road salt question
- Thread starter III
- Start date
Black240SX
New member
Yes, that's true.
imported_Luster1
New member
It's true, but if you put your car in the garage at night, it will probably warm up above 32.
Either way, wash or QEW as often as possible, to get that nasty stuff off.
Under some winter conditions, though, you're just stuck with the salt, no matter what.
I don't know how guys from the far north can stand it!
Either way, wash or QEW as often as possible, to get that nasty stuff off.
Under some winter conditions, though, you're just stuck with the salt, no matter what.
I don't know how guys from the far north can stand it!
imported_memnuts
New member
Even though the environment may appear dry and the temperture is below 32*. The salt "is" interacting with the protection of your vehicle. There is water (moisture) in the air, it is called humidity. This humidity with the salt's ability to lower the freezing point of H2O is actually producing a reactive H20(humidity) and salt reaction.
An important fact to keep in mind is which reaction is more detrimental to you finish. The salt-water/humidity reaction or an improper washing. Improper washing is far more damaging. :shocked
Bottomline is that your vehicle's finish, including the undercarriage, is under constant attack. Clean as soon as conditions allows. This should be done with the same care you use to clean the vehicle on a warm sunny day. Carefully.
The more durable the protectant (wax/sealant) the more time allotted before the salt/H2O reaction degrades the protectant and the finish comes under a direct attack.
An important fact to keep in mind is which reaction is more detrimental to you finish. The salt-water/humidity reaction or an improper washing. Improper washing is far more damaging. :shocked
Bottomline is that your vehicle's finish, including the undercarriage, is under constant attack. Clean as soon as conditions allows. This should be done with the same care you use to clean the vehicle on a warm sunny day. Carefully.
The more durable the protectant (wax/sealant) the more time allotted before the salt/H2O reaction degrades the protectant and the finish comes under a direct attack.
Good points from everyone so far. Let me ask another question: Would more harm than good be done by just rinsing a vehicle (wouldn't dry of course) compared to doing a normal wash?
I see a lot of people in my area doing this at times and I've always wondered about this. Wouldn't the water cause the salt to react quicker compared to if nothing was done at all?
I see a lot of people in my area doing this at times and I've always wondered about this. Wouldn't the water cause the salt to react quicker compared to if nothing was done at all?
imported_Neothin
New member
Even if it is below 32 degrees, for my peace of mind I would use QEW on the paint and a coin-op on the undercarriage as often as I could to get as much of the salt off as I could.
wannafbody
wannafbody
does salt melt ice at temps below 32 degrees? I believe the answer is YES. IF so then IMO it isn't good to have it on your car any longer than neccessary
Black240SX
New member
Yes, salt melts ice both above and below 32 degrees. lol
Intercooled
New member
blkZ28Conv said:
Hence..Zaino for winter protection.
White95Max
New member
I believe that is true, yes. But consider this:
The road salt mixes with snow on a day when it's only 20*F. The salt still melts the snow, and you're left with liquid saltwater on the car. It's well below 32*F, but the salt ions are in solution, which allows the corrosion to take place.
The road salt mixes with snow on a day when it's only 20*F. The salt still melts the snow, and you're left with liquid saltwater on the car. It's well below 32*F, but the salt ions are in solution, which allows the corrosion to take place.
Jesstzn
New member
Salt doesn't melt snow to minus XXXXXX degrees Normally, 15o to 20o F is considered the lower limit for salt to melt snow/ice. . So the same applies if it is on your car at below those temperatures. Not a lot goes on.
Rule of thumb I use up here is I wash it as much as I can once the temp is over freezing and pay close attention to rinsing it extreemly well. Salty road spray is going to get into places you can't imagine. And as is typical in this forum there is a lot of over reaction to winter salt. I have been driving in it with new cars since 1972 and with reasonable winter washing have never seen any more than some chrome discoloration.
Most rust buckets on the road are cars that are neglected year round.
Rule of thumb I use up here is I wash it as much as I can once the temp is over freezing and pay close attention to rinsing it extreemly well. Salty road spray is going to get into places you can't imagine. And as is typical in this forum there is a lot of over reaction to winter salt. I have been driving in it with new cars since 1972 and with reasonable winter washing have never seen any more than some chrome discoloration.
Most rust buckets on the road are cars that are neglected year round.
wannafbody said:
I believe this opinion is right... If it was of no use under some certain temp level, why would the authorities use it ??
I get worried sick when I see that dreaded dumpster start spraying the salt from that apparatus behind it... Also some municipals at some areas use chemical fertilisers instead of salt in order to be enviro-friendly. I heard that it was far friendlier than salt and that it actually helped the flora surrounding the roads survive a healthier winter. I have no clue as to the formula of it and how harsh it may be on a car. But from my point of view, it definitely should not be left sitting on it too long...
I am waiting for :getdown spring :getdown to come forth no matter how early we are in winter...
Mikeyc
TheDetailingHandBook.com
If you wash your car with some regularity, I think the only thing about salt you really need to worry about are those trucks that spray it on the road. I once drove by a salt truck going the opposite direction on a narrow road. The salt chipped the heck out of my hood all the way down to the metal in some spots. So, no chemical reaction needed for salt to do damage. 
imported_memnuts
New member
Intercooled said:Hence..Zaino for winter protection.
Me and you choose Zaino :xyxthumbs, but for 40+ years I lived in New England and only used carnuabas and wash very often and never had a problem.
I believe both type of protectants work very well but sealants like Zaino and Klasse gives us a larger room for error before potential paint damage occurs and a longer period (months) in which we are sure there is still protection present after many winter washs.:woot:
foxtrapper
New member
III said:
Heck no!
That's the reason salt is put on the roads in the first place. It's very reactive, melting the ice. Even at sub-zero temperatures where the ice is not melted salt is reacting with metals. The chemical reaction is not temperature controlled.
III said:
I do this in the evening or morning after driving in the snow. I fill a watering can with luke-warm water and "rinse" the salt off the lower 1/2 of my car. Certainly not as good as a proper wash, but it does rinse the bulk of the salt off of the finish and makes me feel a little bit better (I hate the thought of salt sitting on my car's finish for an extended period of time). My neighbors probably think I'm nuts to "water" my car, but I don't care.
kompressornsc
New member
Here's a new one on me. Found this on indystar.com:
The Indiana Department of Transportation has 1,100 salt trucks and snow plows across the state – including 57 in Marion County, said INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield.
Each truck has four tons of wet salt and is responsible for specific routes.
"We found the wet salt sticks better to the highways,'' Wingfield said. The city of Indianapolis uses a mixture of slat and molasses for the same reason.
---
Now, I'm assuming they meant 'salt', but I dunno about the second ingredient
The Indiana Department of Transportation has 1,100 salt trucks and snow plows across the state – including 57 in Marion County, said INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield.
Each truck has four tons of wet salt and is responsible for specific routes.
"We found the wet salt sticks better to the highways,'' Wingfield said. The city of Indianapolis uses a mixture of slat and molasses for the same reason.
---
Now, I'm assuming they meant 'salt', but I dunno about the second ingredient
imported_Astral
New member
III said:
I'm going to do this in the winter.
SO I am totally pulling this 'theory' out of my ***. But: I think if you give it a good rinse, you will get a lot of the salt off, so there will be ultimately less salt left on the vehicle. You also may make the remaining layer not as concentrated as it once was.
Finally, your vehicle looks better with less salt on it, and that's pretty important.
BTW, how do you all wash the underbody at the coin-op washes? My car is pretty low to the ground... pretty much just try to get the handle to the floor and shoot the water up into the underbody and hope for the best?