Allie is four months and one week old. She plays with toys now. She pulls things towards herself. She chews and feels and explores.
Wanting to get a reprieve from holding her all day long, I decided to find some of Grace's old baby toys. She had a saucer, a walker, a jumperoo, and some assorted noisy toys at this age.
I knew that Allie would love them.
I hoped that Allie would love them enough for me to get some work done around the house and play with my firstborn and her dollhouse.
Maybe even exercise.
Or blog!
I don't ask for much.
My simple requests in mind, I crawled into our dank, dark basement crawlspace this morning, hoping not to meet anything with six or eight legs.
Twenty minutes later, I crawled back out with the toys, having successfully avoided all things creepy and crawly. Among the toys I found was Grace's Sing-Along Stage.
Assuming that my handy husband had removed the batteries before he stored it away, I grabbed some fresh AAs and a screwdriver and sat the baby in the Bumbo seat.
My handy husband had not, as it turns out, removed the batteries.
Three years in the dank, dark basement crawlspace, and the batteries had leaked their acid out into the battery compartment of the Sing-Along Stage.
"Rats!" I grumbled, causing Grace to come over to see what I was doing.
I cleaned out the battery compartment, making sure to get all of the acid and grime.
Unfortunately, as I cleaned, the springs that were supposed to hold the batteries in disintegrated and fell out.
"Now what am I going to do?" I said out loud.
You can play with me! Grace offered.
Not so helpful.
Anyway, this toy was awesome. It sang and played music and Grace would sit (and later stand) in front of it and dance and sing and watch herself in the mirror and I loved every minute.
I would not allow a little battery acid to stand between Allie and the awesomeness of the Sing Along Stage.
I put the batteries into the compartment even though the springs weren't there to hold them in. I hoped that, if I replaced the back panel, the batteries would not fall out and the toy would work.
Sometimes, I am more hopeful than smart.
I was wrong.
I contemplated, gnashing my teeth.
Then I had a brainstorm. What if the music failed to play because the circuit wasn't closed? Maybe those springs had a dual purpose!
If that was the case, I just needed something metal to wedge in there.
I was about to dissect some pens for their springs when I thought about aluminum foil. I grabbed the roll from the kitchen, tore off two little pieces, and rolled them into little balls.
After stuffing the little balls into the compartment where the springs had been, I replaced the batteries and the back panel.
And the toy started singing.
I was so proud of myself that I posted this on Twitter:
And then Grace took the toy from Allie and sat in front of the stage for an hour, singing and dancing and looking at herself in the mirror.
(I was too excited to look up the spelling ahead of time. It's actually MacGyver.)
Jessica says
I am thoroughly impressed. I so would have tossed it. Lol.
Bulvi says
Thank you so much...I have a 2008 millennium falcon , forgot to turn "off" switch since 2008...ten years later you can imaging the corrosion. Well to my surprise , your method work..thank you so much..sounds and works well
Michelle says
Thank you, thank you! I bought a toy at a fleamarket and didn't check to see if the batteries were corroded. I googled how I could get this cool toy up and running for my 9 month old. This worked!!! You are brilliant!
Tara @ Feels Like Home says
Yeah! I'm glad it worked for you, too! (And glad that you found this solution through Google.)
Sarah says
I did too! Thanks for the tip
Tara @ Feels Like Home says
Yeah! I'm glad it worked for you, too! (And glad that you found this solution through Google.)
Onayimi says
Yey!!! Thanks for this awesome post. I found it through google too. I'm about to try it with an old toy guitar that my nephews gave to my son and I really hope it works.
Sarah Kennedy says
I also bought a FurReal Bear cub from a flea market and the batteries were corroded and I almost threw it in the trash but I decided to see if it could be fixed or replaced and I came across this and I'm so glad because it works perfectly! Thank you so much!
Michelle says
Thank you, thank you! I bought a toy at a fleamarket and didn't check to see if the batteries were corroded. I googled how I could get this cool toy up and running for my 9 month old. This worked!!! You are brilliant!
Elena says
Thank you!!! I was about to throw out a swing I bought on craigslist. My mistake for not checking that compartment before buying.
Thank you x3!!!
Rebecca king says
i so tried this got a toy at a yard sale and it looked just like yours i tried the foil thing put folded it didn't work then read yours put it in a ball and it was off and going thanks
Feels Like Home Blog┞¢ says
Yeah! I'm so glad!
Leanne says
Thank you so much for posting this! I pulled out a cool train toy after being in storage for 5 years and same issue. I did the tin foil trick and tadaaaaaaaaa...it worked! You are BRILLIANT! 🙂 Ty again!
Cindy says
Thank you. You helped me fix a favorite toy. You are brilliant!
leanne says
thank you so much u helped me mend my child's toy dog cost me £49.99 was so pissed off the batteries had leaked and thought had to throw it away now it works perfect thank yo for sharing you idea xxxxx
Christine says
you have just saved me a fortune on buying a new child's toy. The old one cost me ┚¬89, and after less than a year the batteries had leaked and distroyed the springs. Your kitchen foil trick did the job. I cannot thank you enough.
Tara Ziegmont says
I am so glad to be able to help!
Trudy says
I am inspired and am set to salvage some toys!
Gloria says
Thank you for posting this! I used the aluminum foil ball in an expensive clock where the spring rusted and broke off and it works!!! It may not be professionally fixed, but it's working!! You ARE brilliant! 🙂
Tara Ziegmont says
Glad you fixed your clock! Please come back and compliment me any time you like. 🙂
Lilia says
Oh my God you saved my day ,bought a musicale table from ebay the battries Spring was all rusted tried to clean it but nothing worked but your idea did thank you so much
Laura says
I just spent 30 minutes cleaning a toy for my toddler that has been sitting in our garage for a year or so. Neglected to check the battery compartment first...and yes battery acid has eaten away one of the springs! Thank you so much for posting this! Found it on Google. 🙂
Angie says
What did you use to clean the battery compartment with?? I have TWO toys that I purchased from a mom-2-mom and didn't think to check :// One of them actually sounds like your musical sing along toy! Ooooh, I hope I can get these to work!! THANKS!!!
Tara Ziegmont says
I don't remember for sure (I wrote this 2 years ago), but I'm pretty sure I used a wet paper towel. Don't put any liquid in there; it could ruin the whole thing.
Donna Merle says
I also used a damp paper towel (greatest invention ever) but the rust was still there. I think the foil ball worked in spite of the rust for me. This will go into my memory bank (I am 78 so it is almost empty lol). Maybe I better put it in my book for my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren and then they can tell their parents. lol Thanks again Tara.
Yeli Day says
Thank you. Two years later and you're still helping people out. I fixed my daughters vanity and our new used exercise bike. 🙂
Hj says
I can be pretty smart at times but didn't think of this myself. Thanks for sharing your post!! Had a child melting down and almost threw out a great (and expensive) toy!
Rebecca says
And yet again, you saved the day. Hand-me-down piano thingy, corroded spring. I thought of tin foil but my electronics-expert dad poo-pooed the idea. So I googled fancier solutions, and came across you. Vindicated!!! Thank you for posting!
Tara Ziegmont says
Moms always know! 🙂
Nicole says
Thanks so much for sharing this!! Tonight is trash night and I was just about to throw away a toy that I bought second hand for my 7 month old!!
Leslie says
Thanks so much! I fixed a really really awesome and discontinued piano toy with your idea!
lucy says
You ROCK!!!! thank you!
Tara Ziegmont says
You are most welcome. 🙂
Gloria says
It worked thanks a lot . My used fisher price radio toys the battery was corroded and I did the aluminum ball and cleaned it with vinegar. I got the toy for Xmas from a second hand store when I got home it did not play and I was upset but I new that it was something that I could do to fix it I stub bled upon your page and I feel great that I got it working just in time for Xmas .
Sheri says
Woo Hoo!! Thanks for your tip - it worked for me too =)
Diana Cox says
Hey MacGuyver....What a great idea. I think I'll file it under "Why didn't I think of that?" I have a darling kitty toy that I forgot to remove the batteries before storing and yup, leaking batteries corroded the springs and they fell off. It was too cute to toss, after all it's still cute to look at, so I kept it. Now I'm going to fix it. Thank you bunches. =^-^=
Missy says
You are awesome! Tinfoil worked for me too! A friend gave us their cute mobile with lights and different sounds and one of the springs was corroded through and it fell apart when we switched out the batteries. I was ready to cut off the stuffed animals and throw away the rest but figured it wouldn't hurt to Google first incase something could be done. Found your blog and voila! Thanks so much!
Khydijah says
Genius! I only wish I would have found this method before I threw out a very good toy that my kiddies loved :0(
At least I can save the rest of there toys...happy mom right now!
Cheryl says
I am in awe of your true genius. I cleaned the battery compartment of my eliptical machine with a baking soda paste. The batteries had been in there no less than five years. (We won't talk about the not using the machine much in the past five years, we'll talk about me using it now.) The baking soda didn't work. Tried your method with the aluminum foil and the screen ilt up. Thank you!!!
Boog's Mommy says
I also found this through Google. Thank you so much! I found a $200 toy at Goodwill and it had the same problem. Did I mention I got it for just $6?? I just knew there would be a way to salvage it. Yay for Mom bloggers! We can fix almost anything 🙂
Gary Disney says
You are brilliant! Googled how to repair springs on battery connection, and found your answer. Just bought a almost new stationary bike, used it once couldn't get it to work next day. Found that a spring had broke off on one connection. Put your foil to the test, and a half hour later and 8 miles down I can say " YOU GO GIRL!"
Debra says
Love you! Just fixed an expensive exercise bike I was looking at, but can't really afford, replacing! Debra x
Crystal says
OMG THANK YOU!!!! :') :') I found my baby doll from when I was a little girl, and I decided to see if it still works, and as I unscrewed the back to put in batteries, I found that I had left other batteries in, which had leaked. The spring was completely rusted. I tried everything: Leaving it for 24 hours in vinegar, scrubbing it with an old toothbrush, rubbing it with baking soda, and still nothing. Lifeless. The rust came off, but it still wasn't working. I was ready to cry and give up, but then I stumbled upon your page. I was hesitant, because I had run out of hope, and frankly this solution sounded quite odd 😛 but I put in a ball of foil, screwed the back on, turned it on and waited. Nothing again. I was about to just leave the doll and walk out with my head down, but then I heard crying, and my doll came alive again 🙂 I had tears of joy, I love this doll so much. Thank you so so much, you are awesome!! 🙂
kim says
Thank you so much. My daughters tears after her fur real monkey died have all dried up now he has come back to life again. <3