how to remove hard water spots
 

Hey,
How do you remove hard water spots that wont come out from a regular wash.
Ive heard people try vinegar and water.

also read there are 2-3 types,
1. being just calcium buildup
2. being ecthing in the paint/clear coat.
forgot the third.

so how do you guys remove this.

Also i have opticoat on my car, but the more i see it, the more it looks completey useless and does nothing.

clay!
that doesnt work, try rubber compound.

clay was the first thing i tried, no luck
i didnt try compound yet.

I had issues with hard water spots in my Opti-Coating, and I tried all of the above - thorough washing, distilled white vinegar, a rubbing compound, and nothing worked.

Then, the website that I purchase all of my car-care products from came out with a product called "Spotless" that is specifically designed for the removal of hard water spots - http://www.carpro-us.com/auto-wash/s...remover-500ml/

Since nothing else that was recommended to me worked, and because the product wasn't that expensive, I bought it and much to my surprise it worked. I was just using it yesterday to get a few water spots out, although some water spots might take two or three applications before they are removed completely.

It's very easy to use - you just shake the bottle, spray the area, and use a very soft MF towel to sort of rub and gently massage the product into the area for 30 - 60s, then rinse it off with water.

Normally I don't like to promote specific products because to each their own - especially when it comes to detailing, but I can empathize with your plight in that I felt awful that my car (which was only a few months old at the time) would seemingly have these glaring water spots for the rest of the time that I owned her, and this worked for me.

If you do end up giving it a try I hope it works out for you, and I wish you GL with getting them out regardless of whether or not you end up trying Spotless or take another route with trying to remove them.

thanks ill try it.
did you wax or use some sealent afterwards?

i was also gana try the chemicalguys water spot remover, but i couldnt find the product anywhere.

Nah I don't a use wax or sealants since my paint is opti-coated, but the opti-coat can still get water spots on it. I haven't head anything about the Chemical Guys' stuff - GL.

@7:45

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UdH_7hVzkY&list=UUYsa8SOy3TkoxI5D17s1u-w"]How to Remove Water Spots and Calcium/Lime Deposits - YouTube[/ame]

great technique video,
what did he use?

If it's stubborn try cleaner wax, or any product with a mild abrasive. Waterspots do suck, especially with those who have to deal with hard water.

Rubbing compound sounds a bit aggressive for water spots :bonk:

Meguiars 205 polish usually takes em off for me on my truck. I use the 2.0 sealant on my car, keep it fresh, and it really never gets any spots. My car was opti coated but I found it was less effective than just applying the sealant to the car once in a while.

Depending the severity of the mineral water spots and if you need a more aggressive approach to remove them, try using a 1:1 water to CLR (Calcium Lime & Rust) mixture. Work small sections at a time and work in the shade on a cool surface. Spray it on, let it sit for about 60 seconds, then wash it off thoroughly. It will strip wax/sealant, but Opti-Coat and other ceramic coatings should hold up well against it.

On glass, you can let it sit longer, but be mindful of what it makes contact with when it runs down.

It's always best to just prevent water spots from forming. Having a good coat of protection on the car will prevent harmful debris to bond and water spots to form. The way I keep my car coated does not allow anything harmful to bond. Water spots and dirt/grime that would normally bond come right off when I swipe my finger across it. Let me know if you still need any product recommendations and I can probably hook you up with some discounts l.

All you need is white vinegar. Do not, for the love of god, put CLR on your paint. A good LSP will help make removal easier if you do get hard water spots but nothing will help if they sit for a period of time. Bug guts are the same. I always keep some spray wash, quick detailer, and some microfibers in my cars just in case.

This. Spraying on CLR is just asking for trouble.

Get an inline water softener for future car washes. It'll take all the crap out that causes water spots. Vegas has terrible water and this thing is a godsend.

Beyond that, use a good paint cleaner and a buffer, or really work it into the paint by hand. Once you've cleaned the paint you'll need to reseal it, because the paint cleaner will strip the sealant off. I like Sonax products from Detailer's Domain.

I'm with you on Vegas having horrible water. However, Using Stay Fresh's shampoo that actually prevents water spots from foaming has allowed me to do normal car washes without an inline filter. However a filter is always recommended.

I really recommend the shampoo by Stay Fresh if you are prone to water spots while washing your car. I am able to leave water on the entire car before drying for a prolonged period of time and have never encountered any serious water spot issues.