4 Crucial Ways to Prevent Your Car from Rusting
It’s inevitable that, over time, your car will slowly break down and show signs of wear. But, like any machine, you can take steps to prolong the life and condition of your car. While most of us think about vehicle maintenance pertaining to things under the hood, you can also maintain your car’s exterior to prevent pesky rust patches from developing.
Here are four simple ways you can do that.
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Wash underneath your car and in the wheel wells to remove any road salt, dirt, or other residue that has accumulated and could corrode the metal. Do this every two to four weeks, depending on the weather, location, and road conditions. Clean out the drain holes under your car doors where rainwater collects and flows out, too.
Cover your car with a cover when it’s parked to protect it from the elements and sun damage.
Every couple of months, apply a coat of high-quality wax and sealant to your car to add additional layers of protection from corrosion and oxidation. You can even use a lubricant to coat the metal surfaces to keep moisture from building up.
Clean up after any spills inside your car (on the floors especially) and use a rug shampoo to keep salt and other corrosive materials from building up in the fabric which could leak into the undercarriage and form rust from the inside.
Regularly inspect your vehicle for any patches–however tiny–where paint has been removed from the body. Keep a bottle of touch-up paint in your glove box to seal these chips and scrapes whenever you see them.
If you see patches of rust beginning to develop, sand away the rust until you reach bare metal, clean it, then paint over it.
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Sources: Popular Mechanics, Corrosion Doctors, DMV
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