Hints from Heloise

Dear Readers: Have you ever needed a flashlight but it wouldn’t work, so you opened it up and found that the batteries had leaked everywhere?

When a leaky battery has corroded, here’s a safe way to clean up the mess:

“First, be sure to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.

“Wipe away any battery leaks with a dry paper towel.

“If it has hardened, scrape it off with a plastic or wooden stick. Then use a damp paper towel to wipe up as much residue as possible, and toss out the stick and used paper towels.

“Next, use fine sandpaper or an emery board to remove any remaining corrosion on the contacts of the flashlight.

“To avoid the problem, always remove batteries when you don’t plan to use the flashlight (or other battery-powered equipment) for several months or when you store it. – Heloise