When the weather forecast tells us there is snow on the way the sight of a salt spreaders on our roads is a welcome sight. Although heavy duty road salt is fundamental to our winter road safety it can have a negative effect on your car over time.
Here are a few winter maintenance actions and ways to protect your car from winter road salt, after the salt spreaders have taken to our roads:
#1 Plan Ahead
Make sure that your car has had a good wash down even before the first sight of snow. Try and keep it as clean as possible and wash it during the day, to allow drying time, before the freezing temperatures set in at night.
Salt will easily attack any areas that are not protected with a coating of paint. Make sure that any scratches, chips and rust spots are repaired with a primer and coating of paint prior to the winter cold and snow setting in.
Give your car a winter wax. The wax will add an extra layer of protection and also make is much easier to wash off any winter dirt, including winter road salt.
#2 Care for your Wheels
Your alloy wheels are at risk from heavy duty road salt too. Wash off any salt and brake dust as often as possible to reduce the risk or corrosion.
Trying to avoid winter puddles will help too, as they tend to be full of salty water thanks to the salt spreaders.
#3 Use a Garage
If you are lucky enough to own a garage to store your car in overnight then you are onto a winner. However, when putting your car to bed make sure any snow residue is removed or you could be at a higher risk of rust than the cars parked out on the street.
An increase in moisture from the change in temperature, teamed up with oxygen can cause rust to form on bare metal. Throw salt into this mix and the corrosive process takes on new speed.
#4 Keep it Clean
It is very important to keep your car clean if your regular journeys are on salt treated roads.
Become a regular at the local car wash and visit every 7-10 days to ensure that all the harder to reach areas of your car are clear of salt residues.
#5 Welcome Spring
Once the winter months have passed and spring is in the air give your car a deep clean to remove all the residues of winter weather, including salt. A good wax will freshen up and renew the shine of your paint work too.
The job of salt spreaders is essential for our winter road safety, just make sure you take these extra steps to keep your car in good shape. It will keep your car protected as well as you being safe on the roads, thanks to heavy duty road salt.
Do you have any top tips to help us protect our cars from the winter weather? Please share them with us in the comments.