w1n78

i've searched and all i found different from what already do is a product from griotsgarage.com. has anyone used that products from there?

my problem is water spots on the windows, a lot of them. i've tried washing later towards the evening but i end up still drying after the sun is down. here are the stuff i've used:

1. stoner's invisible glass
2. windex
3. armor all glass cleaner
4. damp rag

still no good. it maybe my technique, i dunno. anyone have any tricks or out of the ordinary ways to use those products to get rid of my water spots on the windows?

thx in advance

calvin0016

i think the best way is to wash the car later in the evening so its not so hot out...that way you can dry the car in time before the sun does...otherwise wash in shaded area and dry there too.

moreace

try newspaper or microfiber towels to wipe the cleaner off

w1n78

that's all i use is microfiber. i have the big a$$ one for the exterior and the 6 pk smaller ones for the detail like the inside doors, gas tank, windows, etc. i get more and more spots everytime i wash her i thought newspaper are just for eliminating streaks? i'll try it anyways.

i usually start washing my car at 6 pm but by the time i'm halfway drying the sun is gone

caball88

this is what i use to clean and polish the glass

AutoGlym

it works great, it cleans and polishes the glass. my glass is crystal clear free of any smears or smudges. and absolutely no water spots. if you car is tinted don't use this on the tint its too abrasive for it and will ruin it. here is the other product that they have that is safe for tint

AutoGlym Fast Glass

caball88

oh yeah if you decide to use the autoglym just a warning it will leave a little chemical smell at first but goes away quickly. if you just use it on the exterior its not a problem but in the interior you will have to air out a bit.

w1n78

so i guess i have to get the second one coz of the factory tint? is this online order only or can i go to say walmart or pep boys?

Hybrid

Vinegar, from the grocery store. That works better than any commercial preparation and is CHEAP. It's a weak acid, so chemically dissolves (combines with, actually) the carbonates and other stuff that makes up the hard water spots. Get a damp sponge. Pour some vinegar on it - not so much that it's dripping. Wipe it on over the windows. Keep wiping, not scrubbing, for maybe 15+ seconds for each 2 sq. ft. or so area. It won't hurt the glass. Wipe off with a paper towel or whatever and check results. Repeat as necessary. If you get any on the paint, it won't cause immediate damage, but wipe it off, preferably with a wet towel or something. Use rubber glove while using.

go4heat

how about water spots from the paint? im in miami so its really hard to dry the car before the sun does unless you do it really late then i cant really see as well and it doesnt come out as good. does vinegar work for that too? i have some on the back that wont come off with regular washing, theyre like embedded there...is this a job for the clay bar?

caball88

i have yet to see it in walmart and pepboys, maybe detailing shops or you can try glass repair shops. i ordered online, search through the site to see if there is anything else you need. they have a ton of car care products. factory tint? is it an actual plastic film on the car or just tinted blue glass like the side mirrors? its safe on those surfaces. its not safe for plastic film tints, the blue tint in the side mirrors are actually behind the glass and not stuck on like aftermarket tint.

caball88

the smell from the autoglym was pretty bad but vinegar??? no thanks.

w1n78

i will try the vinegar thing (since i already have it) on the worse part of the window. i also emailed autoglym people about the factory tint question. too bad they're closed already i would've called them. thx for the tips, i'll let you know about the vinegar thing tonight when i get home from work. so it's straight vinegar and no water mixture at all?

Hybrid

You can dilute the vinegar with water if you want, but it will take a little longer to work. The store-bought vinegar is already diluted acid (mostly acetic acid, actually). I've never noticed the smell is all that objectionable, considering that it does the job.

TLGator

Hybrid - Regarding your last post above, are you sure you're still talking about cleaning windows?

caball88

yeah i am not sure its for windows either but i was not completely sure.

w1n78

i think it is according to this post. he claims it won't hurt the glass. i'll try it on a small area where there's really a lot and wait for a day or 2 to check out the results.

Hybrid

There's no waiting necessary. It works while you wipe. If you don't see results, wipe for a longer period. By the way, it should be obvious that it won't hurt glass if you look at the materials vinegar is stored in: glass or plastic.

By the way, I've also used it on paint itself on parts of past cars with zero problems. Flush with water and then wax the paint afterwards. (Try it on a beater or an inconspicuous spot if you don't trust it).

There are also commercial household products that will work, such as Lime Away bathroom cleaner. It also won't hurt glass (it's for shower doors among other things) but might be stronger than vinegar, which I've found to work fine.

Products based on ammonia, like some window cleaners, won't really touch the water spots significantly. That's fighting a base with a base.

TLGator

Hybrid - You're not exactly letting yourself off the hook with these wiping comments, bro.

Hybrid

Please explain. Letting myself of WHAT hook? I didn't realize I was on the hook.

You're not scrubbing the glass with the vinegar on the sponge, just wiping over it to keep the solution in contact with the glass (water spots). For non-believers, try a water spotted house window or shower door first. It'll probably take longer than a car window because of the additional deposits and maybe time it has been on there, but it'll work there too.

dheel

The best bet is to wash in late afternoon or before dark when sun is not out. I use a window cleaner made my Finishfirst (best I have used) and good quality micro-fiber towel. If I get any waterspots from washing when hot I use a product called Nu-glass, works great. Also is good to just get windows really clean before final cleaning with the widow cleaner. Here is a link for the water-spot remover- https://www.duragloss.com/new/products/gl-cleaners.htm

rick955i

I like to use super fine sand paper and turpentine, works every time!

`ill*tl

Try using a mixture of water+vinegar.

rick955i

Uh...it's water spots on a car, not a feminine hygene problem!!!

caball88

hahahahaha :lol1:

vtechbrain

Water+vinegar+ammonia. Also try formula 409 and then windex, 409 will streak but windex will pick that part up. Better yet, don,t let the windows dry after washing wipe them dry immediately,

techguy

Yes, regular white vinegar works great. I had water spots on my windshield (from a water sprinkler spray on a hot day) that Stoner Invisiglass and windex can't remove. I poured some white vinegar to a spray bottle, sprayed it on the glass and used a microfiber towel. All the water spots are gone. Ya, it does not smell nice but the odor will go away quickly.

Lore

I had water spots on the trunk and roof of my car after a hard rain. Rubbing compound was the only thing I used that took it off. 3M Rubbing Compound Fine Cut (Part # 03900)

This also works for removing light scratches in your clearcoat.

I tried doing some rock chip repair recently... worked very well the first time around (base coat, dry 24 hrs, clear coat, dry 24 hours, then smooth out using rubbing compound) but I got "perfectionist" syndrome and tried to make it even better. Ended up burning the paint in an area that wasn't even a problem. Now it looks like crap since the area where the paint burned is pretty large (about a dime) but ah well, lesson learned.

w1n78

OK i tried the vinegar thing. the one i have at home says it contains 4.7% acid. so i was concerned and added some water to it. i had some meguires applicator lying around unused so i used that. i must have done it 4 times on that same area of the window but water spots still there . should i have not added water to it? also got an email from autoglym and here's what they said:

someone also mentioned 409 which has amonia. but i tried windex, doesn't that have the same amount of amonia? but it didn't work. does the vinegar have to specifically say "white vinegar"?

Xpditor

[QUOTE=go4heat[SIZE=2]]...is this a job for the clay bar?[/[/SIZE]QUOTE]

Yes.

XP

w1n78

[QUOTE=xpditor42]what claybar and where can i get it? preferrably not online coz i can't stand seeing the spots and want to get rid of it asap. but if it's online only let me know the site. also is this safe for the factory tint then again the tint is inside.

TLGator

Subtlety is wasted in this forum. Yes, dammit, feminine hygeine. Your posts started to sound rather, uh, clinical.

Xpditor

Water itself doesn't stain. It is the minerals in water that remain after the water evaporates that leaves spot.

Vinegar is mildly acidic. You can drink it. It dissolves minerals and puts them back in suspension so they can be rinsed off. You probably diluted it beyond its effective range.

You can clay bar windows. I have done it two days ago. Auto stores should have it where the wax products are. Meguires sells a kit, also Clay Magic, and also Zaino (www.zainobros.com). Check www.autopia.org for online shopping.

w1n78

thx xp. i will try the vinegar thing again. if it doesn't work i'll find meguires's kit

techguy

W1n78 - don't add water to the vingar. Also, let it sit for a while on the glass before you wipe it off. This will give time for the vinegar to work on the dried mineral deposit.

PS: I notice a lot of times the rattle I have on the front passenger side comes from the seat belt buckle not hanging properly. It will rattle against the plastic post/pillar. Just pull on it and make sure the buckle goes as low as it can which clears the pillar. This of course assumes that it is where the rattle originates.

w1n78

i'll try it out before i go to work. as far as the rattle is concerned it stopped the next day lol. no more rattles. there is an occasion rattle i think back right of the car where the shelf that holds the sub is. very seldom though. plus the rattle on the passenger door seem to originate near the door speakers - more towards the front. thx for the input, i'll post what i find w/ the vinegar

Xpditor

I have a VIN 42,xxx, 4 days old. I keep listening for the famous squeaks and rattles but didn't hear one until this morning. I got a buzzing from the area near the speaker in the driver door. It was buzzing from a harmonic in the music I was playing at a low level (about 3 bars). But, when I put my finger on the CD Jewel Cases that are in the door storage pin, the buzzing stopped. It was they. (I know that sounds funny, but it's correct English. Ask Mildred Miller, my HS English teacher.) :clown:

I suspect that many of the reported rattles (not all) might come from things we have added.

Let me say that I have never been delivered a car that is in such perfect conditon as this TL. I spent 9 hours the next day after delivery polishing everything that wasn't in motion. I am very particular to the point of being obssesive. This car had zero flaws on delivery <knock on wood>. I think that is remarkable for a mass produced automobile. Kudos to Honda/Accura. I may find problems later, but today, I'm singing their praises.

XP

w1n78

ok tried the vinegar thing again w/o water. i applied it 4 times in one small area of the window and it did not get rid of the water spots . i will try the other suggestions in this thread and let you all know what i come up with.

w1n78

ok here's what i did and it worked. get a slightly used steel wool, you know the ones you use to clean dishes and stuff. make sure it's slightly used so it's a little softer. then i used the armor all glass cleaner. heard there was alcohol in the ingredients so it's a little stronger. make sure you don't get it on the paint.

spray the cleaner in a small area and use the steel wool. apply pressure as needed. do not heavily scrub the area. it shouldn't scratch the window, but then again be careful. have some micro fiber towels handy to wipe off the excess window cleaner.

so far i've done small areas this morning coz i was running late for work but i'll be doing the rest tomorrow morning or the weekend.

DO NOT use steel wool on the back window coz the defrost line thingys are there (dunno what they're called ) i've only tried this in the front windshield outside.

rick955i

Um...it's FAKE wood!! :clown:

Xpditor

Not THAT wood, silly!

I got yer wood right here!