How to remove water spots from paint

There are few worse things than cleaning your car, taking a step back and noticing the remnants of hard water spots all over your vehicle. We are going to give you some quick tips on how to remove hard water spots from your car window or paint so you can confidently show off your clean car!

Where Do Hard Water Spots Come From?

Have you ever noticed leftover spots on the surface whenever you’re done cleaning? They often appear hazy or white on the surface and seem impossible to remove. More than likely, you are experiencing hard water spots. This happens when there are materials in the water and a build-up of alkaline.

These spots can be di hard water stain remover for cars fficult to remove and often are a source of frustration while you are cleaning. But, fear not! With a little elbow grease and CleanTools products, you can have water spot removal from car paint in no time.

How To Remove Hard Water Spots

There are two methods we recommend for removing hard water spots, the first being the use of white vinegar. You're probably asking, will vinegar remove water spots on my car? Yes it does, and we advise to try this vinegar method. Here are the tips to remove hard water stain remover for the cars.

White Vinegar Method

For this, you will need:

• Distilled water
• White vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Bowl
• The Absorber®

Step 1: Create your cleaning solution by mixing 2 parts distilled water and 1 part white vinegar in a large bowl.
Step 2: Pour the solution into a spray bottle. This will help simplify the application process.
Step 3: Spray the mixture on the hard water stains. Focus on one area at a time, so that you can properly dry the spots that have the solution on them.
Step 4: Rub the water stains gently with a soft, clean cloth. Any fine microfiber will work.  If the stains have been on your car for a while, you may need to add a little more solution and it may need more time on the surface to activate to ensure that it is fully removed. New stains should lift easily and immediately.
Step 5: Rinse off the car with your hose, or if it is a small area, use a clean cloth soaked in water. 
Step 6: Dry your car completely. Use a dry clean towel, such as The Absorber® XL or XXL to do so. 
Step 7: If necessary, repeat any steps you wish.

Baking Soda Method

The second method requires baking soda to remove hard water stains.
For this, you will need:

• Baking soda
• Distilled water
• White vinegar
• The Absorber®
• Bowl

Step 1: Make your cleaning solution using 3 parts baking soda and 1 part distilled water in a bowl. If you wish to make your solution stronger, you can add in white drops of white vinegar. With these ingredients, you should be able to make a paste to use on the hard water spots.
Step 2: Grab a clean cloth and apply a modest amount of solution to it. Then, gently rub the hard water stains with the solution.
Step 3: Leave the paste on the hard water spot for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the paste by rinsing the area with clean water, or by using a soft cloth soaked in the clean water.
Step 5: Dry the affected area completely. We recommend using The Absorber® XL or XXL to do so.
Step 6: If necessary, repeat the steps until the hard water spot is removed.

Make Your Results Last

Removing hard water stains is a victory in itself -- but how can you keep the results longer? We recommend waxing your car. Waxing your car makes your car shine, keeps away airborne contaminants, simplifies washing, minimizes the cost of repairs and refinishing, and helps to keep hard water spots off! If you are looking for a quick and easy way to wax your car, look to The Glosser®. This unique, non-woven, triceraphilic (3-layer) microfiber cloth lifts surface contaminants and waxes with just one stroke! If you are a proud vehicle owner, you need these on hand!

Consider finishing off your hard water stains removal with a fresh wax to maximize your results! 

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Next to maybe swirl marks, water spots are probably the most annoying thing to deal with when detailing. They can run a range of severity and require various approaches to remove depending on where they are on the vehicle. 

The goal of this writeup is to help you better understand water spots and more importantly how to remove them. 

WHAT ARE WATER SPOTS?

Simply put, a water spot is the stuff that was suspended in the droplet before the water dried/evaporated. Depending on the source of the water and where it had been before drying you can see any number of things cause the actual spot.

Ground water is the most common culprit. The water from a mis-aimed sprinkler or the water used from your hose is full of minerals. The type of mineral and concentration varies from region to region and based on how 'hard' your water is you may see more severe spotting. Rain water typically carries a different type of contamination. As that little droplet fell thru the air it picked up airborne pollution as well as dust or dirt, plus if the water ran off of a tree or nearby roof before landing on your car it took some of the contamination from those surfaces as well. Road water would be the very dirty water that is splashed up behind your wheels or all over the lower regions of your car when driving in wet conditions. Its almost impossible to know what is suspended in that water, but for sure it contains all manner of very nasty dirt, chemicals, and other road grime.

WHAT IS BONDED MINERAL CONTAMINATION?

Bonded minerals are just a more severe form of water spot. When mineral concentrations are higher, or a car is subjected to lots of ground water drying on the surface (sprinklers hit a car every morning) water spots can become bonded minerals. These are a little more difficult to deal with as they form hard bonds with the clear coat that make them harder to remove. Once removed bonded mineral contamination can sometimes leave the area where it was looking dull or even pitted. 

WHAT IS ETCHING?

Etching is the worst case scenario in the progression of water spots. Etching is typically seen from water thats baked on in direct sunlight or high heat. It is also prevalent with acid rain or ground water with high levels of chlorine. Etching can be minor to severe, with the most severe kind requiring very aggressive means of correction - potentially wet sanding in extreme cases. Etching is a circumstance where the water spot has physically 'eaten' its way into the clear coat so that it sits at a lower level than the surrounding surface.

REMOVAL METHODS:
These processes are listed in order from least to most aggressive.

• Start simple! For lighter spots something as simple as a complete wash or wipe down with Waterless Wash or Detail Spray and a microfiber towel may be enough to remedy the problem. As with any detailing process, always try the least aggressive/simplest method first.
• White vinegar can be used for spots that are a little more stubborn and more mineral based. Soak a small area of a plush microfiber towel with the vinegar and wipe the problem area (after the area has been properly cleaned and dust removed) Perform this task out of direct sunlight to avoid complications. Be sure to reapply your preferred wax/sealant to the area as the vinegar will have degraded/removed any protection. 
• Claying can be very effective at removing water spots. The process remains unchanged from the usual claying process. Adequately lubricate the surface and move the clay back and forth over the area. Be sure to spend extra time working the spots from multiple angles to give the clay the best opportunity to grab the contamination. Repeat uses may be needed in some cases. 
• If the prior step fails to completely remove the spot then you may be dealing with etching. In this case physical abrasion of the surface becomes necessary to 'level' the clear coat back to the same as the surrounding areas. Follow the same guidelines as when polishing to remove swirls, be sure to use the least aggressive polish to get the job done and always test your process in a 2'x2' area before completing the entire car.

WHAT ABOUT ON GLASS? 
The exact same rules apply for glass, but with one exception - glass is far harder than clear coat so it allows for more aggressive options when finer options fail. After attempting the above steps on glass, if you have not seen improvement or complete removal there is 1 more step to attempt.

• If auto polishes fail, a more aggressive household abrasive cleanser can be used on glass. Bonami is available at most any store and is very abrasive. 
• When gritty cleansers won't do the job try using 0000 steel wool and liberal spraying of glass cleaner. Spray a good amount of Adam's Glass Cleaner into the steel wool pad, then spray a few pumps onto the glass. With light pressure scrub the affected areas of the glass. As with anything aggressive be sure to mask off adjacent trim and paint to avoid accidental damage and test an area to make sure the desired results are achieved.

PREVENTION: 
As with anything prevention is the best medicine. 

• On paint maintaining a coat of sealant and/or wax will prevent minor spotting and lessen the impact of more severe conditions. Glass sealant should be used as well to give maximum protection.
• Remove standing water from the paint, especially on days where the sun is out and don't allow water spots to go untreated for extended periods of time. The longer they sit the higher the chances of a bigger issue arising.

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