To handle the acid properly, you will need the following personal protective equipment. 1. Rubber gloves. This will protect your hands from coming into contact with the acid. The acid will cause acid burns if it comes into contact with the skin. The gloves must be resistant to acid corrosion preferably rubber gloves. 2. Yes, battery acid (sulfuric acid) can lose its effectiveness over time, although it doesn't technically “expire” like food or medicine. Battery acid can be. Its not advisable to re-use old battery acid because of the following reasons: 1. Contamination: Reusing battery acid is not advisable because old acid can become contaminated with metal. Adding new acid to an old battery may seem like a solution to improve its performance, but it comes with significant risks. The process can be dangerous, as battery acid is highly corrosive and can cause harm if mishandled. Accidents during this procedure could.