- Accumulations of street salt, dirt and moisture in hard to reach places under the car.
- Paint and primer damage caused by minor accidents or impacts with stones, gravel, etc. Car care is especially important if you live in a certain area or drive your car in certain weather conditions:
- Salt on roads or anti-dust agents contribute to the formation of rust, as do salty air at the seaside or chemicals in the air in industrial areas with polluted air.
- High humidity contributes to the formation of rust, especially at temperatures slightly above 0°C.
- Water or moisture in certain areas of your car that persists for a long time can also cause rust to form, although other parts of the car will be dry.
- High temperatures lead to the formation of rust in those parts of the car that, due to insufficient ventilation, do not dry out quickly enough.
The above reasons indicate to you that you need to keep your car, especially the lower part of it, as clean as possible and repair any damage to the varnish or protective layer as soon as possible.
To prevent rust formation on your car, follow these tips:
Wash your car often. Regular car washes will certainly keep your car clean, but to prevent corrosion and rust formation, you need to pay attention to the following:
- If you drive on salted roads in winter or live near the sea, you should spray the underside of your vehicle at least once a month to reduce the possibility of rust formation.
- Water or high-pressure steam is well suited for cleaning the underbody and wheel arches of your vehicle. These places require special attention, because they are difficult to see. You will cause yourself a lot of trouble if you wet dirt and stone chips well without removing them. Door sills and frame parts have ventilation holes that must not be clogged with dirt, as the remaining water can lead to rust.
- At the end of the winter season thoroughly wash the bottom of the car.
After washing the car, make sure that the brakes are completely dry before the start of the trip (see below).
Check the varnished surfaces of your car. If you find scratches or peeling of the varnish as a result of stones, immediately treat these places to avoid the formation of rust. If delaminations or scratches reach the bare metal, such defects must be repaired in the workshop.
Check your car from the inside. Water and dirt can collect under the foot mats and cause corrosion. Therefore, carefully inspect the surface under the rugs so that it is dry. When transporting chemicals, cleaning agents, salt, etc. take particular care to ensure that these substances are transported in appropriate containers. If they spilled or spilled anywhere, clean and dry the area immediately.
Use mudguards on wheels. If you drive on a road sprinkled with salt or gravel, they protect your car. It is best to use wide mudguards for this. We advise you to use special anti-corrosion protection in the places where mudguards are installed, which can be provided by a workshop.
Do not leave your vehicle in a damp or poorly ventilated garage. If you wash your car in such a garage or leave it wet or covered in snow, it can get so wet that it starts to rust. Even if your garage is heated, if the ventilation is poor, a wet car can rust.