When your remote or a flashlight suddenly stops working and you open it up to see what's wrong, you may notice a flaky, white substance encrusting the battery terminals and the contacts in the battery compartment. This corrosion is caused by a leaky battery. Through damage to the battery, manufacturing defects,. Potassium hydroxide is a caustic chemical that can irritate eyes and skin, so when you're cleaning up battery corrosion, protect work surfaces and wear gloves. Glasses are a good idea, too, just in case you accidentally flick. Household batteries fall into two categories: primary (or single-use) batteries and rechargeable batteries. There are several types of batterieswithin each category. Of the. If left in too long, a corroded battery may damage a device. While cleaning out the corrosion can usually get your electronics working again, sometimes it's not enough. In these instances, check your device's warranty. Although it's. Working Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes, including drying time Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost:$5, depending on supplies on hand.