Water spots removal?

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What's an effective and not too labor intensive way to get rid of water spots?

Am I going to strip sealant wax in the process?
 
I mean... if you're got water spots on the paint, clearly your wax / sealant ain't doing jack.

I never have problems with water spots and it pours DAILY in Florida. I use Meguiar's sealant and add a spray wax on top every month or so after 3-5 washes. Relentless water beading and protection.

I suggest you polish the paint and reapply protection. Can't image you going thru the whole car tackling one wash droplet at a time. Haha.
 
Originally Posted By: Artem
I mean... if you're got water spots on the paint, clearly your wax / sealant ain't doing jack.

I never have problems with water spots and it pours DAILY in Florida.

These are water spots from a sprinkler, not from rain.

I just applied soft99 Fusso Coat a little over a week ago. I was able to get rid of most of the spots just by buffing with a clean MF towel - they are gone for the most part but not completely.
 
You need to look a the water spot under a magifier glass at a low angle. You need to see if it was a calcium deposit on top of the paint of acid rain pits in the paint.

If its pits. nothing you can do but buff the paint down do the bottom of the pits. A trick I used on a darler colored car was to use Meguiars 7 show car glaze to fill the pits followed by a wax/sealant.

This would seal the M7 in the pits to make them less apearant.

Now I use Meguiars ultimate polish and my Random orbit DA and go at a section to see if reasonable polishing will get down to the bottom of the water mark pit.


If it is calcuim deposits on the paint, you need a solvent (like diluted vinegar) to liquefy them and allow removal. You will need to reapply the wax again after removing the water spots.

Wouldn't hurt to clay bar before the vinegar treatments as well . Might as well start with a clean finish before sealing.
 
Barkeeper's friend removes hard water spots from glass. I tried everything on my car windows until I heard of the stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
An acid based wheel cleaner is probably your quickest option.
My Sonata has hard water spots all over it, has for a long time.

Would I basically spray the whole car and wipe and rinse off with wheel cleaner?
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: The Critic
An acid based wheel cleaner is probably your quickest option.

My Sonata has hard water spots all over it, has for a long time.

Would I basically spray the whole car and wipe and rinse off with wheel cleaner?

Jesus no. That bottle of wheel cleaner will tell you not to get too on paint.

If it dries while you're trying to get the spots off you'll have bigger issues.

Use a clay bar or a cleaner wax. If the spots don't come off you need an abrasive.
 
Of course they say that because the instructions are written for users of all skill levels.

Most water spot removers are acid based.

Wheel acid works fine but you have to treat very small areas at a time, do not allow it to dry, and avoid glass/trim.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Sounds like a pain - a clay mitt will do it in half the time with no risk of acid or alkaline damage to your paint.


For light water spots, yes. Heavier water spots will require an acid type product.
 
Keep them off in the first place. Use one of those flexible plastic body skeeege wipers before the water gets a chance to dry on. Prevention is far easier than fixing.
 
Originally Posted By: Driz
Keep them off in the first place. Use one of those flexible plastic body skeeege wipers before the water gets a chance to dry on. Prevention is far easier than fixing.

Every time it rains?

Most of us are trying to avoid paying damage.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: Driz
Keep them off in the first place. Use one of those flexible plastic body skeeege wipers before the water gets a chance to dry on. Prevention is far easier than fixing.

Every time it rains?

I should have clarified - mine are sprinkler water spots, not rain spots. Our city water is drinkable, but we don't drink it. It leaves nasty deposits when you try to cook/make tea with it.

We drove to a friend's house for dinner. I parked in his driveway, not knowing his sprinklers were going to get me.
 
Dilute 5% acid vinegar (the buck a gallon stuff) 50% with distilled water, wipe it one with a microfiber, let dwell for 5-10 seconds and hose it off. Repeat as needed then recoat with whatever wax or product you were using.
It sounds like you have hard water with calcium deposits.
 
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