Experts offer advice to protect vehicles from road salt and other chemicals

By Jazmine Knight

Many cars in the St. Joseph area are covered in a layer of dirt from all of the snow, mud and salt that’s been left on the ground from the recent winter weather. And while some believe it’s just a cosmetic preference, leaving dirt and chemicals on a car can actually have damaging effects. 

Experts say when street crews treat the roads, they lay down chemicals that can be harmful to vehicles.

“Chemicals and solid particles that they put on the streets to keep us from slipping and sliding and getting into wrecks, which is important,” said Larry Edwards, president of East Ridge Car Wash. “But it’s very caustic and very harsh on the car, on the finish, and it exposed the metal underneath, particularly underneath. So that rust begins from underneath.”

Luke Sill, owner of Auto Appearance Specialists, said when cars sit with salt and chemicals on them, damage can happen quickly.

“You know, if you’re leaving that on your car for an extended amount of time, you’ll ultimately have an open wound, just like your skin,” Sill said. “So when salt and those things hit your car, they’re ultimately damaging your car right then and there. And so it’s very easy to kind of see that, you know, cars that sit in those types of weather or elements are definitely going to be damaged quicker than cars that are obviously being well-maintained.

“Oxidation, fading paint, the elimination of the clear coat can break down all the nuts and bolts of the undercarriage. Obviously, when you go to pull wheels and tires off and you have to change the brakes and, you know, all of the maintenance that is needed with cars, it is going to become an issue because when that stuff does get rusty or it makes it harder on the mechanic,” Sill said.

To combat this, an underbody wash is crucial.

“It’s something you can’t do with a wand. It has to come out of the floor as you as a car dries up drives over it,” Edwards said.

Many chain car washes are able to adjust their soap chemicals to counteract the harmful effects of the road chemicals. 

For drivers who want a more comprehensive, protective wash, try visiting a car detailer. Sill recommended this option over the traditional car wash.

“A lot of the car washes that we have in town use a lot of acidic chemicals and they can also impact the effects of elements of washing your car,” Sill said. “The chemicals that they use are so cheap because they’re designed to pull the film off. They’re not designed to leave protection or anything behind there.”

Detailing shops can often offer the proper underbody cleaning that some other car washes can’t. A detailer can put your car onto a lift and get into the hard-to-reach pockets that hold water and salt and ultimately rust your underbody. 

Detailers can also offer ceramic coatings for your underbody and paint to protect the vehicle in the future. 

Regardless of which route you go, washing off the salt and dirt as soon as possible is a good way to keep your car in good condition.

“As soon as the streets dry and the sun is out after and you’re pretty sure it’s not going to snow or rain, that’s the time to go,” Edwards said.