Aside from speed traps, check engine lights, and traffic jams, there are few things that drivers dread quite as much as rust. A rusty spot might start as a minor eyesore, but if left untreated, it can easily chew its way through your vehicle and lead to a substantial repair bill, or worse.
Rust occurs when the metal used in today’s vehicles reacts with water and oxygen in a process known as oxidation. The result is iron oxide, a flaky orange material that’s nowhere near as strong as the alloy that it has replaced. Short of driving your car, truck, or SUV in a complete vacuum, there’s no real way to stop rust entirely. However, there are a few products and practices that can slow its spread and prevent corrosion from taking hold in the first place. If you’re trying to stop your car’s undercarriage, wheel wells, lower panels, and hood from turning into a splotchy mess or orange rust, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s review some of the best products for addressing and preventing rust, cover a few tips, and learn just how easy it can be to stop rust in its tracks.
Rustproofing Spray
A rustproofing spray is one of the easiest ways to prevent rust before it can even take hold. These sprays, typically made from compounds such as chromates, molybdates, and phosphates, create a thin, protective layer that prevents oxygen and moisture from causing rust. There are numerous rustproofing spray products on the market, but drivers should consider brands like Fluid Film and Woolwax, which are specifically formulated to protect delicate rubber components in the doors, wheel wells, and undercarriage. These products can be applied every few months after a thorough wash, and don’t require quite as much elbow grease as some of the other options on our list.
Undercoating
No one enjoys the sight of a rusty spot on their hood, roof, or fenders, but these areas aren’t nearly as concerning as a rusty undercarriage. Many of your vehicle’s most vital and expensive components are often located less than six inches from the ground, which means they’re especially prone to picking up dirt, water, salt, and other corrosive contaminants. There’s no way to avoid these aside from keeping your car locked away in the garage, but a good undercoating product can provide an important layer of protection for a pretty affordable price.
These products utilize a wide range of ingredients, including waxes, oils, polyurethane, and rubberized asphalt, and can be applied using various methods. Options like POR-15 Rust Preventive Coating can be brushed onto the undercarriage much like a coat of paint, while Rust-Oleum’s Automotive Undercoating products opt for the spray-on approach. The spray-on method is obviously quicker, but regardless of which route you choose, be sure to give the undercarriage a thorough wash and let it dry before starting the process.
Rust Converter
What’s a driver to do if rust has already left its mark on your vehicle? That’s where rust converters come in. We’ll spare you the science, but in simple terms, rust converters initiate a complex chemical process that converts rust into an inert, protective coating. This might not be the best option for deep-seated rust as it’s not designed to tackle the lower layers, but it can be a significant help when it comes to preventing a small rusty spot from growing into a metal-munching problem.
Best of all, most rust converter products can be painted over, providing vehicles with an extra layer of protection from the elements. Corroseal Water-Based Rust Converter is seen as a great heavy-duty option, while the sprayable Rust Kutter Rust Converter represents a more affordable answer to your rust issues.
Ceramic Coating
Waxes, sprays, and paints are all effective solutions for rust prevention, but if you’re looking for a more cutting-edge alternative, it may be time to consider a ceramic coating. These products create a protective layer that’s both thin and durable while also adding a satisfying high-gloss finish to the exterior. Formulated from silica-based liquid polymers, ceramic coatings last significantly longer than typical wax products, as they actually bond to the clear coat itself. A good ceramic coating can last up to 10 years under ideal conditions, although the average lifespan tends to be closer to four or five years. They’re not cheap, and the application process can be lengthy, but when you factor in their longevity, it’s hard to make a compelling argument against ceramic coatings. Chemical Guys HydroSlick SiO2 Ceramic Coating and Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Coating are two excellent DIY options. However, many drivers opt to hire professionals to ensure the job is done correctly.
Common Household Products
While there are plenty of companies that are ready to sell you a litany of rust-removing products, the easiest solution might be lurking in your kitchen cabinets. From green cleaning standbys like white vinegar and baking soda to common foodstuffs like molasses and even a potato, you might not have to look far to find a solution to a rusty vehicle. The effectiveness of these methods varies significantly, but they may be worth considering if you’re looking to combat corrosion on a budget. A test by MotorTrend showed that while soaking a rusty chunk of metal in a white vinegar bath proved to be pretty effective after following up with a wire brush, applying the same substance to a rusty spot on a car hood didn’t work out quite as well.
Then there are the methods that sound more like the start of a recipe than a genuine solution. Rubbing a rusty spot with a potato and baking soda does have some scientific backing. Baking soda is fairly basic (as opposed to acidic), and the potato’s rough surface does help in terms of scrubbing. However, testing has shown that it’s a slow process and really only effective when tackling light rust. The results are even spottier when it comes to applying a combination of molasses and water. We’re all about the DIY approach, but we recommend limiting your kitchen-based corrosion-fighting efforts to white vinegar.
Rust Prevention Tips
While these rust-fighting products may go a long way towards protecting your vehicle from costly corrosion, several preventative measures can also aid in the fight. From regular washing and drying to quickly addressing chips, storing your vehicle, and more, adopting a few good habits can make all the difference. Let’s review some easy tips that can help prevent rust from ever taking hold in the first place.
Keep It Clean
Regularly washing your vehicle will not only keep it looking its best, but it’s also one of the easiest ways to fight corrosion. The dirt, mud, and grime that accumulate from everyday driving can promote oxidation and lead to serious issues down the road. The problem is even more pervasive in areas that regularly experience harsh winter weather, where road salt can drastically accelerate the rusting process. What’s a driver to do?
The easiest answer is regularly washing your vehicle, especially during the winter months or after any off-road excursion that might leave your undercarriage caked with contaminants. A garden-variety garden hose isn’t the perfect solution, but it’ll do in a pinch. Ideally, drivers should use a pressure washer to hit the undercarriage, wheel wells, and any other contaminated components with a strong stream of water. If you don’t feel like investing in a pressure washer, the high-pressure hose at your local self-service car wash should do the trick.
Keep The Exterior Dry
Drivers can usually avoid accumulating mud and dirt by sticking to paved surfaces, but the only way to keep a vehicle free of snow, ice, and the road salt that comes with it is to put your car into hibernation for the winter. This might not be a practical solution for every driver, but if you have the means and can afford to keep one vehicle off the road during the colder months, it can have a huge impact on longevity and rust prevention. A climate-controlled garage is the ideal solution, but a detached garage, carport, or car cover can prove useful.
Storing a vehicle also limits its exposure to rain, humidity, and other forms of moisture, but there are a few storage-related tips drivers should keep in mind. First, fill the gas tank and add a fuel stabilizer to help ensure a smooth start when spring arrives. Next, you’ll want to give the vehicle one final wash and wax and disconnect the battery. Finally, keep invasive critters in mind. A nice, dry vehicle makes for a tempting nesting palace for mice, rats, and other rodents, but there are plenty of products on the market that’ll help prevent these creatures from calling your car home.
Keep The Interior Dry
Most drivers are aware that keeping a vehicle’s exterior clean and dry can help prevent corrosion, but few realize that the same logic also applies to the interior. When moisture becomes trapped inside a vehicle, whether it be from a pair of muddy boots, a spilled beverage, or a wet towel, it can not only lead to mold, mildew, and bad smells. Eventually, moisture can cause the body to rust from the inside out. Rolling down the windows or running the air conditioner for a while can help dry out the moist recesses of the interior, as can vehicle dehumidifying products. Rubber floor mats can also enhance your vehicle’s rust resistance by catching snow, slush, and ice during the winter months, preventing them from soaking into the interior carpet and potentially causing rust on the floorboards.
Keep It Scratch-Free
Today’s vehicles are designed with multiple layers of protective paints, primers, and other coatings intended to prevent contaminants from reaching the rust-prone metal body. These layers work well in preventing corrosion, and also make for easy clean-up when your ride is exposed to sap, bird droppings, and other foul substances. However, they’re only effective if they’re intact. A scratch or chip provides an easy way for moisture, salt, and grime to work their way down to the metal, accelerating the rusting process. This is why it’s so important to address these imperfections as quickly as possible. Touch-up paint is the easiest and most affordable solution, but car wraps and protective films can offer even better protection for a higher price. Drivers don’t need to worry about chips or scratches on the bumper cover or other plastic components, but should probably be a little more proactive when it comes to the hood, fenders, and other metal components.
Rust Never Sleeps
Keeping your car rust-free isn’t just about increasing curb appeal. It can also have a noticeable effect on future performance, safety, resale value, and repair costs. It’s easy to ignore those little dings, dents, and fender benders that come with everyday driving, especially if you’re not planning to trade your vehicle in for a newer model somewhere down the road. Still, the old maxim about an ounce of prevention versus a pound of cure couldn’t be any more applicable than it is in this scenario. Most of these rust prevention products can be applied from the comfort of your own home, but more expensive, involved solutions like ceramic coatings and undercoatings might be best left to professionals, especially if you’re not comfortable with the idea of spending an afternoon crawling under your car. By taking a proactive approach and embracing a few best practices, you can easily prevent a minor rust issue from escalating into a major repair.