If you live in the area where snow is a regular occurrence during the winter, then you know that those weather conditions can result in the massive corrosion of the car’s body. Here are some tips which you can use to take care of your ride and prevent the salt from accumulating causing corrosion and rust.
1. Wax It Thoroughly
One of the great things which will help you prepare your car for winter is wax which will protects paint from salt.
If you are cleaning your car at the carwash, all you have to do is turn the knob to the wax option and apply it thoroughly. If you are at the automated carwash, make sure that you choose the option where the wax is included.
If you wash your car at home, you are going to have to wax it yourself. It can be a tedious task, but make sure you do it right because it can save you bunch of money you would spend on respraying.
Process of waxing your car will ensure the protective layer which not only protect form scratches, but also from salt and paint degradation. Even though waxing might demand lot of effort if you do it yourself, it is cheap and it will make a huge difference.
2. Protect the undercarriage
This is probably the most important part because the undercarriage is most affected by salty roads. Also there are many other components which could be affected by corrosion like brake lines or exhaust and considering the fact that brakes could make a difference between life and death, you should follow up on this tip.
There are many sealants and paints on the market which could help you do the job, but do a little bit of research and pick the best one. Keep in mind that you’ll have to lift your car one way or another. If you use the regular jack, you probably won’t be able to apply the coat evenly, so the best idea would be to take it to mechanic’s shop.
It might cost you few bucks, but you’ll be able to apply the coat of sealant evenly which will protect your car from corrosion where it matters. There is also one more upside to this- you’ll be able to get more money when you resell your ride because it will be in much better shape compared to the car that’s untreated.
3. Wash your car once a week
The most direct approach you can take to prevent salt build up is to wash your car regularly. Besides the visible dirt on your car, you can also see the white trail which is basically salt buildup.
Wash your car once a week and prevent salt from causing damage to paint and other exposed areas. Make sure that you protect door handles from water because they might freeze otherwise. However, do not stop at the exterior, to fully protect your cars you have to clean interior also.
Now you might ask yourself why? Well because you drag the snow and therefore salt inside by entering and exiting all the time. By this salt accumulates on the floor and it can corrode it pretty quickly due to the fact that floors are made from pretty thin metal. You don’t have to do anything special, all you need to do is vacuum the floors thoroughly. Washing your car is cheap and it can make the world of difference. Keep in mind that you have to do all this on a regular basis, at least one a week.
4. Pay attention to certain areas
It is important that you pay attention to the areas where salt might accumulate the most like the wheel arches. When you wash your car you have to make sure to get all the salt out, especially out of hard to reach tight spaces where dirt and salt collect throughout the year.
However, keep in mind that wheel arches are not the only areas where salt might accumulate. That’s why you need take a good look at your ride and spot all the critical areas. Each door gap is a potential area for corrosion. The problem here is that even when you wash your car you might not get the dirt out.
So to be safe get a cloth and clean areas around doors after you wash your car. Remember, this is very important step because those hard to reach places, if not cleaned, can cause a lot of damage which is also really hard to repair. Also, those critical areas are the first that are checked if you decide to sell your car in the future. This means that sign of corrosion might decrease the value of your car significantly.
