Rustproofing Isn’t Just for Rust: Why Aluminum and Plastics Still Need Protection

We hear it all the time: “Get a car made of aluminum or plastic and you’ll never worry about rust.” It’s a catchy sales line—but it leaves out an important truth. While rust technically refers to iron or steel, other materials on your vehicle can still corrode, degrade, and fail in very similar (and costly) ways.

Rust vs. Corrosion (and why the difference doesn’t save your car)

Rust is the reddish oxidation of iron and steel. Corrosion is the broader chemical breakdown of a solid— including metals like aluminum—when exposed to water, oxygen, salts, and other chemicals. Different words, same painful outcome: weakened panels, sharp edges, and parts that eventually fall apart.

Aluminum can’t “rust,” but it absolutely corrodes

Aluminum body panels and components are vulnerable to pitting and galvanic corrosion. Left unchecked, corrosion can create holes and structural weaknesses just like rust on steel. So even if your vehicle has a lot of aluminum, it still needs protection.

Plastics and rubber aren’t immune either

Modern road de-icers—especially liquid salt brines and magnesium chloride—don’t just attack metal. They can degrade plastics, rubber seals, and wiring insulation, accelerating wear and causing expensive electrical and sealing issues.

One proven approach protects mixed materials

The most effective strategy is preventive rustproofing with an environmentally friendly, creeping protective film. Applied correctly, it:

• Displaces moisture and blocks oxygen on contact surfaces
• Neutralizes and resists salt brine and harsh road chemicals
• Creeps into seams, spot welds, and hidden cavities
• Helps shield steel, aluminum, fasteners, wiring, plastics, and rubber

Why we recommend NHOU®

Multiple studies and decades of real-world use point to the same conclusion: proactive application of a high-quality, lab-tested formula provides the best long-term protection. In New Hampshire this formulation is known as NHOU®. While names and blends vary by region, the science is consistent: protect first, and keep protecting.

NHOU® formulations are continually reviewed and refined by chemists to keep pace with evolving road chemicals and winter maintenance practices. That ongoing improvement is a big reason the treatment remains so effective year after year.

Bottom line: Whether the correct term is rust, corrosion, degradation, or decay—your vehicle doesn’t care what we call it. It needs protection either way.

Where to get it

NHOU® is available from The Rust Stop Pro in Chichester, NH. They work closely with chemists to ensure the formula keeps up with changing conditions, so your vehicle gets the best possible protection.