larryepage Loc: North Texas area

You are correct, of course. Tried to start the day too early this morning...

BebuLamar

As I have said before. Baking soda is alkaline and it neutralize the acid of the car battery which is lead-acid battery. In the case of the OP which the AA batteries are alkaline you would need an acid solution which the vinegar is.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

WATER removes the greenish stuff from battery contacts and springs. I just moisten my Q-Tips.

That, though, does not clean up the corroded metal contact. That takes sandpaper, emery cloth, scraping, a wire brush or grinder bit in a Dremel tool.

Sometimes the metal is so corroded it just breaks off.

I refurb cameras and flashes a lot, but there are cases where the leakage has just done too much damage to salvage the equipment.

Blair Shaw Jr Loc: Dunnellon,Florida

I have used a Q-tip dipped in Wright's Copper Polishing Cream that I use to polish the French cookware and it makes them like new again. I have also used their Silver Polishing Cream as well to a slightly less effect but still electrically conductive for the restoration. Good Luck

Bill P

You beat me to the point. But still unanswered is can you just use stop bath?

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

I had success with a paste made from baking soda and water, I put it on all the corroded parts and let it dry for at least a couple of hours. After removing all of it and cleaning it all up nicely, it worked fine again without any issues for many years.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

You have to first neutralize the alkaline chemistry that's leaked into the battery compartment... use something mildly acidic for that. Vinegar works. So will tomato juice or dilute lemon juice.

Baking soda, alcohol, WD-40 and water will not neutralize an alkaline leak. They might clean away what's on the surface, but it's likely to keep etching away at metals inside the battery compartment unless it's fully neutralized. (I don't know one way or another about Wright's polishing solutions.... they may or may not neutralize alkaline.)

After neutralizing the alkaline, use isopropyl alcohol to clean off the vinegar or tomato juice or lemon juice.

It's not a good idea to use Q-tips inside cameras. It's probably not too risky in a battery compartment... but definitely don't use them inside the mirror box of a DSLRs, for example. Q-tips shed tiny, tough cotton fibers that can get into and jam fine mechanisms. It's better to use some sort of lint-free swab, like Pecs.

EDIT: I'd only use emery paper, sandpaper, Dremel tools and other abrasives as an absolute final, last resort for heavily corroded items. They would need to be used very carefully, so that none of the grit gets into places it shouldn't and would still need to be followed up by neutralizing.

After neutralizing the alkaline leak I have, at times, used solder to make repairs to damaged battery contacts. It's important to use acid free solder, though, and any flux needs to be thoroughly removed. (I can't recall the brand or model, but there was an SLR years ago that the manufacturer made the mistake of using acid flux solder on battery circuitry, which would corrode and fail rapidly. Something to do with the fumes from the battery interacting with the acids. Seemed counter-intuitive, but it was a known problem. Might have been a problem related to the mercury batteries in use at that time.)

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

I DO deal with heavy corrosion, and I'm dealing only with battery compartments of cameras, flashes, battery grips. Only one camera I know of that has batteries in the mirror box....a Nikkormat EL....and the battery space is hardly accessible anyway.

Battery leakage can get around the terminals and into the innards. If that happens, none of the discussed methods will clean it out. You just hope that hidden corrosion doesn't continue.

More power to you if you can do solder repairs without burning plastics and exposing hidden things to excessive heat. Not for me.

dalbers

Sodal solution should do it.

ICUQTPIE

THANKS again, everyone. I used the vinegar and am leaving it open to let it dry. I will try putting in new batteries tomorrow.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Personally, I consider Duracell JUNK! I use Eveready batteries fairly exclusively. LESS issues (but still some). Best to remove batteries for longer term storage.

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Agree that batteries should be removed for long term storage. Long term in my opinion would be six months or more.

Figure that most cameras need some kind of trickle to maintain the internl clock if not something else. Knowing that, you can just say goodbye to them.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

This has happened to me many times with different things (remotes, shavers, radios, cameras, etc.).
First use a small knife or flat head screw driver to scrape off any of the acid that has formed a crust. I usually loosen and shake them onto a paper towel or tissue. Then use q-tips with alcohol to get any remnants off the contacts or springs or case. Finally use dry q-tips to dry everything off. The alcohol is a good solvent and won't harm any contacts or leave any odor, and will evaporate quickly after being dried.

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

In all equipment that experienced battery leakage I use vinegar then IPA

boomer826 Loc: Florida gulf coast

Have you made sure that the acid did not damage any of the circuit boards or cables ? I had this happen to a Nikon SB 800. It totally destroyed the flash. Good luck with what ever happens.