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Although we at Avondale NIssan reside in one of America’s most temperate areas, a large portion of our clients enjoy the respite of the great outdoors. Oftentimes, this requires a trip to the Arizona Snowbowl or Sunrise Ski Park, each of which requires traversing roads that have been salted to minimize the impact of ice and snow. But here’s an unfortunate newsflash: the salt can result in rust on your vehicle. However, it doesn’t have to. Here’s how to prevent rust on your car as the winter months approach.

Prevent Rust on your Car

What purpose does salting roads serve?

Who knew that when you visited the Avondale Nissan blog, you’d walk outta here with a chemistry lesson? Salt is generally mixed with sand during snowy weather, for two reasons. First, the salt uses a chemical reaction to lower the freezing point of the water on the road, melting existing ice and snow in the process. Meanwhile, the sand that has been added holds the salt in place, while also adding traction to the road itself.
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All of this added traction comes with one enormous caveat: salt causes metal to rust, and this is obviously something you want to avoid. And that, of course, is why we’re here.

How to keep rust from forming

• The prevention process starts before you head into any snowy climes. You need to first do a little maintenance in the meantime. Start by thoroughly washing the entire car, putting special attention into cleaning the bumpers, wheel wells and underbody. Add a coat of wax, and it’s also a good idea to use a sealant to keep the wax in place. Finally, use a sealant on the underbody as well, since this will protect the brake and fuel lines, both of which are very susceptible to rust.

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• Once snowy weather hits, it’s important to regularly wash your car to remove salt that builds up. There are also car washes that offer steam cleaning to your vehicle’s underbody, helping you remove troublesome salt and dirt deposits. As a final thought, it’s a good idea to put on another coat of wax, resealing it as well.
• If you’re the type to wash your car at home — always popular in the Phoenix area, of course — there are a few things to consider. Be certain to remove all traces of soap from your car, as this can cause damage to your paint over time. If you’re having trouble removing salt, you can add a few tablespoons of baking soda to your wash water to neutralize the salt. As a last pointer, make sure that your car is fully dry before heading back into the elements, since salt can stick to wet surfaces.

If you’re someone who regularly heads into the mountains to enjoy some winter-sports action, we encourage you to take the steps to ensure that salt doesn’t affect your vehicle. We offer remedies to that effect in our service department here at Avondale Nissan; schedule your appointment today!