Protecting Your Vehicle From Road Salt

While road salt allows us to safely drive on highways and roads as we commute to work, it can seriously mess up your vehicle’s exterior.

If you live in a snowy area, you’ve seen the effects of road salt on automobiles: a rusty bottom along the sides of the vehicle, chipping paint and residues barely hanging onto the body of the automobile. It’s ugly, it severely decreases resell value and it’s just a pain.

If you need extra tips or assistance on your vehicle surviving the cold months of winter, reach out to us!

Use a rust-proof substance

One of the best ways to ensure road salt doesn’t destroy your vehicle’s body is to simply put a little spray on it. Today’s automobiles feature a body that is more resistant to rusting. With this in mind, using an oil-based spray (and thicker gel type oil on the bottom of the body, rocker panels, and wheel wells) will displace the moisture of the rock salt so your vehicle isn’t damaged. Spray it on thick and let it sit in your driveway for a day before driving.

Mats protect from road salt

Rock salt won’t just damage the exterior of your vehicle. If you allow it to continually sneak inside the vehicle throughout the winter, it’s going to mess up your interior. Avoid this by replacing your current mats with new rubber mats in the vehicle. This will ensure that whenever elements of winter enter into your vehicle by way of someone’s foot or coat, the rubber mats will be there to catch it.

Professionally detailed

Don’t feel like doing it yourself? Get a professional to detail your vehicle to protect it from road salt. Such professionals will use proven tools and techniques to ensure that your vehicle is properly protected from rusting. It’s the more expensive option, but you’ll at least know your vehicle is absolutely protected.

Regular trips to the car wash

Those unlimited car wash packages you typically spot advertised in your community will come in handy during the cold, winter months. Be sure to wash your automobile at least once every 10 days and as soon as humanly possible after it snows or rains. Moreover, wash your automobile the day of when the temperature hits 40 degrees F.

Thoughtful driving

Use common sense to avoid road salt turning your vehicle into a drivable rust bucket. Don’t go through puddles, drive when it’s snowing, or drive too close to another vehicle. This will ensure that rock salt and especially moisture doesn’t find its way into the creaks and cracks of your vehicle, thus damaging it and starting the process of rusting. Drive when the roads are safe, and you should be fine.