- Keeping your car clean is one of the best ways to prevent the formation of rust. Rust occurs when dirt and other road debris oxidizes on your vehicle. However, when you wash and/or wax your vehicle, you can reduce the likelihood of seeing rust. The most important time to wash your vehicle is after long driving trips and during the winter. Washing your car once a week throughout the year will help keep the possibility of rust at bay.
- While you may not always have time to take your car to the car wash or even wash it yourself, try to spray the undercarriage with water. Road salt is one of the greatest contributors to rust. Not only will it speed up the formation of rust, but road salt is corrosive and dangerous to living beings as well. If you live in a warm enough environment, taking a hose to your undercarriage should help spray away caked-on salt. In some areas, where the weather is too cold, it may be a good idea to take your vehicle to a car wash and get an undercarriage wash.
- Keeping your wheel wells clean can be tricky. With many tires taking thousands of miles a year, all sorts of salt, dirt and other road debris can accumulate on them. Wheels are usually one of the last places people remember to clean in the car. By removing excess debris in your wheel wells, you can reduce the chance on them starting to rust, as well as increase the functions of your wheels and car suspension.
- Drill holes are all over the interior and exterior of your car. Many people just shrug them off as some insignificant part of your vehicle. They are actually one of the most important parts of your vehicle. The small holes allow water to creep into your car and can cause large amounts of rust to form. Check all of the drill holes on your car at least once a week to make sure all debris are cleared out of them.
- Another tip that can save you from a large amount of rust on your vehicle is to open the doors, trunk and hood after you wash your vehicle. Make sure the drain holes in the trunk and hood areas are not clogged. Sometimes, especially in colder climates, water molecules can become trapped and freeze causing corrosion, rust and other damage to your vehicle if the water is not released.
