Rust is a pain in the rear. Not only does it look gross, but it also drastically lowers the value of a vehicle and can lead to other problems if the rust spot is left unattended to and a hole eventually forms.
There are several actions you can take to prevent rust spots from forming on your car:
- Wash your car once every two weeks. During the winter months, when there is salt on the roads, opt for washing it every week. Make sure to get the spots where rust is most likely to happen the fastest. These spots include around the wheels and the bottom of the car, where road debris creates dings and small holes, exposing the metal where rust begins.
- Wax your car about twice a year, which adds extra protection from the elements. Be sure to select your wax carefully, as it could work with one vehicle but be disastrous for another.
- Clean up spills that happen inside of the car, which have the potential of created rust spots.
- Apply rubber underside coating to the bottom of your car. This isn’t an essential step for preventing rust, but it is extra potential for those hard to reach underside areas on your car exterior.
The key is to keep the metal of your vehicle from being exposed to oxygen and water, which creates a chemical reaction that forms rust. You want to keep all exposed metal areas dry and follow these steps when you get the time (and before the rust spot becomes a bigger problem):
- If you notice small scratches or paint chips, it’s a good idea to apply some touchup paint right away to protect the expose metal from oxygen and water.
- To get rid of rust spots, you should begin by sanding the area of paint around the spot. You can use a variety of things to sand the spot, such as sandpaper, a wire brush, or even crumpled aluminum foil. Be sure to cover anything you don’t want to get covered with paint particles, as they are very fine and covers everything.
- Once everything to sanded and smooth, you will want to apply an anti-corrosive primer to the area before painting. Though it isn’t an essential step, it may be a good idea to tape off the area that you intend to prime. It is often a good idea to apply two to three coats to the affected area to prevent further rusting.
- Choose a paint that is designed for metal and cars that is a very similar color match to your original paint job. It is best to apply the paint in thin coats while keeping it even. This is important because the paint may begin to drip and run, which could turn into a real mess. Applying anywhere from two to five coats should bring the desired effect and color to your previous rust spot.
Wash and wax your car and you should be ready to go – rust free! Rust is like a disease to vehicles, so it important to get rid of it quickly and completely. If you aren’t confident in your skills, be sure to take your car into your trust auto repair shop as soon as you notice the rust.
About Carol Leginus
Carol Leginus is responsible for the administration/maintenance of Uni-Select public websites. She supports e-commerce, e-business and data warehouse initiatives.
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