The Ultimate Guide for Water Spots Removal

The white-edged splotches called the water stains can drastically damage the look of a beautifully painted car. It can seem like these stains can be easily removed if simply wiped, but the minerals in the water stains wouldn’t allow that. Luckily, there are a bunch of ways you can permanently remove water spots and keep from future spots from appearing.

In this article we will show different ways you can remove hard water spot stains with things you already have at home and with more professional supplies that will give you a lasting result.

Why are water stains so hard to get rid off?

The reason why water stains are so hard to remove from car paint is because of the combination of all the minerals inside the water that is being applied to your car. A common name for this type of water is hard water.

This water contains a lot of minerals, like calcium and magnesium that eat at the car paint. As water evaporates, those minerals inside the droplets leave behind a stain on the surface. In order to permanently get rid of water stains, you need to first get rid of those minerals and then polish the spots where these alkaline water mineral stains damaged.

1. Water spot removers

A good water spot removal is needed in order to break down all the minerals that the water spots have on your car’s paint. Heavy duty water spot remover doesn’t exactly get rid of the water stains, but it gets rid of the minerals well enough to permanently prevent the stains from reappearing. In order to get the best results after using a stain remover, polishing needs to be done.

One of the best spot removers is the Chemical Guys Heavy Duty Water Spot Remover. This remover neutralizes water spot stains for effortless removal and permanently gets rid of stuck on water stain in seconds. It can be used to remove water stains not only from paint, but also glass, metal, and other automotive surfaces.

Another great option is the Meguiar’s Water Spot Remover. This product works quickly to remove water spots without causing any permanent damage to the paint. It is very versatile and can be used on many surfaces like hard plastic and polished metal surfaces.

If you don’t want to spend money on a spot remover, you can diy it yourself. Just mix equal amounts of white distilled vinegar with distilled water or soft water in a spray bottle, and gently shake it to mix.

Vinegar is a mild acid, making it an effective products to fight against alkaline stains from the water spots.

Preparation for removing water spots

Before you can start using your remove water spots, you should clean the whole surface of your car. This will prevent any exterior dirt from mixing in with your remover.

Make sure that you are not working on a hot surface. Put your car in a shady place where no direct sunlight can reach it, and cool down the surface of your vehicle.

Step 1: Prepare for wash

Get a bucket of warm and soapy water with Fortador Blue Magic. Have a hose ready for rinsing and get a microfiber or a mitt for washing.

Step 2: Washing

Soak a mitt in soapy water. Start washing the whole surface of the car with the soapy mitten. Make sure to not let any of the soap to dry so you don’t get any streaks.

Step 3: Rinse

Rinse the car’s surface thoroughly with clean water from the hose leaving no suds remaining on the surface.

Step 4: Speed dry

Start drying the surface of your car immediately with dry microfibers. Work top down from side to side motion.

How to remove water spots from car with vinegar

After you got rid of any abrasive dirt and any debris particles, it is time to get rid of those stubborn water spots. First method we will be exploring is with a homemade solution of vinegar and water.

Step 1: Spay the surfaces

Grab a spray bottle of your vinegar mixture and saturate the glass and car body with it.

Step 2: Fill a bucket with vinegar solution

Any solution that you have left over, pour it into a bucket of water. Fill that bucket more to make it a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar. Immerse a couple of clean towels into that bucket in preparation for next steps.

Step 3: Use the soaked towels

Get one of the soaked towels and lay it on the area of the car that has water spots . Let it sit for about two minutes to let it soak. After the two minutes have passed, use the same towel to remove hard water spots.

How to spot remove bad water spots

Sometimes after using a homemade spot remover you can still have some water spots left. This is where a commercial heavy duty water spot remover will come in handy.

All spot removers have different ingredients but there are a lot of common elements. Usually, distilled water is the base, with mineral oil is added as a lubricant. Other ingredients that are commonly included are solvents, absorbents, conditioners, and buffers.

Any remover shouldn’t be used on matte surface paint jobs unless it says that it will not damage those surfaces.

Step 1: Use quick detail spray

To get rid of any remaining dirt, apply some of the quick detail spray for a waterless wash solution.

Step 2: Apply product

Apply your chosen water spot remover on the affected area with a foam applicator or a microfiber applicator.

If you are using a gel remover, you might get some water spot gel residue that will need to be buffed out to remove.

Step 2: Rub it in

Rub in the spot remover with two or three passes to remove water stains.

Step 3: Clean the surface

Grab a dry and clean cloth and finish off the surface by rubbing off the compound.

Clay bar treatment

If after using a commercial cleaner you have any etch marks left from the hard water spots, you should use a detailing clay bar. Clay bar successfully removes water spot stains and makes sure that none of them come back. One crucial thing to remember is that you need to use this technique very carefully and on smaller, localized sections that require water spot removal. As well as detail a full guide on using clay bar for car.

This Chemical Guys Heavy Duty Clay Bar and Luber Synthetic Lubricant Kit, is perfect for water spot removal. This product will leave a silky smooth finish with a mirror-like appearance. It is safe for all aluminum, chrome, glass, paint, and all other pained finishes.

Step 1: Start with a clean car

Before using clay, make sure that your car is fully washed from any loose dirt.

Step 2: Soften the clay

Grab your clay in your hand and squeeze it until it is a pliable disc. The warmth of your hands will soften the clay as you work on it. Once it is soft and ready, flatten it into a circular shape.

Step 3: Spray the lubricant

Generously spray a lubricant on a section of water spots you will be working on. A section should be big in order to prevent damaging the paintwork.

Make sure that your section is not only just misted, but saturated with the lubricant. In addition, spray some of it on your clay disc for some extra lubrication.

Step 4: Start working with clay

Slide the clay back and forth over the lubricated area. Flatten your hand and pin the clay disc gently against the car with your fingers. Rub in side to side or up and down motion. Do not rub in a circular motion since this might create scratches.

Add more lubricant if you feel like clay is sticking to your vehicle’s surface.

Step 5: Work on different areas

As you move along to different parts of your car, you may notice that the clay is getting dirty with contaminants. When that happens, fold the clay disc over and flatten it out so you have a clean surface.

Repeat these steps until you get rid of all the spots.

Step 6: Wash off the lubricant

Wipe the area with a clean and damp towel to remove any residue. Wipe the area thoroughly but not aggressively.

Step 7: Apply wax

After using clay bar, it is recommended to use a paint sealant or wax protection. Waxing or sealing protects the paint from future water spot contamination and from any corrosion.

Frequently asked questions

What if I still have water marks residue?

Some water spots may etch deeper into the car surface. In this case, those spots will require polishing or wet sanding. Both of these methods can be done by yourself or taken to a professional or a car wash place.

How do I prevent my car from getting water spots?

There are a lot of precautions and different ways to prevent water stains from appearing. One of the most common ways people get water marks is from lawn sprinklers. Make sure that you avoid parking your car close to one and if you do, wash of those droplets with a cloth so no residue will be left overnight. The damage begins when that water land on your car. If you leave water droplets on your vehicle and let it sit in the hot sun, the water will stick harder therefore leaving mineral residue.

Another way to prevent water marks from appearing is applying wax or any other protective coating on your vehicle. Fortador have a great product – Kevlar coating- that can be used to prevent water spot from damaging your car.

Frequently re cleaning your vehicle will also help from water spots from appearing. If your car is constantly clean, there is no time for any water residue from drying on the surface and leaving marks. You should go to car wash weekly to maintain the cleanliness of your vehicle.

Conclusion

In this article, we have listed variety of ways that can help you with your water spots problem. From very affordable and homemade ways, to a B Corporations professional solution, you can find a lot of practices that can resolve water spots problem.

Keep in mind that the easiest way to deal with water spots is preventing them from them occurring.

If you want to learn any additional information on how to wash and maintain your cars superior condition read more of our blogs on the website.