Car Maintenance in Coquitlam: Removing Road Salt and Winter Grime

For those living in Coquitlam, the roads will have been treated during the winter with several different chemicals and materials to make the roads less slippery. Throughout the Lower Mainland, city maintenance people use different salt or brine concoctions as well as sand or grit when snow or ice is forecast or on the ground. All of these chemicals and materials wreak havoc with your vehicle’s exterior, so washing your vehicle regularly prevents damage to the exterior. 

Salt 

Anyone who lives near the ocean, such as residents of Coquitlam, knows that salt is corrosive. City officials use different salt solutions and even experiment with new ones such as beet brine to see what works best. These salt solutions are good for slippery roads by lowering the freezing point of water. However, they only work when temperatures are near but slightly above freezing. 

While these solutions can make roads safer, they can also take the paint right off your car. They may not do it immediately, but over time, they will. Once the risk of freezing temperatures is over, such as now, it is vital to wash your car. And washing the vehicle once is not enough; vehicles need to be washed regularly in the spring until all the salt solutions have been washed off the roads. 

Sand and Grit 

In addition to salt solutions, the city also uses different types of sands and grit or very small gravel to improve traction on slippery roads. These gritty materials will also damage vehicle paint. The problem is that very often another car or truck will spray the grit onto other vehicles nearby. When this grit is sprayed on the vehicle, it is like sand blasting. As the grit damages the paint, then the salt solution can get under the paint, amplifying the corrosive effect. 

Cities like Coquitlam do take steps to remove the sand and grit from the roads, however these removal efforts are not always perfectly effective. For these reasons alone, it is extremely important for vehicle owners to wash their vehicles regularly in the spring. It is important to wash a vehicle all year round, but it is especially important in the spring. 

Shine Auto Wash has been serving the Lower Mainland since 2009. With three convenient locations, Shine Auto Wash offers advanced automotive cleaning and protection technology and a service that is quick and efficient. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about car washes, we encourage you to call us in Vancouver at (604) 806-0800.