How Do I Clean Up After an Alkaline Battery
Leaks

Wondering how do I clean up after an alkaline battery leaks inside your radio? Your flashlight? Or other piece of electronic equipment?

Alkaline battery leaks can damage your electronics.

Most alkaline battery leaks involve the potassium hydroxide inside the battery leaking out. Potassium hydroxide is a thick paste, it can harden and form gunk inside your electronics. Inside the battery, the paste is wet and used for conduction. When it leaks out, it dries out. Since potassium hydroxide is a base, you need an acid to clean it out.

Keep in mind when cleaning electronics; you don’t want to get water in the wrong parts. You also want the area around the conductors to dry thoroughly prior to loading new batteries into your equipment. For example, Nintendo WII controllers use double AA sized alkaline batteries for power. If the battery leaks inside and dries, you’ll have to clean out the grey gunk to be assured of clean conduction.

Mix water with some lemon or vinegar. You want the water to be slightly acidic. Use a Q-Tip soaked in the acidic water to gently clean the grey gunk out of the electronics. By using a Q-Tip, you avoid using too much water and control the cleaning.

Be sure to wash your hands when you’re done and to let the electronics’ battery compartment dry thoroughly prior to adding fresh batteries to it.

If you are worried about the life of your electronic device or the alkaline leak has left it damaged beyond cleaning, contact the manufacturer of the batteries. Duracell, for example, guarantees their battery performance and offers protection against defects. Duracell will repair or replace your damaged electronics if the damage is due to a Duracell battery. You can contact the company via their website and send the damaged electronics via ground mail to:

Duracell Berkshire Corporate Park Bethel, CT, 06801 U.S.A. Att: Consumer Dept.

Alkaline batteries leak. Batteries are subject to stress from changing temperatures and long periods of disuse. For example, a flashlight left in the hot garage all summer and never used may suffer an alkaline leak of the batteries inside. Electronics should not be stored in areas with extreme temperatures. You should check the batteries in your electronic devices regularly.

Flash lights, for example, even if not used should have the batteries checked every four to six months. Checking and changing the batteries regularly not only guarantees the performance of your electronics but helps you to identify potential problems. You don’t want to need your flashlight in a blackout only to find that it doesn’t work.

The first rule of how do I clean up after an alkaline battery leaks is to avoid any contact with your eyes or skin. You should also wash your hands thoroughly. For larger areas or harder to scrub off grey gunk, some experts recommend using a toothbrush instead of a Q-Tip. Be sure to avoid directly pouring water into your electronic device or on the electronic connections.

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