How to Clean Corroded Light Bulb Sockets on Your Car

Corroded light bulb sockets limit electrical contact, leading to bulbs that flicker, work intermittently, or not at all. light bulb sockets on cars become damaged for many reasons, including water exposure, dirt and debris build-up, or loose connections. However, cleaning the socket is usually enough to remove most of the corrosion and resolve the problem.

You can clean corroded light bulb sockets by disconnecting the car’s battery and spraying the socket with compressed air. Use a vinegar-soaked cloth to remove build-up and apply an electrical contact cleaner if the corrosion persists. You can apply socket lubricant to prevent corrosion.

Light bulb sockets on cars are susceptible to corrosion, especially if the housing is cracked or broken or the seals are dried. Read on to learn how to clean corroded light bulb sockets on your vehicle.

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Isolate the Circuit

Before beginning, you’ll need to isolate the circuit. Disconnect the battery or remove the fuse to the light bulb socket. It prevents any possible short circuit damage and reduces the likelihood of injury.

Access the Bulb Socket

Remove the lens and unscrew the light bulb. But remember that corrosion can sometimes make a bulb extremely difficult to remove. If the bulb isn’t unscrewing, don’t force it out. Doing so heightens the risk of shattering, and a broken bulb can further damage the socket.

Instead, work the bulb left to right slowly and gently to loosen up any corrosion from the threads and make it easier to remove.

Can You Spray WD40 on a Light Socket?

Sometimes, a lubricant will help remove a stuck light bulb due to corrosion. However, you should never spray lubricant on a socket until the circuit is isolated.

You can spray WD40 on a light bulb socket that’s stuck. Spray a light coating of the lubricant onto the inside edge of the socket. Use a dry cloth to wipe away any excess WD40. Gently work the bulb out of the socket using slow movements from left to right.

Other types of lubricant, such as silicone, aren’t recommended for light bulb removal. This is because silicone sometimes hardens, causing the bulb to stick even more.

What Do You Do if a Light Bulb Breaks in the Socket?

Sometimes a light bulb will break if you try to force it out of a corroded socket. Before removing the light bulb, clean up any glass using the hose attachment on a vacuum cleaner.

Then, remove a broken light bulb from the socket using a broken bulb extractor. If a bulb extractor isn’t available, slice an apple or potato in half and press it into the base to lodge it into the exposed bulb base. Then, twist the apple or potato to unscrew the bulb.

Discard the broken light bulb and run the vacuum cleaner inside the socket again to remove any additional glass. Wipe down the surface of the socket before continuing.

Assess the Damage

Once you’ve removed the bulb, examine the socket for corrosion. Light to moderate corrosion is usually easy to remove. You must clean it before using the socket again, as corroded electrical contacts can heat up and damage your home’s electrical system and cause fires.

In some cases, you may notice severe corrosion or build-up. light bulb sockets with severe corrosion typically need to be replaced.

What Is Severe Corrosion

Signs of advanced corrosion include:

Holes throughout the metal.
A coat of rust on the entire surface.
Bent or damaged screw threads.
Completely stripped threads.
Deformed or misshapen socket.
Burnt contacts.

If the socket is severely damaged, you’ll need to replace it. Replacement sockets are at your local automotive shop. Be smart when repairing electrical sockets. Always ensure the battery is disconnected before messing with the vehicle’s electricity.

Spray the Socket With Compressed Air

After you’ve determined that the socket doesn’t need replacing, you may begin the cleaning process.

To start, spray compressed air into the socket in short bursts. This breaks up and removes any fine dust, debris, and carbon build-up. Next, use pliers to gently lift the tab on each contact just slightly away from the bottom of the socket. Finally, spray again with compressed air to remove any debris from the contacts.

For compressed air, I recommend Falcon Dust Off Compressed Gas from Amazon.com. Alternatively, you can invest in a cordless air duster, such as the Wincooll Cordless Air Duster, also from Amazon.com. A cordless air duster saves money in the long run, as you’ll no longer need to purchase disposable cans of compressed air.

Use White Vinegar

One of the easiest methods for removing corrosion from light bulb sockets is to use white vinegar. Most people have white vinegar around, so it’s inexpensive and convenient.

To remove corrosion from a light bulb socket with vinegar:

Unplug the light or disconnect the battery.
Soak an old cloth in distilled white vinegar.
Stick the wet material into the socket so that it fits tightly.
Let the cloth sit for an hour or more.
Remove the cloth and use it to wipe off any remaining corrosion.
Allow the socket to dry before plugging it in.

If debris and build-up persist, move on to the next step.

Clean the Socket With Electrical Spray Contact Cleaner

If vinegar doesn’t work to remove the corrosion from the light bulb socket, use an electrical contact cleaner. Electrical contact cleaners remove oxides from conductive materials.

Be sure that you’re choosing a suitable contact cleaner for use on metal connections and plastics. I recommend DeoxIT Spray Contact Cleaner from Amazon.

To use contact cleaner on a light bulb socket:

Spray or apply a small amount of cleaner into the socket.
Use a wire brush or toothbrush to scrub the light socket and loosen the debris.
Scrub until all rust and corrosion are removed.
Wipe any excess cleaner out of the socket.

Prevent Future Corrosion

Protect the integrity of the socket and prevent further corrosion by applying a light lubricant to the interior of the light socket. Use a lubricant designed specifically for light bulb sockets to protect and insulate the connection. I recommend Bulb EZ thar provides smooth and easy light bulb installation and prevents cross-threading.

Once you’ve cleaned and lubricated the light bulb socket, reinstall the bulb. Reconnect the battery and test the light to ensure that it’s working correctly.

If All Else Fails, Replace the Socket

If, after cleaning, the bulb continues to flicker, work intermittently, or not at all, switch out the bulb if you haven’t already. The old bulb may have corrosion on the connection, preventing it from completing the circuit. If the light still fails to power on after replacing the bulb, check for a loose connection in the circuit.

No loose connections? It could be that the socket itself is faulty. If that’s the case, you’ll need to replace the whole socket.

Conclusion

Corroded light sockets on vehicles reduce the electrical conductivity, causing flickering lights or lights that won’t come on. In addition, they make light bulbs challenging to remove due to the build-up of rust and other debris.

Fortunately, removing corrosion is as easy as cleaning the socket with white vinegar or contact cleaner. In some severe instances of corrosion, the entire socket must be replaced. In the future, prevent corroded light bulb sockets on your vehicle by lubricating the connections using a light bulb lubricant.

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By Car Roar