Labor Day has come and gone, the kids are back in school and the leaves are turning to their fall colors. Before you know it snow and sleet will start to fly. With the Farmer’s Almanac’s current snowy forecast for the northeast this winter, you will want to do everything you can to keep your vehicle safe from the elements. A car’s paint is actually one of the things that can take the most damage over the winter. Sand and salt can easily damage a car’s paint job. Today we will talk about protecting car paint in the winter.

An easy way to keep your car paint free from damage is to regularly wash it. Once a week should be sufficient as salt and sand can stay on roads for a long time after a storm blows through. You should also wash the car’s exterior and undercarriage immediately after a storm to prevent damage. Many car washes offer a winter package that includes an undercarriage wash with their regular wash.

If you can avoid it, try not to park in the street. Passing plows and vehicles will splash quite a bit of sand and salt on your car. Another reason to not park on the street in the winter is the fact that other cars have the potential to hit your car. Driving on icy roads can throw off even the most experienced driver. To protect your car and it’s paint, try to park in a driveway or garage.

Another easy way to keep your car’s paint safe in winter is to simply cover it. You can purchase a cold weather car cover which will help by keeping excess moisture from damaging the car’s paint and will also eliminate the need to scrap snow and ice off the car which can lead to a lot of potential scrapes and dents. One more benefit is that they save tons of time when getting the car on the road in the morning after winter weather.

After winter is over, you’ll want to check your car over thoroughly for scratches and dents. Rust can easily accumulate in these scratches and dents which will lead to corrosion of the metal. Be sure to patch these spots or repaint as soon as possible.