Brake fluid plays an important role in your car’s braking system. It is also used as a lubricant and an anti-corrosion agent. So, despite being an anti-corrosive agent, is brake fluid corrosive? If yes, then to what extent? Is it safe on human skin? Is it safe if spilled on your car? People seem to have a lot of questions about brake fluid. Let’s answer your query in short:
Yes, brake fluid can be corrosive in nature. An accidental spill on your car can corrode the car paint. In humans, its corrosive nature can cause skin irritation, burning sensation on the skin, eye damage, etc.
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Is Brake Fluid Corrosive?
Yes, Brake fluid is generally considered to be corrosive to certain materials. It can damage painted surfaces, plastic, rubber, and certain types of metal if it comes into contact with them. It is important to handle brake fluid with care and to clean up any spills immediately to prevent damage.
What is Brake Fluid?
Brake fluid is a kind of hydraulic fluid added to the brake systems of your car to amplify the braking force applied on the brake pads. In other words, brake fluid transforms your foot pressure to the front and rear brakes to stop the car.
Corrosive Effects Of Brake Fluid That You Need To Know
#1 What if brake fluid falls on the engine?
#2 Brake fluid on your skin
The ingredients in the brake fluid are similar to the ingredients of antifreeze. In fact, brake fluid safety data sheets always mention that it can be harmful to your skin, cause eye damage and skin irritation. If ingested, it can damage your kidneys and liver. Also, never use brake fluid on any open wounds that you may have.
Note: You need to be very careful while working with brake fluid. If it gets on your skin, you can get an allergic reaction or contact dermatitis. You need to wash the affected area immediately. Do not apply any cortisone cream to the affected region otherwise, burning and irritation might increase. It is recommended that you wear protective gloves while working with brake fluid.
#3 Brake Fluid On Car Paint
Brake fluid consists of glycol that has a dual-action mechanism that attacks coatings. The glycol in brake fluid reacts with the car paint and works like an aggressive solvent. If you allow it to sit on the car paint, the fluid will start the process of breaking down the paint coating. This can leave stripes or vertical marks everywhere that it touches the car body while flowing on it. Moreover, the brake fluid will eat through the paint and expose the car metal body.
Cleaning Off The Brake Fluid
If the brake fluid has fallen on a newer car or if the car paint quality is high and your car has been waxed, you can simply wipe off the brake fluid. This will prevent any damage to the car. However, you need to do this as quickly as possible because the damage escalates with time. Here’s an idea of how the effect progresses over time:
- Less than 5 minutes: No damage is being done
- More than 5 minutes: Dull marks are seen and the clear coat will get affected in these regions.
- 10 minutes: Visible stains appear and the clear coat gets ruined.
- 30 minutes: Stripes will be made and paint damage is visible from far away.
Given below are the things you need to do to clean the brake fluid from the car’s surface before the damage gets done:
1. Blotting the brake fluid
Take a towel or a paper towel and soak up the brake fluid. Don’t wipe the car surface otherwise, you would be only spreading the fluid and aggravating the issue. Just put the towel on the affected area and dab on it to blot the fluid up.
Note: Do wear protective gloves while doing so. Else, your hands might touch the brake fluid which is corrosive to the skin.
2. Washing the brake fluid
After you have blotted up the corrosive fluid, you need to wash your car with a car wash detergent. If it is an emergency or if you don’t have immediate access to detergent, you can also use soap instead. Simply apply the soap and wash it off with a clean and wet sponge or rag cloth.
3. Rinse it off
Finally, when you have washed off the fluid, you just need to flush off the affected area of the car with lots and lots of water. This will neutralize the corrosive nature of the brake fluid and stop your car from being damaged anymore.
Fixing The Damage Caused By Corrosive Action Of Brake Fluid
If you’ve spilled brake fluid on the car and that has dulled its paint, the damaged area needs to be treated. Otherwise, the damaged area can keep spreading and even get worse as it is exposed to more damaging elements. This can give rise to rust and more severe problems.
To fix the damage caused by brake fluid dripping on your car paint, you just need to touch up the corroded area with matching paint color. Here’s a video tutorial for your reference:
If you can’t fix the paint damage yourself, then have it fixed by a technician.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will brake fluid corrode metal?
Brake fluid can corrode some metals over time, particularly when moisture is present. It’s important to clean up spills and avoid contact with metal surfaces.
Is brake fluid corrosive to paint?
Yes, brake fluid is corrosive to paint. It can strip and damage car paint, so it’s essential to clean up spills immediately with water and gentle soap.
How long does it take for brake fluid to corrode paint?
Brake fluid can start damaging paint within minutes, depending on the fluid type and paint quality. Promptly cleaning spills helps avoid damage.
Final Words
Although brake fluid has many applications, you need to keep in mind that it is highly corrosive and toxic. Hence, it’s important to maintain certain safety measures while working with it like wearing protective hand gloves and wearing protective glasses to cover your eyes.
If someone has consumed the brake fluid, seek medical attention immediately. Also, if the brake fluid accidentally spills on any part of the car, wipe it off immediately to avoid any corrosive action. Keeping in mind the dangers involved with the brake fluid, it is advised to keep it away from children’s reach.
