Originally posted by Contouraholic:
Coat terminals with a barrier (Opinion vary on this):
Petroleum Jelly
White Grease (Lubriplate)(I use this mostly)
High Tack (A red goo used to make gaskets sticky, made by permatex)(I've used this too)
A coating made for battery terminals (whatever).
The red and green chemically treated felt washers work great and don't make a mess!
Typical battery life is about five years. If the mess comes back I would just replace it.
