How destructive can road salt be on your vehicle?

Road salt is a known problem when it comes to taking care of your vehicle during the winter months. Add brine, slush and dirt to the mix and you have a recipe for possibly hurting your vehicle. After it snows, the roads become a hazard to your vehicle in its entirety because of what builds up on it and underneath it. If you let road salt stay on your car long enough, rust can begin to occur, especially on the underside of your car. 

It's impossible to supply an exact number for how long road salt needs to be on your car for rust to begin forming. But, to be safe, it's advisable to take your vehicle to the car wash at least once every 10 days. If the roads remain salty and slushy for an extended period of time, going through the car wash two times per week is probably a good idea.

When visiting the car wash, make sure it has the under-spray feature to wash away the build-up of slush and salt from underneath your car. If you simply wash the visible parts of your car and not the underside, you are missing the most susceptible part of your car. To combat the accumulation of salt and slush, try adding a coat of wax as needed. The wax supplies a defensive layer between your car's paint and the elements of the roads.

If you have not made your way to the local car wash yet, the next few days may not be ideal. While Saturday will be dry, there is a good chance of some drizzle and sprinkles Sunday. That would essentially nullify a Saturday car wash because the rain will be so light that the roads will remain salty. Sunday and Monday get red lights because precipitation will be falling for a the majority of each day. 

The good news surrounding the threat of rain is that it will likely be heavy enough Sunday night and Monday morning to melt the remaining snow pack and clean the roads. By the middle of next week, we may be looking at a favorable stretch of days to wash your car after it gets a free washing from Mother Nature!

Remember, too much washing isn't a bad thing during the winter months!