubber gloves while cleaning corroded batteries.
Some have establish Coca Cola effective for removing corroded batteries. Simply soak the bombardment in the cola then tap lightly until the battery falls out.
If the bombardment is not too badly corroded, information technology may be possible to remove it with vigorous shaking.
Blistering soda has also been found constructive for removing corroded batteries. Simply cascade some soda into the flashlight, then shake it slightly to distribute the powder. Side by side, tap the sides lightly to dislodge the battery and remove it.
The primary goal is to remove the corrosion, not to neutralize information technology. If you take alkali metal batteries, using vinegar will neutralize the corrosion (which is just an added bonus) and the chemical reaction volition assistance to jar the corrosion loose so information technology can be removed. For acid corrosion, the vinegar will dissolve it so that it tin can be removed, which may be a more effective method. If you want to neutralize the acid corrosion, you lot would have to utilize an alkaline textile, such equally baking soda dissolved in water.