Any safe proven products to neutralize winter salt on bodywork and undercarriage?
- Thread starter Risley
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
Risley- Welcome to Autopia!
I commend you for caring about the areas that don't show! I'm a fanatic about my undercarriages/etc. so your Q resonates with me
Automotive International/ValuGard (yes, SIC) sells a product called ProGard VG-502 made just for this, and VG stuff is approved by the major automakers. But I'll warn you that it's not really marketed towards the consumer (rather, for Pros) so ordering in reasonable quantities can be challenging- the VG-502's smallest quantity is 5 gallons.
If your area uses magnesium chloride, that might be worth looking into, and even with regular roadsalt/brine, getting it cleaned away can be challenging. That said, and just FWIW (every situation is different!), I do fine just cleaning thoroughly with regular products, often just semi-hot water and a strong shampoo or APC. I drive my vehicles in the salt, and I keep them for a *long* time, and I do OK with that approach.
If the late Ron Ketcham (who was with AI/VG) read the above, he'd probably post something about how my experiences are anomalies and that your car will rust away if you don't use the VG-502, and OK I wouldn't have a real argument against that.
I commend you for caring about the areas that don't show! I'm a fanatic about my undercarriages/etc. so your Q resonates with me
Automotive International/ValuGard (yes, SIC) sells a product called ProGard VG-502 made just for this, and VG stuff is approved by the major automakers. But I'll warn you that it's not really marketed towards the consumer (rather, for Pros) so ordering in reasonable quantities can be challenging- the VG-502's smallest quantity is 5 gallons.
If your area uses magnesium chloride, that might be worth looking into, and even with regular roadsalt/brine, getting it cleaned away can be challenging. That said, and just FWIW (every situation is different!), I do fine just cleaning thoroughly with regular products, often just semi-hot water and a strong shampoo or APC. I drive my vehicles in the salt, and I keep them for a *long* time, and I do OK with that approach.
If the late Ron Ketcham (who was with AI/VG) read the above, he'd probably post something about how my experiences are anomalies and that your car will rust away if you don't use the VG-502, and OK I wouldn't have a real argument against that.
Silly Rabbit
Member
Salt away is a product to neutralize salt. Mixes with water for sprayers.
The Ohio Department of Transportation had the University of Ohio do a study of which salt-neutralizers was the most effective and am pretty sure that it was Salt-Away that was the best , with ValuGard's VG-502 a close second.
I was under the impression that Salt-Away was more for marine use in salt-water applications, but that it was found to be useful to the consumer automotive and highway snow removal departments equipment driven in winter de-icing and snow removal environments.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to find it (Salt-Away) over-the-counter (OTC) at Cabelas/Bass Pro Shops, since they are a marine-and-boat dealer and supply store.
I was under the impression that Salt-Away was more for marine use in salt-water applications, but that it was found to be useful to the consumer automotive and highway snow removal departments equipment driven in winter de-icing and snow removal environments.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to find it (Salt-Away) over-the-counter (OTC) at Cabelas/Bass Pro Shops, since they are a marine-and-boat dealer and supply store.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Every time we have one of these threads, I intend to get some Salt-Away, and then I never do.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Lonnie & Silly Rabbit- Good on you for mentioning the Salt-Away. Wonder if it trashes LSPs?
Setec- You doing OK on salt mitigation even without the Salt-Away?
Setec- You doing OK on salt mitigation even without the Salt-Away?
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
No, of course not. I mean, that's why I never bought the Salt-Away. I used to try to do some sort of underbody flush every spring, but I haven't even done that in a long time.
Brenan Jiran
New member
When it comes to neutralizing winter road salt on your vehicle’s bodywork and undercarriage, it's crucial to use a product that won’t damage the paint or other components. One of the best options is a dedicated salt neutralizer, which is formulated to break down the corrosive elements without harming your vehicle’s finish. For best results, using a foam cannon or pressure washer to rinse the areas after applying the product will help remove residual salt and contaminants. After cleaning, a protective layer, such as a sealant or ceramic coating, can be applied to help prevent further salt adhesion and protect the finish.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Hey Brenan, just between you and me (I won't tell anyone), are you a bot?
Accumulator
Well-known member
Setec- Gee, that sounds like the Disposable Car approach that I can't quite bring myself to do with, well... anything.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Well, not really. I've got one that I don't drive in the winter anymore. What else can I say? Age, time, priorities, family, etc. I don't really have the appropriate facility to do what you do to get under the car to scrub. Maybe someday. Maybe I will get one of those undercarriage washers that attaches to a pressure washer, they seem to have become ubiquitous. As an aside I got taken to task the other day on AGO for coating the BACKS of my tires...to quote Bill Murray in Caddyshack..."so I got that going for me"
Accumulator
Well-known member
Setec- Yes indeed, the right facilities do make all the difference. If I didn't have the current shop I'd just pay somebody to do this stuff (not that I can find anybody good, or they'd already be doing it 
).
I just got this: https://www.detailking.com/products/under-carriage-cleaner-20
It has a bit of a learning curve due to all the flex connections, and I've only used it once, but so far, so good. It doesn't seem quite as powerful as the single-jet one from AR: https://arblueclean.com/plastic-underbody-spray-wand-pw40811/ but I haven't done a proper, controlled comparison either.
Those really are good for the initial/final rinsing, but yeah...still gotta crawl underneath and do some scrubbing no matter what.
).I just got this: https://www.detailking.com/products/under-carriage-cleaner-20
It has a bit of a learning curve due to all the flex connections, and I've only used it once, but so far, so good. It doesn't seem quite as powerful as the single-jet one from AR: https://arblueclean.com/plastic-underbody-spray-wand-pw40811/ but I haven't done a proper, controlled comparison either.
Those really are good for the initial/final rinsing, but yeah...still gotta crawl underneath and do some scrubbing no matter what.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
They are selling ones on Amazon that have a detergent bottle like a foam cannon that's mounted on an angle, that's what I was looking at (after seeing one in a YouTube video). They are about $50-60.
OK, I will ask the Captain Obvious Question:
Why not just power wash the underside of your car on a low PSI setting or nozzle?
Or are you 'concerned" about forcing water into wheel bearings, CV joint boots, and the plethora of emissions, CPU engine and transmission controls, and safety sensors under a car??
Why not just power wash the underside of your car on a low PSI setting or nozzle?
Or are you 'concerned" about forcing water into wheel bearings, CV joint boots, and the plethora of emissions, CPU engine and transmission controls, and safety sensors under a car??
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Are you asking me, Lonnie? Yes I have some concerns about forcing water into places it shouldn't be. I have some kind of angled thing that attaches to a hose that I used to use to try and flush with, I think I may have gotten it at Griot's. As has been noted the mag chloride doesn't really want to flush off.
So as far as pressure washing, unless you want to lie on the ground and try and hit the right places, you really need one of those undercarriage attachments, which heretofore seemed to be water-only. They now have ones with a detergent cup so you can put Salt-Away in there, that's what I'm thinking. See below. I've been doing mostly rinseless last few years so I tend to not even un-winterize my driveway faucet (which I'm highly protective of because it's a Moen hot/cold which they don't make any more and you can't even get the parts anymore).
So as far as pressure washing, unless you want to lie on the ground and try and hit the right places, you really need one of those undercarriage attachments, which heretofore seemed to be water-only. They now have ones with a detergent cup so you can put Salt-Away in there, that's what I'm thinking. See below. I've been doing mostly rinseless last few years so I tend to not even un-winterize my driveway faucet (which I'm highly protective of because it's a Moen hot/cold which they don't make any more and you can't even get the parts anymore).
OK I was wrong about the Ohio DOT and the university in Ohio which was authorized to do the salt neutralizer study; It was the University of Akron (Go Zips!):
The conclusions and recommendations are on page 36
Reminds me of the research on detailing polishes and the amount of gloss they product done by Autopia resident detailing-PH.d Loach
The conclusions and recommendations are on page 36
Reminds me of the research on detailing polishes and the amount of gloss they product done by Autopia resident detailing-PH.d Loach
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Accumulator
Well-known member
Setec- Thanks for mentioning that! I just now ordered the ToolDaily foamcannon setup to use with my DetailKing unit. *NOW* I oughta be all set!
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Ok...I'm not even sure what I did. The one I pictured is a Ridge Washer undercarriage cleaner, one of many similar ones they have at Amazon.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Setec- Well, yeah...you got me searching for a way to incorporate the foamcannon into the undercar sprayer.
And yeah, I do think about how to fabricate a means of combining that with the BHB too, that'd be ideal.
And yeah, I do think about how to fabricate a means of combining that with the BHB too, that'd be ideal.