If you own a car and drive it fairly often, you probably know what road salt is, especially if you’re in a cold country. Although it should help with winter maintenance, let’s be honest, we all hate it when it gets in our cars.
It’s good for maintenance during winter, but it’s made up of chemicals that can damage your car, and the easiest way to get rid of it is by car wash soap, specifically for road salt.
So if you’re a victim of road salt as well, you’re probably wondering what the best car wash soap for road salt is. So today, we’ll be covering all about road salt, the best car wash soaps, and much more. But without further ado, let’s begin.
Editor’s Pick: Top 3 Best Car Wash Soap For Road Salt
| # | Product | Title | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEST OVERALL |  | Chemical Guys CWS208 Watermelon Snow Foam Car Wash Soap | 4.7 |
| EDITOR'S CHOICE |  | Meguiar's G17701 Ultimate Wash & Wax | 4.8 |
| MOST AFORDABLE |  | SA32 Salt S-Away 32oz Concentrate Car Wash | 4.7 |
Why Should You Take Film of Road Salt Attached to Your Car Seriously?
Even though road salt is good for roads, it’s super harmful to cars. So here’s a list of all the ways even a small amount of it can affect your car —
- It can damage the metal of your car.
- The materials of your entire vehicle can start to decay.
- It’ll rust all the mechanical parts and the exterior of your car.
- It can make your brakes unfunctional.
- Road salt damages the exhaustion mechanism of your car.
These are only five ways how road salt can affect cars, but there are more details about it. If you don’t take actions to prevent or use a cleaner that removes road film immediately, it can make your car unfunctional.
Best Car Wash Soap For Road Salt Reviews
Car wash soap can be easy to find, but finding them specifically for road salt can be difficult. So here’s a list of the best products to help you decide —
1. Chemical Guys CWS208 Watermelon Snow Foam Car Wash Soap
As far as car wash soaps go, this is the #1 best-selling car wash soap on Amazon. It’s incredible, and the solution is foamy.
The solution comes in a 1 gallon or 128 oz bottle, and the foamy solution is compatible with foam guns and cannons. It’s highly concentrated as well, and they have over 20 thousand positive reviews.
Along with that, it’s great for both beginners and experts, and it’s straightforward to use. Just add 1-3 oz of the solution with 3-6 gallons of water, and you’ll be good to go. After cleaning, your car will smell great, feel great, and it’ll look brand new.
It’s pH balanced as well, so it won’t get rid of any wax or strip away the colors of your car after using it. Overall, it’s fantastic for both beginners and experts. Among the top car cleaners, this is one of the most affordable options.
Highlight Features
- 128 oz bottle
- pH balanced
- Concentrated solution
- Compatible with foam cannons and guns
- It can be used up to 128 times
Pros
- It will last for an incredibly long time
- Incredibly foamy
- Won’t remove any wax coatings after use
- Smells fantastic after use
- It gives off a brand new look after use
Cons
- Foam can dry up quickly
2. Meguiar’s G17701 Ultimate Wash & Wax
If you’re looking for the best car wash and wax soap to clean road salt off of your car, the Meguar’s G17801 Ultimate is one of the best options you can have.
It comes with two options, one for a 1-gallon bottle and one for a 48 oz bottle. They’re both 2-in-1 solutions that work both as a cleaner and wax. It’s incredibly easy to use, and it’s super foamy as well.
The wax protective layer works excellently, and it won’t remove the wax coating already in your car and leaves a deep and glossy finish after use. Although it isn’t a conditioner, it can enhance your car’s colors as well.
Along with that, it’s incredibly concentrated and pH neutral, and it smells phenomenal after use. You’ll be getting a lot from both the 48 oz and the 128 oz options for the price you pay.
Highlight Features
- 128 oz and 48 oz options
- 2-in–1 cleaner and wax protectant
- Incredibly foamy
- pH balanced
- Enhances car’s colors
Pros
- Won’t remove the wax or paint off of your car
- Cleans with only one swipe
- The great smell after use
- It leaves a deep and glossy finish
- It lasts a long time
Cons
- It can leave a harsh residue
3. SA32 Salt S-Away 32oz Concentrate Car Wash
Regular car wash soaps will focus on cleaning, but the SA32 Salt-S Away car wash soap focuses mostly on getting rid of road salt, making it both an excellent cleaner for cars used every day.
It’s fully biodegradable and non-hazardous, and it has a concentrated solution. The solution comes in a 32oz bottle, and you’ll only require 1 oz of it with 3 gallons of water to make it foamy.
Along with that, it’s foamy, making it easier to clean road salt and get rid of all the spots. It won’t get rid of any wax or coatings on the surface, and it won’t strip any of the paint on your car.
Although most anti-road salt car wash soaps dry out fast, this one is different and won’t dry out quickly. Using it, you’ll only need to wash your car using it every two weeks or so to get rid of all the road salt.
Highlight Features
- Biodegradable
- Non-hazardous
- Incredibly concentrated
- pH balanced
- Compatible with foam cannons and guns
Pros
- It only requires 1 oz of solution each time to clean
- Doesn’t strip wax or paint off of the car
- Creates a lot of foam
- It takes a lot of time to dry out
- You won’t need to wash the car using it often
Cons
- Sometimes leaves a dull sheen after use
4. Chemical Guys CWS202 Tough Mudder Foaming Heavy Duty Wash Soap
Chemical Guys have been making car wash soaps for a long time, and they’re an expert in their job. Their CWS202 car wash soap is a good example.
It produces lots of foam, making it easier to wash your car. And even though using it on a bucket works fine, it’s fully compatible with foam cannons and foam guns to clean your vehicle.
Along with that, it’s beginner-friendly and easy to use, but at the same time, it’s professional and can get the job done incredibly fast and efficiently. The solution is highly concentrated, meaning you won’t need to use much to get results.
Only 1 to 3 oz can do the job, and your car will smell and make it feel as good as new. It’s pH balanced as well, so it won’t strip away any paint or wax and such from your car. For beginners, it’s excellent.
Highlight Features
- Concentrated solution
- Compatible with a foam gun and foam cannon
- pH balanced
- Incredibly foamy
- Simply washable with regular water
Pros
- Easy to use and beginner-friendly
- It makes your car look and smell brand new
- Leaves no residue or spots after washing
- It leaves an excellent shiny look after use
- Smells fantastic
Cons
- Requires you to dry up each panel after rinsing
5. Malco CW-37 Premium Car Wash Concentrate
Whether you have a truck, car, or jeep, it’s bound to get dirty after using it for a while, especially if you need to use it regularly. Along with that, road salt can get in as well, damaging your car from the inside out.
But for this, the Malco CW-37 Premium Car Wash can help. It’s a liquid solution creating a lot of foam, making it easier to wash your car. It comes in a 1-gallon container as well, so you won’t be running out of the solution for a while.
Along with that, it’s incredibly concentrated, meaning you won’t need to use much of it to clean your car. The solution will not remove wax or any other coatings, and it’ll prevent any brush marks or stains on your car.
It’s phosphate-free and makes thick and rich studs and foam, and it’s even compatible with foam guns and cannons. You’ll be getting a lot of value for the price you pay.
Highlight Features
- Incredibly concentrated
- Phosphate-free
- Biodegradable formula
- Compatible with foam guns and foam cannons
- It comes in a 1-gallon bottle
Pros
- Won’t remove wax or other coatings from the surface
- It creates a lot of foam, making it easier to clean
- It prevents brush marks or stains
- Easy to use
- Won’t dry up easily
Cons
- Requires more than 1 oz of the solution with 3 gallons of water to make it foamy
6. Meguiar’s G7101FFP Gold Class Car Wash
Meguiar’s have grown a good reputation as a brand for their car wash soaps, and this one is no different. It comes in a 128 oz or 1-gallon bottle, and it’s a 2-in-1 car wash soap.
The solution works as both a cleanser and a conditioner, meaning it’ll get rid of any dust or grime while enhancing the colors of your car. It also creates a lot of foam, and it’s compatible with foam guns and foam cannons.
All the foam from the solution can clean all sorts of dust, grime, grease, and road salt from your car in just a few minutes. It cleans this all without stripping any of the wax or coatings off the car’s surface, too.
Along with that, it’s super-concentrated, and you will only need to use a small amount to wash your car. It’s pH balanced, makes your car smell and look incredible, and leaves a shiny glossy finish after use. Overall, it’s fantastic for beginners.
Highlight Features
- pH balanced
- Concentrated solution
- Compatible with foam cannons or guns
- Enhances your car’s colors
- 2-in-1 design with cleaner and conditioner
Pros
- Won’t strip any wax or paint off of your car
- Won’t dry up easily
- Glossy finish after use
- The great smell after use
- It only requires 1 oz of the solution to clean your car
Cons
- It can leave a small amount of haze if it isn’t rinsed well
How To Wash Salt Off The Undercarriage?
The undercarriage of your car is the most vulnerable part of your car to accumulate road salt since it has a lot of nudges and is mainly made out of metals. It has a lot of vital parts of a car, and road salt can greatly damage it.
But not to worry, cleaning it is incredibly easy. You don’t need to clean it often either, once every week is good enough.
You can clean it in multiple ways, but it’s easiest if you go to a car cleaning station to clean it. With their powerful water hoses, they can clean the undercarriage in mere seconds.
But washing it from home isn’t hard either, and you’ll only need pressure or a water hose. Use a small amount of car wash soap, and spray the water under the undercarriage with high force. However, if you don’t use your car often and don’t want to spend money on car wash soaps, call a professional. They will usually take between $10 to $30.
Things To Consider When Buying
Even though car washing soap may seem easy to buy, there are a lot of things you should know and consider before or when purchasing car wash soap for road salt. So here’s a list of all of the things you need to consider —
- Make Your Own Car Wash Soap
If you don’t use your car often, it’s most beneficial to make your own DIY car wash soap. You can make it a combination of liquid soap, baby shampoo, and a mix of warm and cold water.
- Use Softer Car Wash Soap Depending On How Often You Clean Your Car
If you live in a harsh climate and use your car often, you’ll likely need to wash your car every day. But most car wash soaps have intense chemicals, so using them too often isn’t the best.
So if you need to clean your car often, buy a concentrated or soft car wash soap. Try to get one that is pH balanced and has fewer chemicals.
- Consider using do-it-all soap
Consider getting a car wash soap that doesn’t give a high wax finish if you use your car regularly. Instead, you should use do-it-all soap or higher quality soap that will give off a shinier look.
- Get Waxed Car Wash Soap
If you use regular car wash soap to get rid of road salt, you’ll need to wax your car afterward to keep it safe from catching more dust. But to skip this step, you can simply get a car wash soap that has wax in it.
- Consider Using Water Free Soap
Regular car wash soap can leave residue on your car, which you need to clean water. To get around this, you can use water-free car wash soap. These can still remove road salt and clean your car without any residue. But they aren’t as concentrated as normal soap, so you’ll need to use more of them to remove salt deposits.
FAQs
Does car wash soap neutralise road salt?
Most car wash soaps are different from each other, but they all have the same chemicals.
And yes, these chemicals will neutralize road salt. It’ll instantly cancel the acids of the road salt, preventing damage. So after washing it with water, your car will be completely free of road salt.
Does road salt cause rusting on your car?
Road salt primarily consists of two chemicals, being sodium and chloride. These can help maintain roads in winter, but they’re harmful to cars.
But yes, they can cause your cars to rust, especially the mechanical parts such as brakes, exhaustion, and undercarriage. This is why cleaning your car often is extremely important.
What is TFR car wash?
When you drive your car, it’s prone to catching thin layers of grit, oil, dirt, grime, and more. These can slowly make your car dirty or cause it to rust.
For this, a TFR car wash is best. TFR or Traffic Film Remover car wash is a cleaning product designated for removing dust, grime, and filth off of your car without damaging the metals or paintwork of your car. Most car wash soaps are noted as TFR.
What is the best soap to wash my car with?
All sorts of soap can work to clean your car, but they aren’t all the same. Different car wash soaps have different purposes.
Because of this, there isn’t a single best soap to wash your car with. But as a rule of thumb, concentrated soaps are best for cars because they need a small amount of the solution each time you clean.
How long can road salt stay on your car?
Road salt can stick to the metals and tires of your car every time you go to drive it, and slowly it’ll eat away your entire car.
However, road salt can stay on your car for about one year before damaging your car. So if you wash your car often, there’s nothing to worry about, and your car won’t get any damage.
How do you get salt stains off your car in the winter?
Salt stains or road salt is mostly used for maintenance during winter, but these will stick to your car often and damage it. But to get rid of salt stains off of your car in winter, car wash soap or car shampoo can be the best option. Use the solution of shampoo or soap to gently rub the spots of salt and wash them away with water.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you know all about the best car wash soap for road salt. Rod salt soaps are found everywhere, but the ones listed in this article are the best.
As a final tip, we’d recommend you not to clean your car under sunlight directly since it can evaporate the car wash soap quickly.
The easiest place to clean it’d be a garage, but other areas with shade work great as well. But with all that being said, good luck cleaning, and cheers!