AUGUSTA, Ga. () – Now that the snow has come and gone – you may have noticed a salty build-up on your car from the brine used on the roadways. But did you know that this could cause damage to your car? 

Many are heading to the car wash to get their cars cleaned up after the winter weather came through the area and left residue on many vehicles. 

“Today, I came out because my truck was in a mess. I had to go out in the weather to get my sister, who was stuck on the side of the road. So, it kind of got a lot of salt and then snow,” said Jimmy Sturgis, a driver.

The salt on the roads could cause rust and corrosion, which can damage your vehicle. Scott Shipman is originally from Michigan. So, he knew he needed to get to the car wash, but the weather did surprise him.

“Rust is definitely a factor when you have salt combined. The corrosive nature of salt really will rust through quicker than you think,” said Scott Shipman, a driver. “So, it’s a good idea to get your car washed. I was surprised at how icy the conditions were. I couldn’t get out of my driveway, even in my truck, due to the ice. So, you know they put salt down to get rid of the ice, so you know it’s underneath your car.”

Jimmy Sturgis appreciated the car wash, making sure they got the residue off the tires and bottom of his vehicle because he did not want any rust to affect his truck.

“They use pressure washer first, and that sort of gets it, you know, off of it first, and then it goes through the car wash,” said Sturgis.

Triple AAA says you should wash your car right away after it snows, so with the sunny weather this weekend, it is a good time to go. 

“We want that car to come out and be pristine. So, to get a good prewash to get that stuff off before our state-of-the-art equipment hits it just helps for you to have a better finish. You know, if you get the really stubborn stuff off. So, we want to have that undercarriage clean. Particularly spots you cannot see, “said Raymond Carnes, Owner of Ray Ray’s Car Wash.