When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

[Bob2007GT]

Here is a question for those of you who live in the colder climates like I do. We have had snow and ice, and there has been a lot of salt put on the roads. But we finally have some decent sunny weather and the roads are dry, but you can still see the salt as a white haze over the roads.

In the past having only 1 car, this wasn't an issue since I had no choice. However, if I don't want to get salt on my new car, when is it safe to drive once winter has started? I do NOT want to wait until spring! Is it safe to drive if the streets are dry but you can still see the salt (he asked knowing the answer is probably no) on the roads? Only after it rains? Only after it rains multiple times?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[sneek]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

I don't think that it would be super harmful, but it isn't exactly "good" for your car either. I was in your seat. I just got a new car and I didn't want to drive it until all the salt and rocks were gone, but it seems like I will have to. I hate screws. My 03 is sitting in my garage with a flat (screw in it) and I NEED to go to exams...so I drove it....It felt wrong.

[RaskyR1]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

Well the salt will be there till spring when it rains hard for a few days and they are just going to keep putting more of it down since winter has just begun. If your really worreid about the effects it has on the car and you have a 2nd vehicle I would wait till spring. You can't go a mile down the road without having white salt residue all over your car. I used to do it with my show car and have to do it with my motorcycle now...it ***** but to me it's worth it. I hate salting of the roads!

[AeroCleanse]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

I would say wait until the salt rocks are gone and just the white is left. Then you should check your car and wipe off anything that sticks to the paint.

[Tom Weed]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

I hate salting of the roads!

And here I thought I was the only one that had it out for the salt truck drivers!

[Skuz]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

If everybody in cold climates bought winter tires, even the cheapest ones, instead of trying to run with all-seasons through the snow AND had some common sense while driving in the winter, we wouldn't need road abrasives. Never will these 2 conditions be met here.

This thing eats through your car within a few years. Here in Qc, for a single 1 inch snow fall, hundreds of tons of abrasives are spilled on the roads, destroying surrounding vegetation and slowly rusting cars. I'm quite sure no wax can resist that either. I put 2 coats of #16 on a perfectly prepared paint on my truck in november and there doesn't seem to be anything left on that paint now when I wash it. We need a saltophobic wax.

[PorscheGuy997]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

I've made it through a rough winter with #21.

Around here, they found this 'brine' substance that they spray on the road. It's basically like salt water. I had to drive home this morning and they had just put the stuff down. It looked like it had rained because they put so much down. So, now my car has a nice undercoating of salt.

[Executive Detailing]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

As long as the roads are dry, you will have no problems with corrosion, however, I would wipe down the car when you get home.
It is when you have the salt on your car, and then the car/salt get wet is when you have a problem.
The salt and water combine and form a corrosive solution which should be washed off as soon as possible.
However, this corrosive action can be slowed down significantly with proper care of your vehicle, such as using a good quality wax, and continus washing.
Living in Syracuse NY(aka the snowiest metropilton in the US, we know salt!!)

(BTW- we are at 36" of snow so far this year, with 12" more expected Sunday-and I have 4 cars to detail!)

[sneek]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

yeah....M21 alone doesn't really make it through the winter.

The wiper fluid alone can strip wax. I used to use M20+M21+CG (wow those were the days when I had free time), now my 03 has M21 alone and my 08 has ...nothing....When I took delivery it was already -10C ish outside so there wasn't a lot that I could do. I am hoping for a Chinook where I can wash, clay, polish and wax.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

Hey If I was you just be careful and try to avoid the slesh. Easier said then done. When I use to live in Chicago, There was a couple of car washes that featured a "undercarriage wash system". They supposedly had extra jets spraying water for a better rinse. (really don't know if it was hype or fact). What I can say is those cars regulary going thru this washes showed less rust over time then other cars. They may have one by you. Check and see.

The other night on WGN news, there report on salting the roads was telling about a new procedure that they use. They add Beat juice to the salt.Did not say what the long term effects were. Has anyone heard of this? Does it work?

[kellyinkc]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

I heard that too here. Beet juice in the mix. Unknown if it is harmful. We have LOTS of salt down now after a ice storm and a snow storm today. What a mess.

I just wash the under carriage often in the winter season.

Kelly

[DaGonz]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

I put my 2006 Mustang GT away in November just before Thanksgiving. The "pony" will stay safely ensconced in the "paddock" until the snow is gone and the streets are swept.

I bring my daily driver into the firehouse at least once a week for a wash and undercarriage rinse.

[Jeepster04]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

If the roads are dry the salt will not hurt a thing. It wont hurt anything if you do drive it when the roads are wet, just be sure to rinse it all good once the snow or rain stops.

[Joe's detailing]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

now my car has a nice undercoating of salt.

It's snowing and freezing rain here tonight, it's a snow advisory to be exact...
There salting roads like there's no tomorrow, I recommend a winter beater vehicle to anyone who cares about their (NICER) vehicle....

[Lydia]

Re: When is it safe to drive after salt is on the roads?

Snow? Ice? What are those things? Today the high was in the high 70s. I rode my motorycle in a tshirt. And when I was washing my bike outside (in jeans and a tshirt) I was starting to sweat, and I had to rinse it halfway through because the soapy water was starting to dry on it (I was in the sun).

Of course, it's kind of hard to ski here. And a white Christmas is pretty much just a song. Around here, Santa drives a fire truck (in fact he went by when I was washing my bike).