How To Protect Your Vehicle From Salt In Columbia, TN

Salt is an unavoidable hazard on the road in areas that see snow and ice during the winter. While the salt application is designed to minimize accidents, increase control, and protect those on the road, it can do damage to your vehicle. Make sure you’re prepared for the potential hazards of road salt, and add a regular routine of washing and protecting your vehicle to your winter maintenance schedule.

When you take mindful steps to minimize the hazards of road salt, you can keep your car in great condition year after year. Brush up on the proper steps to keep your car safe from road salt. View our inventory of New Chevrolets, or If you have any questions, give us a call at 931-548-1370 today!

Understand the Hazards of Road Salt

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The first step to protecting your vehicle in winter is understanding the dangers. Rock salt is an effective choice for melting snow and improving traction on icy or snowy surfaces. However, that same salt can do serious damage to your vehicle.

Salt speeds oxidation which will speed up corrosion. Rust causes cosmetic damage to the upper portion of the vehicle and can do serious damage to the underside, creating holes or wearing through brake lines. It’s difficult to see rust damage underneath your vehicle, so you may want to schedule a professional inspection in winter or spring to assess any potential damage caused to the vehicle.

Coat Your Car

Prepare your vehicle for the season ahead by waxing it thoroughly or adding a specialty coating before winter hits. Look for a product formulated to prevent rust damage. You can expect most types of coating to last three or four months. If you live in a climate where winter conditions persist longer than that, apply another layer as needed.

You can also find undercoating products that will protect the underside of the vehicle. This is the area that sees the most damage from rust. As road salt splashes up under your car, it can form a hazardous layer that will cause corrosion. Coating the undercarriage will provide extra protection to keep rust at bay.

While you can wax the vehicle yourself, it’s nearly impossible to apply undercoating properly at home. Consider booking a professional detailing or taking your car to a shop where they can apply this coating for you.

Use Rubber Floor Mats

The interior of your vehicle can suffer from staining as salt-caked shoes step inside. If you have carpet car rugs, consider switching to rubber for the winter. This is the easiest way to stop snow and salt from slopping into your vehicle.

You can return to your carpet mats in spring, but you may find durable rubber mats appealing enough to keep year-round, as they can catch spills, collect water, and otherwise keep your interior clean and neat.

Wash Your Vehicle Often

You should wash your vehicle regularly during the winter months to prevent salt from building up on it. When there’s salt on the roads, you should wash your vehicle at least once every 10 days. Do this during the daytime when temperatures are as warm as possible. It’s best to wash your car when it’s no colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can give your car a good wash at home by spraying salt off with a high-pressure hose. Place a sprinkler beneath the car to rinse off the undercarriage. Rinse and wash the tires thoroughly to remove salt, as the tires can kick old salt back up under your vehicle.

After the first rinse, apply snow foam to the vehicle and allow it to sit, lifting lingering salt crystals that remain on the vehicle. Rinse the snow foam off to remove any last traces of salt.

When you’re finished, open and close the doors and trunk several times and wipe off excess water around these areas to prevent the vehicle from freezing closed. Lock and unlock the doors as well to keep them from forming ice.

Avoid Puddles

When you’re driving in winter conditions, it’s important to stay mindful of the potential threat that comes from road salt. While rock salt is the traditional choice for salting roads, the larger pieces of salt tend to skip off to the side of the road when disturbed by tires. Many transportation departments have since turned to a wet salt brine. This is more economical and effective than pure rock salt.

The down side of salt brine is that it can easily puddle on the roads. If you drive through a puddle, you’re likely driving through extremely salty water that can splash up onto your car and dry there. Whenever possible, stay away from these puddles to protect your car.

Stay Out of Deep Snow

If you drive into snow that’s too deep, the undercarriage of your vehicle could come into contact with it. The snow may pack into the underside of the car, damaging the vehicle. This snow may cause problems with drivability, and it increases the risk of corrosion.

Stay Home After the Snowstorm

Whenever possible, you should avoid the roads immediately following a heavy snow. The roads have the heaviest accumulation of salt right after these surfaces have been prepped for severe weather. If you can wait for the weather to pass, some of that salt will be gone.

You should also avoid driving behind salt trucks or running any unnecessary errands while they’re on the road getting ready for a big snow. While it’s not always possible to stay off of salty roads, any efforts you make will help reduce the risk of corrosion and salt damage in the winter months.

Now that you know how to keep your car safe from road salt, you can make sure your vehicle is always in great condition, no matter what the weather throws at you. Whether you need additional maintenance services to protect your vehicle or you’re looking into an entirely new car, our team at Stan McNabb Chevrolet of Columbia can help. Give us a call now to make your appointment. We can assist with all your vehicle’s needs.