Rust is the last thing you want to see when you stop to inspect your car. Not only is it an eyesore on any vehicle, but it spreads over time, detracting from both your ride’s overall value and its safety as it goes. It is possible to use rust neutralizer for vehicles to stop the progress of rust, but you’ll still need to repaint and do other expensive maintenance to get rid of it entirely. The best defense against rust is to learn what causes it and building defenses against it in the first place. There are a wide range of factors that contribute to the formation of rust, but there are a handful that affect the modern driver more than others.
Water Damage
The biggest contributing force to car rust is rain. Ideally, your paint job should protect your car by repelling the water, but over time the paint runs thin. When the water comes into contact with metal, oxidation begins to occur, and that’s how you get rust. The best way to prevent water damage on a car is by taking a few preemptive measures, including:
- Wash your car often
- Don’t skimp on the wax and detailer after washing
- Keep paint touched up
Taking these steps as a part of regular maintenance helps your car cope with the rain better and reduces the likelihood you’ll encounter problems with rust due to rain.
Salt
If you live near the ocean or in a place that accumulates a large amount of snow in the winter, your vehicles comes in contact with much more salt than you’d think on a daily basis. Salt is another of the biggest causes of rust on cars. Salt from the ocean or from thawing roads can cake onto the underside or side panels of your car, where it eats away the paint and causes rust over time. The best way to combat this source of rust is to give your car a wash at least weekly if you live in the ocean-side cities or particularly snowy areas.
Exposure to the Elements
Rain isn’t the only sort of weather that can contribute to rust forming on your car. Snow, hail, sun – all of nature’s forces can cause rust over time if you’re neglecting your car. This is especially true for cars that are parked and not used often. They are constantly exposed to hot sun, rain, ice and any other weather that rolls through. Using anti-rust car covers provides an easy solution to this problem, though, and one that’s highly effective. If you’ve got a car in storage that’s not completely enclosed, these covers are a must-have to preserve the value and integrity of your ride.
No More Rust
You never need to deal with the expensive, painful issue of rust if you know how to stop it in the first place. Fortunately, it’s easier than you might think. Follow these tips and get even more ideas from the experienced professionals at your local auto parts store to keep your car looking great year-round, regardless of the rust-causing threats you’re dealing with. With just a little preventative maintenance and a dash of know-how, you could banish rust for good.
