[NJARC] Removing acid (powder) in old radios

[Pmalvasi at aol.com]

On this 100th anniversary of the invention of LSD I have a question about  
removing dried battery acid in old radios.  I recently acquired a pair  of BC 
611 Walkie Talkies. One had the original batteries installed and the  round one 
long ago leaked and exploded out of its tubular  casing. I fact so much so 
that it ruptured the side of the housing of the radio  (but amazing thanks to 
superb Motorola design the interior is partioned off  to the radio board which 
are  immaculate!)  It took quasi-major excavation work to remove  the shell now 
fused to the inside of the case but I did it - leaving  lots of powdered 
battery juice all over.  I was able to  brush much of it out and away but residue 
remains. And some of the  powder is all over the contacts and wiring in the 
lower section which  contains the clever connections to the earpiece and 
microphones (also  cleverly well isolated in the housing).
 
Is there any chemical which is safe to use to get rid of that stuff  properly 
or should I use the old soapy warm water treatment?
 
Last question, probably better suited to green radio list, is the drab  green 
paint available? Fortunately the outter of the cases of each is  amazingly 
sound but a few dings - which I may leave anyway. I sense these have  been 
stored in a very dry place as even the original green cloth carrying  straps are 
quite sound and their color still good.
 
73 Pete W2PM

Pete Malvasi
(201)  819-1065