Water sprinklers attack your car? Nothing can be more aggravating since hard water spots can be hard to remove. If your car didn't have a coat of wax on it, it will make it even harder to remove. But don't give up, the solution can be simple but the key is to treat the issue quickly.
 

What You'll Need:
Vinegar
Water (distilled is preferred)
einszett Paint Polish (optional)
einszett Glanz Wax
einszett Microfiber Towel
einszett Spray Wax (optional)


Time is of the essence. Removing the hard water spots immediately after it has happened is going to be a lot easier than trying to remove it after it's been allowed to allowed to sit in the hot sun for hours or days.

The problem with hard water is that it has minerals that etch into the surface of your car's paint finish making it hard to remove with a simple wash.

Solution

Step 1
Wash the car thoroughly. This will remove road grime and dust on your car. It will also help eliminate some of the minerals responsible for the hard water spots. As always, wash in a shaded location - never in direct sunlight. Dry the car completely. For information on how to wash and dry your car properly, take a look at our Car Care 101 Guide.

Step 2
Mix a 50/50 combination of regular white vinegar with distilled water. It's better not to use regular tap water which contains minerals since this will defeat the purpose. With the car still in the shade, apply the vinegar/water solution with a spray bottle on to the affected paint finish. Allow mixture to work for up to 10 minutes. The acid in the vinegar will help loosen the hard water minerals embedded in the paint. This is similar to running your coffee maker with a vinegar to remove the build up of hard water.

After allowing to work for 10 minutes, wash and dry the car again to remove the water/vinegar solution. The water spots should be gone at this point. If they're not completely gone, proceed to the next step.

Step 3
If the water/vinegar solution did not resolve your issue, the hard water has etched into the paint finish. It will be necessary to polish the paint finish to reduce or remove the appearance of the etching. Polish the surface with einszett Paint Polish. For proper polishing application, read our guide on how to apply car polish.

If the issue is still not resolved, the etching is deep enough for it to require buffing by a professional detailer.

Step 4
Apply a coat of einszett Glanz Wax on the polished surface to protect and seal the finish. Wax will help protect that paint finish the next time your car is hit by water sprinklers or any road grime, sap, bird droppings, etc. You'll still have to remove the contaminants as soon as possible but wax buys you time and lessens the severity of the issue.

Summary

The key to removing hard water spots is to not let it stand too long especially in hot summer months. We recommend you carry einszett Spray Wax and an einszett Microfiber Towel with you in your car in case you find it's been attacked by rogue sprinklers or even bird droppings. A simple spray and wipe down will take care of the issue immediately before it become a problem.

Also be sure to maintain a protective coat of wax on the finish. Wax slows down any contaminants from penetrating the paint finish giving you time to remove the contaminant before it causes damage.

 

If you have any questions, contact us!