Hello,

I was just wondering how long road salt can stay on a car before it really starts doing damage to the paint? My 07 TSX is completely covered in salt, but the temps are in the negative digits, so I really can't wash it. Anyway, I was wondering how long the car can go without being washed during the winter?

Also, will the same road salt damage the leather interior? I've noticed some salt transfer from my pants onto the seats.

Thanks!

 

Salt once a few degrees below freezing is inactive . To be active it needs moisture and the water isn't water any more ..


I seldomly wash mine in the winter. If the temps get up close to 32 F then go to a spray wash and just give it a good wash off with the rinse water and it will dissolve the salt residue and wash it away. If you use the soap it will be a little hard on your wax.

Salt doean't attack much paint it reacts with water & bare metal to accelerate the rust process. Salt and moisture from the air at just under freezing and above can take its toll eventually on your wax/sealant.

Mine was washed 2 days ago and the last time was a spray off around X-mas and then in early Dec and the water is still beading strong.

 

holy crap dale, i couldnt stand to live somewhere i couldnt wash my car once a week or soo....

then again, when its 150 degrees here in the summer, its probably one 75 up there....

 

In the spring/fall we get 75 deg .. summer upwards of 90+ .. in the summer I wash mine about 3 times a week .. I find it relaxing and great stress relief.

 

same here, but i hate when it needs a bath in a bad way, the weather is nice and then i get wind blowing right in my face...it seems that i cant get the car washed fast enough so i can get into my garage and close the door....thats when i get relaxed...i find myself cussing the hole time the wind is blowing water into my face!!

 

I live in NJ (it's 9 degrees today) and use the ONRWS, removed all the salt and other crap on my car and it was caked on there pretty good. Does as good or better than a regular wash. A 32 oz bottle is about $20 and you only need an 1 oz to do a car, slightly more for a big SUV.

 

LOL as soon as that white salt gets on my car i go right to the car washh.!

 

I refuse to live in a state where road salt is used. There has been talk about doing it here because of a freak 50-year storm but this is the joy of living in a salt-free state. Not to brag but here here is the bottom of my 2004 Santa Fe...the only discoloration is the stainless steel exhaust components.

 

portland, you might not live in a state where they dont use road salt....but your air is saturated with it, and everytime it rains(everyday) it gets on your car....i dont know, whats worse??

 

At the coast, cars rust out from the bodies inward but Portland is far enough inland that we don't get that really nasty salt air that just chews cars up. The first thing that comes to mind for auto damage in this area is paint chips and windshield damage from the gravel they use for snow traction. The other thing is the de-icing agent that is supposedly pretty nasty on cars.

 

isnt the de-icing agent better know as road salt??

 

^ what he said!

 

Nope .. there is another chemical they use Calcium Magnesium Acetate for de-icing.

 

^ I heard the other day it was called Calcium Chloride.

 

It's one of the two listed above. It is not road salt...

 

what is road salt then....

 

Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or halite, is a chemical compound with the formula NaCl. Sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of the ocean and of the extracellular fluid of many multicellular organisms.

 

Road salt is technically NOT a de-icing agent. All it does is lower the freezing point of water.

 

mmm.......good enough to lick my car....JK hehe

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/20/i...h-garlic-salt/