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Salt, sand and liquid de-icers are applied routinely to improve road conditions. As you drive your car on those products, you can be thankful that they are readily available and working hard to keep you safe. But does this safety come at the expense of your car?
At extreme cold temperatures, sometimes the only thing that can add traction to a slick road is sand. Although beneficial, sand can create tiny chips in a vehicle's paint and undercarriage. De-icing products can get into these exposed areas and accelerate rust and corrosion. Fortunately, additives are available that reduce the corrosiveness of winter deicing practices. In some areas, state departments of transportation and public works agencies use de-icers that are 70 percent less corrosive than regular salt. These de-icers contain corrosion inhibitors made with molasses, corn syrup and other organic agricultural products, as well as some inorganic products. When deicing products come in contact with steel, oxygen is needed for rust to form. Sugar molecules are oxygen scavengers, and by reducing the oxygen, corrosion is reduced substantially. Even beet juice has been used in some cases, but its low sugar content makes it less effective than most other products.
