redterminator

Hey guys,

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to get water spots out of my windows. I just did a full wash, clay, polish, wax procedure last weekend and the paint looks great but the water spots ruin the whole effect. I've searched and already tried the diluted vinegar and diluted rubbing (or isopropyl) alcohol suggestions. It does not work. Stoner's Invisible Glass has no effect either. I've heard people using steel wool but don't know how safe that is. Any help would be great. I want my TL to look like it should after a whole weekend spent on washing and babying it it not like it's been left out in the dirt.

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

u have water spots on your windows??? that can most likely be taken off with just a damp chamois and them drying it with a dry one. try windex and 2 prevent it, if it rains and the car hasnt been encountering rocks or mud in the rain, dry it after it rains or i prefer the california water blade

Road Rage

I had this problem on a 1985 Corvette that had been left once too often to bake in sun after a shower.

This always works: get a can of Bon Ami, and a cellulose sponge. Wet the windshield and sponge, and work the Bon Ami into the glass, rinse well, follow with the glas cleaner of your choice - it will remove everything, but not scratch.

I did this on the windshield of my TL, as the PDI morons had waxed it, and wipers were streaking and chuddering. Straight Dawn Ultra would not touch it, so I found my can of Bon Ami and scribbed it fresh.

Use lots of water, then wash down the surrounding areas of any residual "white" material.

I agree that a squeegee like the Water Blade works great when you are fr from home, and do not want sitting water to bake yur paint or glass.

Vicman17

Try the product called "Glass Stripper" ($3.99 Wal-mart). It's an abrasive in liquid form that you use while washing. I use one of those sponge pads with a mesh net on it, but don't use steel wool 'coz it will score the glass. Make sure you thoroughly wash it off the paint as it may scratch the finish.

underdog_RENAMED2

I tried vinegar, glass cleaners, even steel wool (#0000 of course). The steel wool worked OK, but I read somewhere about Barkeeper's Friend.

WOW! You have got to try this. Barkeeper's Friend does to your glass what a clay bar does to your paint. It's the only thing I tried that actually worked, and worked REALLY well. Someone said they got it Wal-Mart, but my Wal-Mart stopped selling it. I did find it at Target. It is in the household cleaner section. It's in a cylinder-like container, like Comet. It's a white powder, like Comet, as well.

I sprinkle some on a damp cloth, wipe it on the windows, and a minute later, I take a dry cloth and wipe it off. I've done this to my Mercedes, BMW, Honda, and my Acura TL. It still amazes me.

AND, to make sure I don't get water spots again, I apply two coats of Rain-X immediately after I treat them with Barkeeper's Friend. Now, when I wash the car, a simple wipe of the windows has them sparkling clean!

Hope you solve your problem. It worked for me!

redterminator

So are you saying that the vinegar and the cleaners did not work on the water spots but Barkeeper's Friend did? Because I want to make sure that whatever I use works on tough stains. Also, do you know if this product is safe on paint. Other people have given great suggestions but it seems that I have to give my car a full bath if I was going to use them. I want something that I can wipe on, clean the spots and wipe off.

These water spots that I have are not from rain. They're from washing my car. I think the water here must be really harsh. Plus it's pretty damn hot outside so I never have enough time to dry off the car since most of it dries off by itself.

TOGWT

~One mans opinion / observations~

Vinegar will not removed etched water spots from the surface, an abrasive product is required to level the surface

Below surface (etched) water spots- are caused by acid rain or industrial fallout causing a chemical reaction, if left for any length of time they will etch the paint film surface leaving a concave circular mark.
These can be removed by using detailer's clay to remove any hardened surface deposits and then using a machine polish (speed # 4) and an orange or yellow foam pad (cutting) to level the surface, Iz Einzett TM Metallic Polish or Iz Einzett TM Paint Polish, reapply surface protection once spots have been removed.


~Hope this helps~

Knowledge unshared is experience wasted
justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ Jon

underdog_RENAMED2

The other products worked just slightly. The steel wool worked OK, but did not completely get out the hard water spots. And, I was scared that the steel wool flakes would get on the car and scratch the paint.

The Barkeeper's Friend is amazing. I don't know if it is safe for the paint, but I'm careful to apply it only to the glass, which is pretty easy. Like I said, just wet a clean paper towel, sprinkle some BF on it, and apply to the glass. Let it dry, then wipe it off. It's amazing, and it got rid of all the water spots. Then, like I said, apply Rain-X and the next time you wash your car, you won't worry about the glass.

Road Rage

Tried the Bon Ami? It is a detailer's secret weapon. The perfect safe abrasive.

exceldetail

Dang im going to have to try this now.....I remember as a kid using Ajax to clean the tires with, use to suck every bit of natural rubber oil the tire had, thenhit it with some Armor All, and wallah, for about 2 days.....Ever since, ive had nightmares of any "sink" cleaner abrasive on any part of a car, just destroying whatever it comes in contact with....

mlb585

Barkeepers friend all the way!! Do it...Do it!

Road Rage

Bon Ami is nothing like the harsh abrasives you are talking about - completely different substance altogether. It is made of feldspar and calcite.

redterminator

After reading the autopia forums, it seemed like Duragloss NuGlass might be a good choice for cleaning out water spots. Most of the suggestions made here were not available locally so I went to my local Carquest and got a bottle. This stuff is pretty good but I noticed that in order to get the real tough water spots out you gotta really buff it in. I had to do this by hand so it took some elbow grease. As I said the results were decent but I wish there was an easier way.

mlb585

Barkeeper's friend costs $1.79 and is in almost any supermarket...look in the cleaners section....it will remove anything from waterspots to paint overspray off windshield or other windows. Try not to get it on the paint...but if you do, just wash off with a stream of water, don't rub it off. Good luck!

underdog_RENAMED2

I can't say enough about Barkeeper's Friend!!!!

underdog_RENAMED2

I can't say enough about Barkeeper's Friend!!!!

Vincent

Try using straight vinegar and crumpled up newspaper (the rough inside pages with only black/white ink, not the smooth/glossy advertisement ones).

If that doesn't work, try using a clay bar.

JPritch

Bon Ami is good stuff, I use it on my windows.