Water Spots: How to Prevent & Remove Them on Your Car
Why droplets leave blemishes on your car and what you can do to lessen them
Whether you like to keep your car’s appearance dazzling or just want to protect its surface, water spots are nuisances you want to avoid. These tiny white marks can form on the surface of the paint and glass after a rainstorm or after you’ve driven through a car wash. If you want to protect your car and preserve its appearance, here’s how to deal with pesky water spots.
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Why are there white specks on my car?
Water — whether drops of rain or a spray from a hose — isn’t pure, filtered H20. Water is a natural solvent that can carry a variety of harmful contaminants. When the water droplets stick to your car, the liquid part of the solution will eventually evaporate, leaving behind the minerals carried by the water. This residue is called a hard water spot, and it’s a pain to remove.
How can I remove existing water spots?
Although hard water spots look like chalky residue that could be easily wiped off with a dry cloth, they usually aren’t removed that easily. The impurities can burrow into the porous clear coat and wear it down over time. They can actually etch into the clear coat.
To remove water stains from a car effectively, start with a car-safe spray and microfiber towel. There is a chance a quick squirt-and-swipe will do the trick. If it doesn’t, The Vehicle Lab recommends dabbing the towel in a solution of white vinegar diluted in distilled water (if you use tap water, you’ll form new residue stains). If that doesn’t lift the stain, try pressing into it with a clay bar.
If nothing else works, look for a car coat restorer and polish that will remove stains and abrasions that have set into the surface.
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How can I prevent spots from forming in the future?
The next time you wash your car, use some large towels to dry it by hand (use old bath towels you keep in the garage for this purpose). Whether you wash your car yourself or run it through an automatic drive-thru, it’s important to fully dry the surface, soaking up any water droplets. That way, no minerals are left behind.
To protect the surface from forming water spots after a heavy rain or splash from the street, give your car a heavy coat of wax. This will leave a shield between any mineral deposits and the clear coat so it’s easier for you to wipe them away.
Water spots may seem like a purely cosmetic issue, but removing and preventing them can help protect the surface of your car in the long run.
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.