Car Corrosives: What You Can't See Can Damage Your Car This Winter, Says The International Carwash Association

CHICAGO, Oct. 8, 2003 -- For car owners, spring and summer are the most popular seasons to wash and wax their cars. But for their cars, winter is the best season -- especially in cold climates when dirt and corrosive road salts are prevalent.

The International Carwash Association (ICA), a not-for-profit trade association committed to educating the motoring public on vehicle maintenance, says that motorists wash their cars least in the winter months, even though it's the most important season to do so. To protect their investments, the ICA recommends that car owners get their cars washed at least once or twice a month -- or more depending on local road or weather conditions, and if salt build-up can be seen or felt on the car's exterior.

"Nearly $24 billion a year is spent battling automobile corrosion damage," explains Mark Thorsby, executive director of the International Carwash Association. "By far, salt is the biggest car culprit -- it can attack even the toughest paints and finishes if not washed off consistently. The resulting damage often goes unnoticed until it's too late for a cheap fix."

Drivers should be wary of the following car culprits this winter, says the ICA:

  -- SALT.  Most icy roads are treated with a corrosive mixture of sand and
     salt often in the form of sodium chloride.  In recent years, another
     corrosive salt mixture -- sodium magnesium -- has been used on roads,
     which some experts say is even more corrosive.  Some state
     transportation departments have even stopped using it due to its harsh
     impact on cars.  Whichever mixture is used, salt caked on the
     undercarriage can promote rust, especially in older vehicles. It can
     also affect how well the car drives.

  -- ACID RAIN.  According to studies compiled by ICA, it is critical to
     wash a vehicle immediately after a rainfall. As rain falls, it collects
     pollutants from the air.  The water evaporates leaving a thin film of
     pollutants that can damage a car's finish permanently.

  -- ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS.  Bird droppings, road grime and tree sap can
     also mar a car's shiny finish, leaving it dulled and imperfect looking.

The ICA suggests car owners and drivers take the following actions this winter:

  -- Visit a professional car wash at least once or twice a month -- or
     more, depending on local weather conditions.  Localized car wash
     "forecasts" are available online at
     http://www.carlove.org/wizard/index.cfm .

  -- Get your car detailed at least once a year.  Professional detail
     services can restore a car to showroom quality -- or very close to it.
     An ideal season is spring, to remove salt, tar, dirt, and oil from
     hidden places within a car's interior and exterior.

  -- Know the facts about car washing:

     - Car washes protect an owner's investment.  Clean vehicles (inside and
       out) can earn thousands of dollars more at trade-in or resale.
     - Professional car washing is a wiser environmental choice than
       do-it-yourself.  Pro washes use about 50 percent less water that
       at-home washes, thanks to conservation methods.  Furthermore,
       professional car washes are mandated to pipe dirty water to treatment
       facilities or into state-approved drainage facilities.  Quite the
       opposite, at-home car washes pollute the environment as soap and road
       grime (oil, tar, dirt) end up in storm sewers that flow into lakes,
       streams and rivers.
     - The water used by professional car washes is salt-free.  A popular
       misconception is that because car washes recycle water, the very salt
       drivers want to rinse off goes right back onto their cars.  The ICA
       reports that several independent lab tests found that salt content in
       recycled water is minimal.
     - Professional car washing saves time.  A pro wash requires
       five-to-eight minutes, on average, compared to 45 to 60 minutes when
       done at home.
     - Professional washes are cost-effective.  Costs for car washes at a
       gas station every other week costs less than $150 a year.  Bi-weekly
       full-service car washes, costs just a few hundred dollars per year.

  About www.carlove.org

Www.carlove.org is an online resource to educate consumers about the benefits of professional car washes and detailing services from a financial, emotional and environmental perspective. The site features a Car Wash Wizard that provides a 'prescription' for professional washes according to geographic region and state, and also features results from a national study among 1,000 car owners that shows nearly 85 percent hold emotional feelings for their cars.

About the International Carwash Association

The International Carwash Association (ICA) is a non-profit trade association serving 3,000 businesses in the United States, Canada and overseas. Membership includes car wash operators, equipment manufacturers, distributors, and related suppliers. ICA members represent approximately 25,000 car wash and car care locations in North America.