How to remove water spots from a car? 4 proven ways that help

VehicleSprout
VehicleSprout
9 Min Read
How to remove water spots from a car

Has water frosting also been used to bake your car? Then be happy because you are not alone!

A freshly washed car’s glossy, lustrous appearance is quickly marred by watermarks. Stubborn white-edged circles appear on your car’s surface, making it look lunar and spotted.

how-to-remove-water-spots-from-car

Therefore, luck is on your side if you’re attempting to figure out how to wash a car without leaving wet patches.

The details are all covered in the article that follows!

Without further ado, let’s explore the many techniques for cleaning stains from a car!

How to remove water stains from cars?

So, here are the easy steps to remove stains from your car.

First of all, wash the car.

It is best to wash your car with plain water before beginning any technical steps.

You can readily erase water stains since they will easily dissolve and remove all the dirt and debris that are stuck to the paint’s surface.

Once done with basic washing, opt for any of the following four ways to remove water stains from the car according to your ease.

1. Clay Bar Method

Washing your car with soap is the simplest technique to get rid of hard water mineral deposits from its surface.

Simply soak the car with some cleaning soap, apply some clay, and rub it in. All of the calcium and magnesium compounds on the surface will be eliminated.

But since it doesn’t remove the stain accumulated in pores, it works only on nano-ceramic coated or sealant bodies.

2. Vinegar and distilled water solution 

Believe it or not, white vinegar is the most effective solution against the stubborn chalky spots present on the car.

It contains acetic acid and citrus compounds having acidic, which can easily clean the coat.

Choose the following steps to experiment with the viewer water mix:

  1. Wash the car with wash and let it dry.
  2. As using vinegar directly in the sun can be explosive, park your automobile in the shade.
  3. Make the vinegar spray. Combine 1 part vinegar and 1 part distilled water. As tap water contains minerals, avoid using it.
  4. Apply the mixture to the affected or stained part of your car, and allow the combination to act on the area for 10 to 12 minutes. Citrus compounds will dislodge the intricate compounds that have become stuck in the paint at this time.
  5. Because the prolonged application of the vinegar solution can harm the paint, it should be washed again with water.
  6. Last but not least, give the vehicle a final shine with car step polish to remove any remaining minor water spots or stains and create a smooth surface.

3. Baking Soda Method

The baking soda method is the third method to remove water spots from the car. Baking soda, white vinegar, an absorber, and distilled water are required for this.

Once everything is prepared, proceed as directed:

  1. Three portions of baking soda, one part of distilled water, and a few drops of vinegar are combined to create the paste.
  2. Take a cleaning cloth, dip it in water and then apply the paste. 
  3. Rub the cloth on hard spots for the baking soda paste to fully take effect, and give it 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the paste using distilled water
  5. Dry the area with an absorber.
  6. Here you go!
  7. If any stain is left, repeat the steps.

4. Hydrochloric Acid Method

If none of the abovementioned procedures work for you, here is the last method you can opt for. However, it is highly corrosive and needs proper handling.

As a result, it is necessary to wear full protective gear, which includes:

  1. Eyewear
  2. Gloves
  3. Respirator

This approach makes use of hydrofluoric acid, one of the strongest acids.

Direct application of this strong oxidizing substance might eat away at the metal in your car.

Here are the steps:

  1. Make a dilute solution by mixing 1 part of HF with four pieces of distilled water.
  2. Take a cloth and dunk the tip in the mixture.
  3. Rub that end over the white water stains.
  4. Let it dry for 40 to 50 seconds, and then wipe it with a clean towel, followed by rinsing with water.
  5. Indeed all the troubled spots would be finished.

Polishing and Compounding

The surface of your car may have microscopic etchings or dimples that can’t be removed for sure if wheel acid hasn’t been able to remove the water spots.

Instead, it needs correction. To flatten the tiny dimples and restore the smooth automobile surface, compounding or paint correction is the only option.

What are Water Spots? The Chemistry behind it!

Water spots are never simply water. Instead, they mix water with minute amounts of acids, salts, minerals, debris, and other air contaminants.

Because of this, removing these stubborn water stains or spots from automotive surfaces is frequently next to impossible.

Two different forms of water spots can accumulate on the surface of car paint, harming it in every manner imaginable depending on the water source and environmental factors.

Mineral Deposits

Let’s say you reside in a region with abundant calcium and magnesium mineral rocks. In such instances, calcium and magnesium are trapped in the hard water deposits that form on your car from rainfall and even garden hose water.

Thus, calcium carbonate lodges into the microscopic coat when you wash your car with hard water, giving it a chalky, powdery look.

Chemical Etching

Acid rain is to blame for the second category of water stains.

So, suppose you live in an industrial area. In that situation, pollutants that cause acid rain, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and others, are actively released into the atmosphere, where they react with the oxygen there and dissolve to create acid rain.

The paint on your car could quickly erode as a result of these extremely corrosive water stains caused by acid rain.

How can I keep my automobile from getting water stains?

Here are some measures you may do to avoid future water stains and spots because prevention is always preferable to treatment:

  • Apply a ceramic coat or paint sealants on your car surface as they offer low friction and high protection against mineral deposits
  • Try not to park your car near sprinklers as they shower hard water on the car’s surface, resulting in water stains.
  • Wash your rain every time it rains because rainwater contains harsh chemicals that can erode the car paint easily
  • Once the automobile has been washed, immediately dry it with a microfiber towel.

Conclusion:

The collection of minerals from the hard water after it evaporates causes the persistent water stains to most frequently occur on the body of the car. These minerals include calcium and magnesium.

These minerals embed in the body, becoming difficult to remove

Nevertheless, depending on the severity of the issue, there are various techniques to remove the water stains from your car, ranging from utilizing vinegar to hydrofluoric acid.

So, choose the best one, and get rid of those chalky spots right now!

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