One thing all Reno and Sparks drivers can do to extend the life of their car battery is to keep it clean. A greasy, dirty battery retains damaging heat. While corrosion buildup on your battery will cause power loss. Wayne’s Automotive Center can help maintain your battery with a few helpful tips.

Don’t Drain Your Car Battery

Deeply depleting you battery – like from using your headlights when the engine is off – is very harmful to the battery. Most automotive batteries can only take that kind of abuse about 10 times before they are ruined.

Clean corrosion and dirt off your battery. You can use a stiff brush and a baking soda and water mixture to clean the terminals and battery posts. Be sure to disconnect the terminals from the battery before cleaning it. Wear eye protection and gloves when cleaning the battery. Auto repair shops like Wayne’s Automotive Center can clean your car battery for you if you prefer.

Also, making sure you have a full charge every month or so extends battery life. Either an extended drive at freeway speeds around the Reno and Sparks area or using a battery charger will preserve your battery’s ability to hold a full charge.