Beyond the Wash
The snowy season is in full effect here in Colorado and it has been an exceptionally cold one! While snow is a quintessential part of Colorado life, it brings with it corrosive de-icers and traction aids on our roads. As a Coloradan, it's essential to understand how road treatments, particularly magnesium chloride, can affect your vehicle. While these treatments improve road safety by preventing ice formation, they can also lead to corrosion and damage to your car if not properly managed.
What is Magnesium Chloride?
Most everyone understands terms like “ice melt” or “road salt”, but these are generic terms for a varied category of solutions used to help with traction in snowy or icy conditions. In Colorado, the predominant solution used is magnesium chloride. Like sodium chloride (table salt) magnesium chloride is a type of salt, but what makes it unique as a de-icing agent is its ability to lower the freezing point of water even more than its sodium-based counterpart, effectively reducing ice and snow buildup. Its hygroscopic nature means it absorbs moisture, which pulls in moisture from the surrounding air, prevents freezing, and as a result reduces ice formation on the road. However, this same property can make it more corrosive to vehicles, accelerating rust formation and damage to critical components.
Impact on Vehicles
Prolonged exposure to magnesium chloride can lead to several issues, some mechanical, some cosmetic, but all negative for your vehicle:
Corrosion: The chemical accelerates rust formation on metal components, including brake systems, fuel lines, and undercarriages. Its hygroscopic nature allows it to pull more moisture toward the surface as well, keeping the corrosive process active for longer.
Electrical Problems: It can cause deterioration of wiring and connectors, leading to potential electrical failures. A vehicle wiring harness, after all, is a metal wire. Winter slush loves to accumulate around connectors and splices, corroding the material, and potentially leading to failure.
Paint Damage: Prolonged contact can leave painted surfaces dull. In the case of rock chips or scratches on the surface, the introduction and prolonged exposure to magnesium chloride may result in paint peeling or bubbling, exposing the metal beneath to further corrosion.

Preventive Measures
So how can you protect your vehicle from damage in the winter months? The secret is prevention both in the form of removal and added layers between your vehicle and the elements.
Regular Washing: Frequent cleaning, especially of the undercarriage, helps remove magnesium chloride residues. Utilizing Autowash touchless washes or self-serve bays help ensure that hard-to-reach areas are thoroughly cleaned and mag chloride residues are removed or neutralized.
Protective Coatings: The application of a protective layer between your vehicle and exposure buys you valuable time. Washes, sealants, and coatings all offer varying levels of insurance. Maintaining a sacrificial layer of protection to your car's paint allows it to withstand exposure for longer and makes the removal of the corrosive chemicals easier.
Prompt Attention: Address any signs of corrosion or damage immediately to prevent more extensive issues. If you start to notice corrosion around key components, or an area of the paint that begins to appear duller than the surrounding area or blistered consult a professional promptly to stop a small problem from becoming much bigger.
Detailing Isn’t Only for Appearance
For the discerning car owner, a detail is a lot more than just a refresh of the appearance. It is an opportunity to do a deeper-than-usual cleaning, neutralizing and removing harmful residues, and applying a meaningful layer of protection on critical surfaces. While most people think of detailing as a summer activity to enjoy the new car shine, the value is even higher during the winter season. At the Autowash Showroom, our professional team can provide key benefits to your winter:
Deep Clean: Our car washes do a great job of removing residues, but in the hands of our trained surface care experts we go even deeper, using mechanical and chemical decontamination methods to lift embedded particulates from the exterior of your vehicle.
Professional Assessment: Every express detail at the Autowash Showroom starts with a professional inspection. Our team will walk your vehicle to outline the service but also identify any areas that may require additional attention.
Durable Protection: You can opt for a protection upgrade with your Showroom Express Detail that will add months of durability against the elements. While every wash deposits a small amount of protection, in the Showroom our team applies even stronger, more substantial protection for longer-lasting results.
Safe in the Winter. Shiny in the Spring.
By staying informed and proactive, you can enjoy safer winter driving while minimizing potential harm to your vehicle. With the prevention of corrosion, you and your car can head into spring and summer ready to shine!