How do i remove water spots?
 

So normally I don't really have that much of an issue with water spots, but after washing the car this time I noticed it of it this time on the hood, roof and trunk. I have no idea how to get rid of it either. Any suggestions?

White vinegar will do the trick, but it smells pretty bad so you have to wash the car again immediately after and make sure you dry it fast enough not to get more spots. Also, using a water filter inline with your hose to give you a spot free rinse can help after you get rid of the existing spots.

Also, clay bar and wax the car.

Clay bar, and sometimes a simple detail spray can fix it

Use a sander with 200 grit sandpaper. That will get it off of there for you.









You're welcome.


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200??? or 2000?

I had really bad water spots from my sprinklers. I just did this yesterday (or at least most of it, as it takes a long time doing it by hand. It may be faster with a buffer though). First I washed/dried the car. The I used Chemical Guys Water Spot Remover, then I used a clay bar, then the water spot remover again, then the clay bar again, and finally a coat of cleaner caranuba wax. This removed 99% of the water spots. It may seem like over kill, but these spots were really etched in, and after the first round of water spot remover/clay bar, the water spots were still fairly visible. Therefore, two treatments seemed to do the job.

haha this was definitely a joke, either one would mess up the paint so I was just being useless :rofl2: But seriously, just like the guy above me said, the water spot remover in conjunction with a buffer and a clay bar should take care of even the most stubborn of water spots. :tup:

Lol, ok
But 2000-3000 grit would be ok on your clear coat, so I was wondering how someone would've used 200 grit

well I'm not an total expert in this area, but I would even be a bit nervous using 2000 on my clear coat. I use 3000 grit when I polish headlights during restorations, and even that feels very slightly abrasive on my finger. For my sanding process I use 320 (if it's really bad), 500, 800, 1200, 1500, and then the 3000 for polishing. the 1500 still leaves the lens scuffed up, so I can't imagine that 2000 grit would be much better.

At the local Quarter Wash ... After I rinse all the soap off with the normal spray ... I do a final rinse with the spot free water before I wipe the car down. Seems to work pretty good.

Dude, I love my local quarter wash place. I spend $3.75 and get it all clean and shiny, then I drive home and use some spray detailer, and she's good to go until next week :) once a month I wax and it's a done deal

:iagree:
I miss my local quarter place... $3, shiny and clean like a... car is supposed to be... LOL

Use a good car wash or else your car might need a wax.

First off wash the area with a good car wash product. If the water spots remain us a light compound and hand buff them out with a proper compound pad. then apply a wax or sealant.

Take a dry cotton cloth and wipe properly after washing the car, it removes all water spots. After dry it applies a wax.

^^ do not listen to this guy.

Sounds like you might need a full detail. Wash your car, some prefer to use dawn to strip the old wax, then CLAY bar your car(that should get most if not all the waters spots) you can always try some kind of water spot remover or vinegar if they done come out the first time. Then just proceed with the rest of your full detail, sealant, glaze, polish, wax. If you use a good sealant, water spotw wont by much of a worry. I use Adams quick sealant

Good Afternoon,

Removal of Hard Water Spots from paint can be tricky. One method is to try using claybar on the area to see if that removes the mineral contaminants (water spots). Another method is to use some sort of correcting polish and a machine. Something like Adam's Swirl and Haze Remover on the Flex 3401VRG Polisher or Porter Cable 7424 should kill whatever spots aren't into your clear coat. If they are a little deeper, you would need to use something like Adam's 4" Focus Kit. It's a polishing kit that you use on a Cordless Drill. From there, it would be key to come back over it with a Dual Action Machine, to remove the tiny buffer trails the Drill left.

The pic below is something I hit at a show over the summer. I spent all of about 10 minutes on the good side of the hood. Clay, Swirl and Haze Remover, and Fine Machine Polish.

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/p...a/d486f5f5.jpg

I have water spots on my outside mirrors and windows (was like that when I purchased a couple of months ago). Would vinegar be the answer for the water spots?

For GLASS, I would recommend .0000 Steel Wool and Denatured Alcohol. My family owns a residential glass business, and I have been doing this ON GLASS ONLY for years.

Mook

Perfect. I will try it this weekend. Thanks for the tip

:tiphat:

Interesting! I've clayed my glass after washing it. Works well too.:tup:

Apple cider white-colored vinegar will do the key, but it odors fairly bad so you have to clean the car again soon after and make sure you dry it quick enough not to get more areas. Also, using a purification inline with your normal water hose to provide you a identify free clean can help after you get rid of the current areas.

Worked like a charm. Had to use a bit of elbow grease, but after a couple rounds, the glass and mirrors looks much better.

Thank you :tiphat::tiphat:

Your water spots don't look etched into the paint to be honest... If you DO have them etched, buy yourself a dual action buffer, and use some of whatever Adam's recommends, or use something like Meguiar's ultimate compound, which is what I used... I feel comfortable with the setup because since it's not aggressive, it makes it harder to really ruin the clear coat... Yeah, it might take longer than getting something more aggressive, BUT its still 100 times easier than doing it straight by hand! :tup:

Add on: I used a REALLY crappy one from Walmart branded as Turtle Wax for $20 for the 6", $23 for the 10"... And I used the generic foam bonnets that some with it... NOT the greatest, but its cheap as hell and it worked for me... I WISH I took a before and after, but I didn't... Me and my buddy did both of our cars, the whole thing, worked longer on problemed areas, and neither of us could be more satisfied... He has a 1994 black RX7 and the front bumper was WHITE because the paint was soooooo bad, after a good buff with those cheap things, its back to black, and we couldn't be happier...


If you DO go with the WalMart solution, remember the foam bonnets TEAR VERY EASILY (You get what you pay for...) So just place it once, and try not to adjust much, or adjust using the stretchy things holding them on. If you do rip them, call the company (Carrand) and say they were ripped straight out of the box, and they'll send you a free replacement (mine took 2-3 days to get)

Where can I find inline filters made for garden hoses? I checked Lowes and Home Depot with no luck.

griots garage has them but they are expensive - although time is money and if they save time.....

Some people swear by using a clay bar. What they don't know it was developed in the 30's for removing overspray from the paint. When the manufacturers couldn't sell enough of it, they started packaging the stuff for the car enthusiast. Every time you use it, you're removing a fine layer of clear-coat.

From carcareonline.com

"Clay: Literally a plasticene/abrasive mixture used to smooth new paint and remove fresh paint overspray. This type of product must be used with lots of lubricant. The technique of using a clay is a learned skill. Use too little lubricant or get contaminants in the clay and you have moved into scratch city. This is one product that is the fast lane to trouble if not used with extreme care. I do not recommend frequent use of this type of product. You literally grind off a small amount of paint. It should be used as was intended, to grind off paint overspray or contaminants that may not be dissolved with a solvent."

You say all this... So you're saying clay bar is a BAD tool?

And the mild clay bar that 99.999999999% of people use, the consumer grade, um... I can't see that taking clear coat off... Ever...
I mean the "fine layer" must be .1 micron, if that, so 1/10000th of a mm.

So yeah, after you clay your car... 500,000 times, you might eat through it...

Wow, how ridiculous! Good thing we don't offer the kind of clay bars that grind your paint off. :rolleyes:

:rofl2:

:icon18::icon18::icon18:



Yeah, not all you read on the internet is true, but at the same time, if HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of cars and people use clay bar, and in fact it DID take a layer of paint off... I thiiiiiink that would be a much more well known "fact" and a LOT less people would use it...

I'm amazed after 3 pages no one recommended "Chemical Guys" water spot remover...
Read the reviews its the best thing on the market for hard water spots...

I've seen friends use clay incorrectly and ruin their paint, forcing a good cutting detail. While clay is awesome, its certainly not for everyone.

You got that right! If the clay picks up one small piece of dirt and you drag that on you will do some damage.

Again though Chemical guys water spot remover is the answer to this thread. :)

This is what I'm dealing with, I washed, clay bar and waxed. They're still there. What do you guys recommend? Little background, I was washing the car and it started raining so I finished the car and pull it the the garage and didn't dry it because it was late night and bugs were starting to get on top of the car. The next morning the car was covered with spots. Washed and waxed and they were still there now I don't know how to get rid of them.

Hey if you just use a a soft terry cloth and use some spray detailer after you are done you can remove those. Just try some Meguiars detailer and you should be good. :tup:

If clay bar doesn't take care of water spots, then it's time to break out the polishes...either by hand or with a machine.

Being with the least-aggressive polish and go up from there if they still remain.

^ what nick said.
Just polish out with machine, they will come right off.

Read my post above yours.... Chemical guys water spot remover...