Car Winter Prep and Road Salt

Is Road Salt Bad for Car Paint?

We all know it… WINTER IS COMING! With the temperature dropping we will undoubtedly get snow and with that road salt. So, unless you plan not to drive, that salt when end up on your car paint. Besides making your car look unsightly, is it really a big deal? We want our roads to be safe to drive on, so we lay down salt to prevent ice from forming. A dirty car seems like a fair trade off. Here’s the thing. SALT IS CORROSIVE! That means that the longer salt sits on your paint it will begin to eat away at it and eventually cause rust to form. The same goes for your undercarriage! We all hate to see rust on car paint, but there are important components in the undercarriage like your transmission and brakes. Allowing salt to sit in the undercarriage can lead to some pretty expensive repairs in the future. 

So, what can we do? We can add a layer of protection to your paint to add a barrier between the salt and the paint. This can be done with a ceramic coating, but let’s say that’s out of your budget. A paint sealant that lasts 4-5 months will get your through the winter months with the peace of mind that your paint is protected. I know what you’re asking… but what about the undercarriage? Well there really isn’t a sealant or ceramic coating that we can apply to the undercarriage so you should be getting the undercarriage sprayed down to remove as much salt as possible. We recommend prepping your car for the winter and getting a professional wash and include the undercarriage rinse. 

If you have any questions or if you’d like to schedule your vehicle for winter prep feel free to reach out! Find us on instagram: @double_t_detailing or call us at 443-481-2071.