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As we changed old batteries, a rusty liquid was smeared on the floor and hands. I wiped it up and opened the window, but the metallic smell lingers in the room still.

Is the metallic smell from the rust or from the battery liquid, and is it harmful or toxic? Lastly, any advice on how do you get it properly cleaned up? From what I saw after googling this, advice is for actual acid leaked from batteries, or for the white crystals from alkaline cells.

The batteries were Toshiba Heavy Duty, size D. These are zinc chloride batteries:

  • POSITIVE ACTIVE MATERIAL: Manganese Dioxide (MnO2)
  • ELECTROLYTE: Zinc Chloride (ZnC12)
  • NEGATIVE ACTIVE MATERIAL: Zinc (Zn)

One or two of the four batteries seemed damaged. There were no crystals formed, just that rusty liquid.

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    Usually if you do not lick stuff off your fingers, but wash in a sink it is mostly safe for most toxic stuff. I imagine the batteries were powering something. Usually leaking batteries do most of the damage/corrosion to what they are in, usually 50/50 if the device can be cleaned enough or get a replacement. If it is a safety device, I would replace it.
    – crip659
    Commented Feb 15, 2023 at 18:51
  • 1
    your question may be better suited for a chemistry website ... chemistry.stackexchange.com
    – jsotola
    Commented Feb 15, 2023 at 18:51

1 Answer 1

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I think it's more corrosive than toxic. So it's better not to touch it directly, avoiding contact with eyes is a must.

I have been using the normal CRC (5-56) for decades.

  • Scratch off the residue if it's not liquid
  • Wipe it off with a paper towel
  • Spray liberally with CRC
  • Wipe again
  • Leave in sunlight to dry
  • Repeat if necessary

WD40 (being a similar product can be used too). Note that neither are conductive and thus are safe to use around electronics.

  • Stops and attacks rust – Protective film for ongoing protection against corrosion
  • Displaces moisture to help start wet engines
  • Penetrates quickly – Breaks away rust and corrosion, frees components bonded by dirt and scale
  • Safe for all metals and alloys, most painted surfaces, coatings, plastics and rubbers

From CRC website

WD40 website says similar things.

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  • Would WD-40 work as I don't have CRC at hand?
    – Iva Nova
    Commented Feb 15, 2023 at 19:38
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    WD-40 is a useful (debatable, but I think useful in certain situations) thing. But it isn't magic. It is oil. Good (in some situations) for lubrication or other tasks. I can't see how it would be good for cleaning up a battery mess. And now I just Google'd CRC (5-56) and see that it seems rather similar to WD-40. I don't think either CRC (5-56) or WD-40 would be my first choice here.
    – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
    Commented Feb 15, 2023 at 19:43
  • @IvaNova, yes WD40 would work too.
    – Rohit Gupta
    Commented Feb 15, 2023 at 20:00
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    @manassehkatz-Moving2Codidact - This is not from an official source. Its not the only way to fix it. It is what I had to come up with to fix kids' toys. I didn't want to use water. And Its is not conductive, so doesn't damage circuit boards.
    – Rohit Gupta
    Commented Feb 15, 2023 at 20:03
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    Try not to let the residue fall into the device's electronics. Your cleaning solution may be safe for them but the residue might not be.
    – keshlam
    Commented Feb 16, 2023 at 13:44

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