# Keeping small amt of water during auto car wash off battery? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Show\ **Tags:** fit, honda\ **Created:** [April 4, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983 "2021-04-04T15:36:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liza-Baby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba9def/32.png) [@Liza-Baby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Liza-Baby)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/1 "2021-04-04T15:36:46Z")
When I use auto car wash, I get a small amount of water in engine compartment on top of battery. Can I protect with a towel (??) during wash? Thanks for help. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/2 "2021-04-04T15:39:45Z")
Not a problem and the towel is a bad idea. if it gets to wet it will short out your battery and might cost you a very large repair bill. ---
**Author:** ![Liza-Baby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba9def/32.png) [@Liza-Baby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Liza-Baby)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/3 "2021-04-04T15:41:42Z")
Would a plastic bag be ok, just for time thru wash? ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/6/602d295699c664ee41f5e74eb1e2b9d202636f1e.png) > ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/1/61876105c0dbd6d3ec5da86624529d764030ac96.png "VOLVO-V70") | [VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/volvo-v70) > April 4 | > > - | - | Not a problem and the towel is a bad idea. if it gets to wet it will short out your battery and might cost you a very large repair bill. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/4 "2021-04-04T15:46:52Z")
> [@Liza-Baby](#): > > Would a plastic bag be ok, just for time thru wash? If your vehicle does not have any problems after you go through the auto wash then stop worrying . You can put a plastic bag there if you want but I would not . ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/5 "2021-04-04T16:21:51Z")
Your engine compartment gets wet every time you drive in the rain. You are worrying about a non-problem. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/6 "2021-04-04T16:23:12Z")
For decades I’ve been rinsing the top of batteries off with a garden hose once a year or so to remove stray acid and grime. Then dry with paper towels. Any trace of acid will ruin cloth. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keeping-small-amt-of-water-during-auto-car-wash-off-battery/175983/7 "2021-04-04T17:28:32Z")
Don’t worry about the battery getting wet. It won’t hurt anything. In fact, that is how you rinse off the baking soda you use to remove corrosion from the connections. Regular Coca-Cola works pretty well to clean the terminals, too.