Every winter we hear of cold snaps. One sign of such conditions is sightings of gritters across the country. These council operated vehicles get out on the road as soon as forecasts hint at any near freezing temperatures. Their job is to keep all vehicles gripped to the road, despite the icy weather.
Whilst evidently they do a noble and worthwhile job, there is a side effect from having grit on our roads- dirt. This becomes an issue for commercial vehicle operators more than car drivers for two reasons- the amount of time on the road, and the brand impact of driving a dirty vehicle.
So why does it cause quite so much of a problem?
Over the last few years councils have taken to using molasses in their road grit. Whilst the properties of treacle clearly lend themselves perfectly to helping grip, they do not inspire cleanliness. This diluted molasses mixes with rainwater