WATER SPOTS

WHAT ARE WATER SPOTS?

  Water Spots are a very common issue experienced by most vehicle owners at one time or another.  These annoying little spots can make your nicely washed vehicle look dirty, and can potentially even create some very serious damage over time.

It seems like the majority of tap water is considered to be “hard water”, meaning it is rich in minerals.  When hard water is left to dry on the paint, the water evaporates and mineral deposits remain on the surface of the vehicle.  These mineral deposits, or water spots, are very stubborn and will really bond to the paint which can make them difficult to remove. Spots can also be formed from acid rain (Yes, it is a real thing).

If the water spots are left on the paint for too long, they may start to etch into the clear coat. Once this etching has started, the damage has now become a below surface defect within the clear coat rather than a bonded contaminate on top of the clear coat and will therefore need to be dealt with differently.  In severe instances, these etchings can become so deep that they may require repainting to completely repair.

HOW TO PREVENT WATER SPOTS

Now that we have a basic understanding of what water spots are and what kind of damage they can cause, here are just a few simple solutions to help avoid the risk of harmful water spots to keep your paint looking its best.

DO NOT WASH IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT

This may seem like common sense, but many people do not have a covered driveway or area to work in, therefore they try to struggle through washing in harsh sunlight.  In the Midwest, we live in a very volatile weather climate, from extreme heat to extremely cold temperatures. This makes washing your car outside even more difficult.  It is nearly impossible to keep the vehicle wet enough to avoid spots while washing in direct sunlight.  For those who do not have a shaded area, garage, or other covered workspaces that will allow you to wash during the day, we simply suggest washing at dawn or dusk when the sun is very low in the sky.  You may even consider washing in the evening once the sun has set.  This will make it much easier to take your time while washing and not have to worry about water spots and soap scum drying on your paint.

BE AWARE OF HARD WATER SOURCES

Do not allow hard tap water to dry on the surface of your vehicle.  Some people have a habit of simply rinsing off their vehicle with hose water or the pressure washer when it is not that dirty.  This practice will surely lead to water spots if your local water source is rich in minerals.  A great alternative is simply using Optimum No Rinse and doing a quick rinseless wash to remove the fine layer of dust, pollen, or dirt from your vehicle.

Likewise, water from sprinkler systems and other municipal water utilities should be avoided.  Be aware of sprinkler heads around parking lots, water lines in parking garages, etc., and try your best to avoid parking near them.  A little proactive planning can save you a lot of time, frustration, and potentially money in the end.

USE A SPOTLESS WATER SYSTEM OR ALTERNATIVE WASHING METHODS

If the water in your area is particularly tough to work with, don’t worry, there are some options that will make your life easier.

The CR Spotless System is a de-ionizing system that removes all of the minerals from your water supply allowing you to rinse your vehicle with pure, spotless water.  This system is perhaps the ultimate solution to hard water spots and is available in several sizes and form factors to fit your needs.  Since the CR Spotless removes all of the minerals from the water, you will simply be able to rinse your vehicle and even allow the water to evaporate from the surface without the risk of spotting.  This system is a fairly sizable investment, so for some people, it may not be a reasonable option.

If a spotless water system doesn’t fit your needs, we will again recommend rinseless washing.  Using a product like Optimum No Rinse for routine washing greatly reduces the amount of time the water is on your vehicle, and therefore reduces the risk of the water evaporating and leaving spots behind.  If you’ve never used a rinseless wash before, you simply wash one small section of the vehicle, and then immediately dry it.  No hoses needed!

REMOVING WATER SPOTS

MINERAL DEPOSITS (ABOVE SURFACE CONTAMINATION)

As we previously discussed, when beads of hard water dry on your paint, the water evaporates leaving mineral deposits behind.  These deposits are what you can see and feel on the surface of the paint.

There are several ways to attempt to remove mineral deposits from your paint.  The first choice is simply to try washing your car.  If the spots are not too severe or are new, they may simply wash away.  If that does not work, grab your clay bar before you dry the car and do a test spot.  Detailing Clay is used to remove all sorts of bonded surface contaminants, and can be effective at removing some water spot deposits as well.

If you’re unable to remove the deposits with washing or claying, and you are certain the defect you are seeing is an above surface defect, then you should consider purchasing a dedicated water spot removal product like CarPro Spotless or Optimum MDR.  Hard water is more alkaline (pH greater than 7) than pure water due to the high mineral content,  therefore most water spot removers are usually acidic (pH lower than 7) in order to neutralize the deposits.  These products can make quick work of mineral deposits.

ETCHING (BELOW SURFACE DEFECT)

If you have tried washing, claying, and water spot removers but haven’t been able to remove the spotting, chances are you’re dealing with a below surface defect.  The minerals that form the water spot can start to eat into your paint/clear coat creating a small etching below the surface of the clear coat.  Like swirls and scratches, these etchings are repaired by removing paint in order to level the surface.  In order to do this, we must begin a paint correction process utilizing various pads, products, and machines to refine the surface and eliminate the defects.

We mention this quite often, so we might as well say it again, but it is always important to start with the least aggressive method and work your way up.  Clearcoat is quite thin, and if you jump right to a heavy cutting pad and cutting compound, you’ll most likely see good defect removal, however, you may be removing more paint/clear coat than is needed to level the particular defect therefore you’re “wasting” valuable clear coat. Water spot etchings can become very severe, however, it is still important to take the time to analyze the defects and perform the necessary test spots to determine the best process to remove your unique defects.

As you can see in the image above, this vehicle was plagued with an incredible amount of hard water spots (the owner must have parked by a sprinkler for years as the damage was only to one side).  The right side of the photo has undergone a 2-Step paint correction process in conjunction with spot wet-sanding. Due to the very thin paint on this car, we were not willing to go any further with the correction, therefore any remaining damage can be considered permanent.  With that being said, the improvement was still drastic and the overall appearance of the car was dramatically enhanced after the correction process.

Once the water spot deposits and/or etchings have been removed, it is a great idea to add a new layer of protection (wax, sealant, or ceramic coating) to your vehicle to help protect the paint from future spotting and other environmental contamination.

For pricing on water-spot removal see this Paint Correction link. This will give an idea of the cost. Keep in mind if wet-sanding is needed the price will be more. It’s always best for us to see the vehicle in-person to give a more accurate estimate as no vehicle with water spots is exactly the same.