We’ve all been there. Dealing with a dead car battery is not a fun experience, but it’s likely something most drivers will experience since car batteries are only built to last 3-5 years. Unfortunately, it’s user error—like leaving the lights on, neglecting regular maintenance, or running the AC without the engine running—that kills the battery much of the time.

Did you know that you can jumpstart a car with more than just jumper cables? While those are certainly handy, it’s worth it to know how to handle a dead vehicle battery with items you have around your house, too. And here to detail the specific items and how to use them is

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How to jumpstart a car with household items

Car batteries die all the time, it’s true. Whether yours has simply reached a certain age or has been a tad misused, you’ll likely experience a dead battery at some time in your driving career—and more likely than not, it’ll be pretty inconvenient.

If you find yourself in need of a jump start and without a set of jumper cables or other more traditional battery chargers like a jump starter, you can use a few household items to get things moving again.

Use a drill to start a dead battery

You can break out the battery from your trusty power drill or another power tool and use it as a DIY battery charger! Just make sure the power tool’s battery is fully charged before trying this method.

You’ll also want to use a heavy-duty solid-core copper wire to act as the power transmitter.

With the vehicle’s ignition turned off, shape one end of the brown and blue wires to fit the battery terminals. Attach the brown end to the positive terminal, then replace the terminal lead over it. Then attach the blue end to the negative terminal and replace that side’s terminal lead.

Connect the other end of the brown, positive wire to the positive terminal on the drill battery and the other end of the blue, negative wire to the drill battery’s negative terminal.

Be super mindful of the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals and ensure the wires you attach match the terminal charge.

You can then leave these batteries to do their thing for a few minutes until the dead car battery has enough power to start up. Carefully disconnect the wire from the drill battery to make sure the bare ends of the wire do not come in contact with each other.

Just let your car run for a while so the alternator can charge the engine up, and you’re all set!

MORE:

Jumpstarting your dead car battery back to life

Clean a corroded battery

One of the most common issues plaguing car batteries is corrosion. If a battery’s terminals are too gummed up with rust and corrosion, it won’t be able to start up. Thankfully, another household item comes in handy here.

Use a can of coke

Coca-Cola is not just a tasty, fizzy drink but also a great corroded battery cleaner! The carbonation and slight acidity of this soda react in such a way that easily lifts away rust.

To use it as a car battery cleaner, you’ll want to first remove the car battery and its cable connections. When the battery is totally disconnected from an electrical power source, pour your can of coke on the battery, let it soak for a few minutes, then gently scrub away the corrosion.

Make sure your battery is fully dry before reconnecting it in your vehicle and starting your engine back up.

How to tell if your car battery is dead

Sometimes a dead or dying car battery is not super obvious. Here are some common vehicle performance issues that can be linked to a dead battery:

Dim or dead headlights can signify a weak carry battery. If your engine is running but your headlights seem weaker, it could be because your battery is directing all its power to your engine and diverting power from other, less essential systems.

Slow-cranking times can be the result of your engine sitting out in the cold weather for too long, but if you’re in a warm climate, it’s likely a weak battery.

The engine starting and then failing when you turn the ignition over may mean your battery can’t produce enough power to keep your engine running.

If you want to keep your car battery healthy for the length of its life, stay consistent with regular vehicle maintenance, avoid parking your car in direct sunlight when possible, and take long drives rather than frequent short trips when you can.

MORE:

How to refill a car battery

Is it safe to jumpstart a car using household items?

Jumpstarting a car with household items can be a safe way to return your vehicle to charged-battery bliss, but as with any electrical work, there is potential for danger.

Make sure you do diligent research before beginning any jumpstarting method that you’re unsure about. Be aware that your car battery sits among flammable substances, so it’s better to be safe than sorry every time.

If you’re ever unsure about something, don’t just guess! Either get clarity from a reputable source or bring your vehicle to a professional mechanic.

How to find cheap car insurance

Owning a car isn’t cheap. Even if you keep everything running as smoothly as possible, the regular maintenance costs, gas prices, and insurance rates can run a pretty penny.

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FAQs

Can you jumpstart a car with a wall outlet?

You cannot jumpstart a car with a wall outlet. Cars run from a 12-volt DC electrical supply, while wall outlets typically run from AC electrical supplies.

What is the fastest way to jumpstart a car?

The fastest way to jumpstart a car is to use jumper cables and another vehicle. While both vehicles are off, clamp one end of the red cable (positive) to the positive terminal of the dead battery.

Then clamp the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal on the working car battery. You’ll then attach one end of the black cable (negative) to the working car battery and the other end of the negative cable to an unpainted metal surface, or a ground, of the dead car.

Start the engine of the working car first and then try the engine of the dead car. Once the dead car starts, take the jumper cables off in the reverse order that you put them on. Take the vehicle for a drive for at least 15 minutes or let the engine idle for at least 15 minutes.