The white crusty stuff on your battery is a type of build-up that can be caused by corrosion, sulfation, oxidation, and many other processes. Your battery type plays a key role in the formation of this build-up. Before cleaning your batteries, always take proper safety precautions like gloves and eye protection. In addition, make sure to disconnect the battery before cleaning it. There are several ways to clean potassium carbonate, lead. Corrosion indicates that a battery is not functioning properly, whether it is a lead-acid or alkaline battery. In the case of a lead-acid battery, corrosion suggests some electrolyte leakage, and the lead cells or terminals are. Whether lead-acid or alkaline, batteries should always be monitored for signs of corrosion as it indicates that there may be a leakage or other issue with the reactants within the battery. Minor corrosive deposits should be cleaned.