What's your preferred car wash soap for removing road salt?

[JSM]

When it comes to removing a light film of road salt from your car, which wash soap do you prefer?

I have both Gold Class and NXT car washes at my disposal at the moment. I'm leaning slightly toward the NXT, since it has more cleaning punch. My car isn't necessarily filthy, it just has a slight accumulation of salt and road film on the lower panels.

Of course, I do plan on following the wash with a nice coat of UQW.

[kimchiyuk]

Re: What's your preferred car wash soap for removing road salt?

I just washed my salt covered truck a few hours ago with NXT, and came out fine. I also use GC, but this time I chose to use my last bit of NXT instead. I personally like the GC better.

[Murr1525]

Re: What's your preferred car wash soap for removing road salt?

It has always seemed to me like Nxt has the more cleaning ability, and Gold Class has the looks.

For a while, Nxt was basically my winter wash, and Gold Class the summer.

[TOGWT]

Re: What's your preferred car wash soap for removing road salt?

Road Salt

Although salt is inert when subjected to freezing (15 – 20.oF ) it’s considered the lower limit for salt to melt snow/ice but once H2O, even in the form of moist air (i.e. humidity) is added the freezing point is lowered and the saline solution (salt/water) will have an adverse effect on the vehicles paint and undercarriage.

When washing the vehicle ensure that all salt is removed to avoid a saline solution remaining on the paint finish. Using a durable protection will provide a sacrificial and renewable protection to the vehicles paint finish.

The salts (often mixed with grit / sand for tyre adhesion) commonly used are;

(a) Sodium chloride (NaCl) the most common salt used
(b) Calcium chloride (CaCl2) works at lower temperatures than sodium chloride.
(c) Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) is the name for the chemical compounds and its various hydrates MgCl2 (H2O) x. These salts are typical ionic halides, being highly soluble in water.

Magnesium chloride is very effective even at the lowest temperatures but also contains the most aggressive corrosives (especially on glass surfaces) and a sprayed brine solution, it is used to prevent snow / ice adhesion to the road surface. A number of state highway departments throughout the United States have decreased the use of rock salt and sand on roadways and have increased the use of solutions of magnesium chloride (often called "liquid magnesium chloride") as a de-icer. Magnesium chloride is much less toxic to plant life surrounding highways and airports, and is less corrosive to concrete and steel (and other iron alloys) than sodium chloride.

Anti-icing liquids; according to State authorities the liquid consists of - Magnesium chloride, Calcium chloride and other liquids works like anti-freeze by lowering the freezing temperature of water and preventing ice from forming a strong bond to the road’

Needless to state that all these salts are acidic / corrosive so once you've removed the ice / snow it may be advisable to 'neutralize ' the residue road salt with an alkaline solution, (Canada-POR15.com) especially from the undercarriage and suspension.

[JSM]

Re: What's your preferred car wash soap for removing road salt?

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I have to agree, it was great using NXT car wash yesterday morning, as it easily removed what salt film that I had on my car. However, it wasn't quite the same luxurious "experience" that I get with using Gold Class.

On the same note, I feel that Gold Class just seems to leave more "pop" to the finish.