My Harmony remote leaked battery acid on my sofa..

[wheelman]

So I didnt think anything of it after I cleaned it I looked down on my leather sofa a day or two later, and there looked like a stain on it. I thought what the heck and I rubbed it with a damp cloth, and it felt like a rubber tire then I new the damage was done already. So I googled a solution but there really wasn't much info on it. Most say baking soda for car batterys. I guess vinegar is the way to go, but I dont' have any so I got to thinking I got hot sauce. That may work for now until I can get to the store and get some vinegar. I need to neutralize the acid I guess who would of knew something like that could happen. The moral is NEVER leave your remote on your leather.

[picky]

OMG, Wheelman! That's a total bummer! Darn-it! I would hold off on using vinegar; it's acid and we don't know what type of battery you are dealing with here (you didn't say). If it's some sort of lead/acid cell then adding vinegar would be like adding fuel to the fire. The baking soda woul neutralize it. If it's an alkaline battery then baking soda would probably do nothing because theu are both alkalinic. If it's rechargeable it could be a nickel-cadmium or lithium-ion, etc. I would identify the battery type and then consult professional leather upholstery cleaner on this one, sir. Best of luck and let us know what happens. -Glenn

[Hifi jim]

I'd make a complaint to the battery manufacturer. Modern batteries should not leak and I've heard people collect repair or replacement money for batteries that damaged their goods. Possible they'd only want to pay for the remote damage (if there was any), but you never know and it costs no more than a call or an e-mail. Good luck!

[wheelman]

They are Rite Aid alkaline AAA batterys. I literally thought I spilled water on my hand or something because my hand was so wet ( I had a bottle of water at the time and you know how they can sweat). I thought wow that just felt different, it coated my skin slightly different than water. It sort started to sting, but not real bad I washed it off quickly before it did any damage to my skin. It says on the back 99.975% mercury free. "Satisfaction Gurantee" and who knows what kind of future damage it done to my Harmony remote. I seen where it discolored it near the battery clip.

Thanks guys for the help. It doesnt' look any worse yet at the very least I'm glad it's black it really would be bad if it were bone like I was gonna get. My bad Picky I already put hot sauce on it I read it had vinegar in it as an ingredient second in line so it had to contain enough I was thinking. I am just not sure about my vinegars though.

[jamesV]

WOW, I am really sorry to hear about your remote. I would take the manufacture up on the "Satisfaction Guarantee" with this one. Make sure you take pictures just to show the color difference. Plus I don't know if I like the comment, "It doesn't look any worse yet". It would have gone straight down as appose to spreading out. I know with leather it would spread but you did say that you cleaned it up kind of quick, of course after you hand. I would start to check if maybe the foam it that spot starts to soften up a little more then the area around it.

Please do report back as to what happens next.

James

[wheelman]

Maybe if I was more educated in alkaline spills it would of turned out better. I got to thinking maybe by me rubbing on it made it worse but I remember it being the same size so I doubt it. I will have to take a photo it's not drastic but man I like my sofa it's that softer itali leather. I wonder if I should try to put vinegar on it still I haven't yet other than what was in the hot sauce. I was reading it just keeps eating away at clothing so I was freaking I had to pull a MacGyver real quick on this one I just hope I didn't make it worse. Like I said it's still the same size I'm not sure how long it takes for it to eat away at it.

JamesV it will be hard to tell because it's real soft where it's at on the arm rest. My armrest at that LOL.