I am starting a new Friday tradition… Fix it Friday. I can just hear ya’all cheering. The toilet paper holder I blogged about a while ago has me on a rampage of fixing stuff, I hope some of this comes in handy for you. If not, I’ll stop. Girl Scouts honor (mmmm, now I want a cookie). Today let’s talk about fixing a toy, or anything, with battery corrosion.
I think we’ve all pulled out an old toy or something else battery-operated only to find that the battery has leaked or corroded and the darn thing won’t work anymore. Well, wipe those tears girls, it might be an easy fix! Try these three steps before you give it away. But before you start anything, turn off the toy/item. Electrocution is so not cool. Also, rubber gloves and eye protection is recommended. This toy was not too bad, but still, not working:
1. Clean the area with vinegar and an old toothbrush. Just give it a good scrubbing. This cleans it and neutralizes alkaline so it won’t cause further damage. Wipe away any debris with a paper towel
Allow the item to dry completely (hours if needed). And if it still won’t work…
2. File down the springs with a nail file and then rinse the area with vinegar on a Q-tip.
Allow the item to dry completely. And if it still won’t work…
3. Fold some tin foil and put it between the springs and the battery to make sure the connection is tight
And if it still won’t work…
I can’t help you. But you could always take it apart and see all the cool parts inside or run over it in your car to teach your kids not to play behind cars… the possibilities are endless really. Martha Stewart said all bloggers are not experts after all. (hope I never gave you the impression that I might be!) This toy started after step 1. Old toothbrush + vinegar = happy baby
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Hi, you’re a legend! I thought that my first son’s mobile was gone forever as I forgot to take the alkaline batteries off and they leaked causing the toy not to work. I need the mobile for my newborn second son. I panicked, until I came across your blog, I followed your steps and its fixed. Thank you so much again!
Paula
Nothing like saving a toy to make you a hero. I love it. Thank you!
Awesome I have a 2008 millennium falcon, and forgot to turn “off” the switch..10 years later you can imagine the corrosion …Vinegar works like magic..thanks for the easy steps…My millennium falcon sounds like when I took it out of the box..cheers
If I have saved a millennim falcon I’m taking that as a win. Glad it worked! Thanks for posting!
Thank you! How funny that this article pulled up for me and it just happened to be the same toy I was trying to fix. Step 1 worked! Happy baby.
So weird!! Me too!!
Me too!!
Me too! What a coincidence!
You literally just saved my life.bought two toys at a garage sale, one for my autistic five year old son, one for my five month baby girl. My son’s toy played for ten minutes than stopped, my daughter didn’t not start at all. My son lost it, my baby didn’t care, the hanging toys were enough fit her.looked up something to do about it, step one had my son perfectly happy and now my daughter is more in love than before.Thank you thank you thank you!!! Now I have a weekend of getting stuff done to look forward to….now if only I can find something to occupy my one year old girl…. 🙂
Yeah! So glad!
Fixed my baby’s night scout teddy. Thank you so much
Ohhh… night scout teddy sounds serious. Hallelujah it is working again! Thanks for reading 🙂
THANK YOU!! My child’s Leapfrog Tag Junior is now fixed!
Yeah! We’re big fans of leapfrog tag around here. So glad it works!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! My 4 year old’s Leapfrog My Pal Scout hadn’t been working for a while and I finally got around to changing the batteries and found them corroded. After only step 1, it worked! I have a happy little boy. He always listened to the nighttime music for naps and bed and is super excited to have it again. ☺️
this is the same toy I’m trying to fix!!! Hope it works!
Did it work?
Too funny.. I also found your blog via a search to fix this same toy! Hopefully this works. Thanks!
I can’t thank you enough for posting this! We got a toy from a garage sale and it stopped working about 5 seconds after we got it home – corroded batteries!! My little guy was so sad, but the first step did the trick! Amazing!!❤️
I love that you took the time to explain how to fix toys. We live in such a throw away world. It’s nice to know there are others out there who would rather spend the time to fix something broke than toss it.
Thanks Necolle, Thanks for your comment, I totally agree! I wish we salvaged more than we do.
Thank you soo much!!
I tried all steps and nothing
Until i tried the tin foil and it worked like new.
So glade i found this artical!! Otherwise i was going to throw out a very expensive remote car.
SCREAMING a BIG THANK YOU to a Great Science Teacher!!!
I used tips 1 & 3, and all 3 Elmos (Tickle Me, Hokey Pokey, & Dance & Shout) that had been in storage for years and not working are NOW working!!! The kids and I are so excited!!! Thanks again! Blessings!
Wow this really works thanks saved me £40 for a new vetch bike.
I don’t know How old this blog is, but this was the best advice, ever!!! Worked for an old voice activated Transformer, making my 5yr old very happy!! Thank you!
so happy! Nothing beats transformers for 5 year olds 🙂
Thought my battery operated weather radio was finished due to corroded batteries, but performing steps 1 & 3 fixed it right up. Thanks so much!!
You’re so welcome! Yeah!!!
Thank you soooo much! I just bought a Baby Einstein activity saucer from a woman off Craigslist and I asked her specifically if the sounds and lights worked and she told me “yes”! Such a big lie, I was ready to hunt her down after I came home and put new batteries in, of course there was corrosion! I thought I was put of luck till I found this!! I feel like I can fix anything now, lol! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Glad it worked, I know which saucer you’re referring to and it is baby heaven. Many, many happy hours ahead! Thanks for reading.
I don’t understand where to put the foil when checking the connection. Do I put it in between the rings of coil or exactly how or exactly do I place it? I just can’t picture what I’m I’m supposed to do.
I’m sorry I’m so dense!
The picture may not be very clear. Place the foil between the battery and the coil. If the coil is loose fold the foil several times. Hope it works!
I just used this on a Lionel train we bought off craigslist and it worked!! The kicker was the aluminum foil. Thanks a ton!
Another winner here, Sarah, after using your approach on a Lego train battery holder. Thanks so much.
Thank you so much. It really works!
Thanks Fixed my daughter’s Frozen sing along toy.
We have a singing and dancing Christmas tree soft toy. It’s been a traditional thing to get it out and press play every year for a good few years now. Sadly this year it decided to die. That is until I found this. Now it dances once again.
Merry Christmas! This comment makes me so happy, thanks for commenting.
OK so I never ever leave comments but omg.. my daughter got this pretty expensive gift that she was obsessed with and stopped working I went to YouTube and kept looking up ways to fix her toy I am currently out of vinegar and we r snowed in so I just did the tin foil like u said and it instantly started working I am more happy than my daughter is lol..THANK YOU so much
Would you fix a battery spring that fell off with a steel wire that you use for hanging pictures? I have a bad feeling about it, but my spring broke off and I don’t have any copper springs laying around . I tried to use a spring from a pen, but it didn’t work.
Hi Kelsey, So I double checked with an electrician on this one and the spring is attached to an electrical wire inside the battery compartment. Which means that the connection would need to be pretty tight to make item work. A spring from a pen probably wouldn’t work. He suggested trying a metal plate that would fit in nice and sung and cross your fingers. Is it an item worth trying to try a few things?
Bought a cute North Pole Countdown Ornament at Goodwill. Was so disappointed when it didn’t work. Understood why when I saw the corroded batteries. Followed your first step to the letter. Works beautifully!! Thank you so so much.
Can’t believe this actually worked!! Thanks for the great advice 🙂
Is there a way to replace the spring if it falls apart? I was using this method to clean up a baby swing I accidently stored with the batteries in it. The spring disintegrated with the vinegar touched it.
Hi Christina, huge bummer about the spring… I asked an electrician/fix-it dude about this a couple weeks ago and the spring is attached to an electrical wire inside the battery compartment. Which means that without a spring the connection would need to be pretty tight to make item work. He suggested trying a small, solid metal plate that would fit tightly between the battery and the battery wall, if you try it, please tell me if it works!
My 14 month old grandson’s mother bought him a big ball toy that is really neat. She bought it used and it didn’t work but he still played with it. She tried using a file on it but it still did not work. She was a little disappointed in it. So I searched the internet and found your site. I didn’t have vineger so I tried the foil. Well, it worked and I was so tickled. Now he really loves it because he loves music. Can not wait for his mom to see it. I am one happy grandma! Thank you so much.
Your comment made my day! So glad it worked 🙂
My grandsons mom bought him a ball related toy that was used. It is a nice toy but it doesn’t work. She tried fileing it with a finger nail file but it didn’t work. So I decided to go to the internet and I saw your site. I didn’t have vinegar so I tried the foil and it worked! My grandson is 14 months old and likes the toy, but now he likes it even more. I can’t wait for his mom to see it. Thank you!
works like charm! Great Advice!
Thanks, your tip saved me two toys Fisher Price Rainforest Deluxe gym play mat and Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo. i had totally given up after the local repair shops also turned it down. Simple fix, easy to try and worked like a charm.
I have a Pottery Barn Clip Lamp wit corrosion . I can not get down into where the springs are for the battery, any sugggestions?
can you email me a pic of the battery pack? sarah@iamhardware.com
Got a bop it at a yard sale…looked at battery compartment after I got home and it was so so corroded ..came across your site and going to do the vinegar, treatment tomorrow. .glad I found your site.
Just as you described, rubbing the spring in step 2 and adding foil in step 3 got the toy working again. When I scrolled down to the bottom of your post, I saw that my son was using the exact same toy as your daughter in the picture. What’s up with these Leapfrog toys?
Wonderful – used vinegar to clean the contacts and compartment, filed a corroded spring with an emery board, dried it all out with a hairdryer put in new batteries and it works!!! Fantastic, this has made my day. A lovely toy was going to go to landfill until you saved the day!
Thank you! I fixed an expensive Luminara candle that was about to be thrown in the garbage! I’m so happy!
Yea!!! So happy you saved it!
I needed all three!
You just saved my label maker!!! Step 1 cured it for me! Thank you so much! I can go back to my OCD self and organize my life! Hugs to you!
Anything to save a label maker!!! Hugs right back your way :). Thanks for your comment!
I’m not a parent, I just graduated high school, but your vinegar and toothbrush method worked like a charm for my project too. I recently picked up some Plug and Play arcade games and in one of them, someone had left the batteries in and they corroded. I used your first technique and after drying for about an hour, it worked perfectly! New batteries and no problems. Thank you!
I have a Waco clown figure that plays a tune and moves it’s head from side to side. All is well with the music etc., but the battery compartment has a part of metal broken off so there is no contact. Can I replace this contact with something else or can I buy a new part. It looks like a bent in half piece of metal that comes in contact with the battery. It seems like a little thing but no one can fix it for me so far. I did see a video on a repair of the music part but not the battery part. Thank You for your help.
Hi Sarah
How to fix a button battery play a sound baby book with animal sounds and music. You press the animal and makes a sound or music. Some of them works but one of them not.
Thanks!
Hi Rita, the trickiest step when repairing a baby book is just getting to the button itself. Is it a board book that is sealed? Or can you actually access the wiring? If you can access the wiring try to clean (carefully with vinegar, batteries out at the time) and reinforcing the connection. Let me know if it works!
You had me at “run it over…teach your kids…playing behind cars”!! Blog followed.
Great, helpful info! Eerily popular toy….
Some helpful cleaning tools include those teeny tiny bottle brushes and baking soda! After vinegar cleaning, scrub with b-soda if there are bits still left or trouble still lingering, b-soda is a good abrasive.
Can’t believe this comment thread is still open, lol!
Great thread… Did the vinegar part tonight on son’s old Fisher-Price puppy (I forgot the name of it- it’s the one where you squeeze his ear and he says ‘Eeeaaarrr’, etc.) to try to save for daughter. One of the springs was pretty low so I’m sure I’m going to have to try the tinfoil trick.
Whether it works, or whether we have to run it over, there will be entertainment at this house tomorrow 😁
Success!
Thanks a million! You just helped me save a favourite James train for my 5-year old! Meltdown averted. Said boy now singing the Thomas theme song as I type.
One very grateful mum.
Thank you! The aluminum foil hack worked for my thermostat.
Hi
I was about to replace this the peppa pig toy car when I thought to google repairs and found this post. No.1 worked, I was amazed!
holy smokes this really works. Our thermostat was dead and had battery corrosion at the terminals…new batteries didn’t work…heating and air place booked out a month and I was hoping to avoid an emergency appt. So got an old toothbrush, Q tips, and apple cider vinegar (didn’t have regular!). And….miracle!!! Cleaned the terminals and put in new batteries again. WE HAVE HEAT!! Thanks so much for this post!!!!!
I’m trying to fix an old Brum car that runs on AA batteries. It was continually running and would not turn off. I took off the cover after taking batteries out and somehow managed to dislodge the wring to the motor box which turned the cogs. Could you help about which colour goes to which terminal. Any help at all would be great. It would make a Happy Nanny and One Happy Grandson
Love your srnse of humor! The tips are good but the laughs are better.
It totally works. I cleaned the corrosion and folded foil in the contact. I now have a working Santa Light and Snow Lantern.
Thanks A look Much!!!!
Sorry…Thanks Sooooooo Much!!!
Ur a genius thanks
Got out Christmas snowman and forgot to take batteries out last year before putting it away. Corrosion all over spring where battery goes. I followed your advise about the vinegar and it worked! Happy Mom and son!!! Little science lesson along with fixing it. Thank you so much!
love the science lesson! good job mom 🙂
THANK YOU! My daughters are 8 years apart and I had saved a couple of favorite toys that were no longer working. I found this post and it worked! I totally MacGyvered it and my daughter is thrilled! Thank you!
Yeah! So happy! MacGyvering is the best for sure :).
THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH! I was going to buy another radio, but now, after a quick vinegar cleaning and a bit of tin foil in the battery speings, my good old trusted Roberts is working like new! You’re a star!
Yeah! So happy! Glad it worked and you saved some money and time!
OMG! You might have really saved someones life! I pulled out Mom’s old Blood Pressure Monitor an she’s been gone over a year. Yes I forgot to take the batteries out. Did you tip with the vinegar and LO AND BEHOLD T WORKS. I can’t thank you enough for the tip!
Wow. I am SO GLAD it did the trick! Blood pressure monitors are no joke, we’re way past toys! Thanks for the comment, it made my day.