Removing water spots from auto glass?
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 772
Likes: 3
From: Mount Airy, MD
Removing water spots from auto glass?
Anybody out there have any suggestions that acutually work for removing water spots from auto glass? I've researched the topic on the internet and have tried some of these methods but nothing has worked. Things I've tried include Bon Ami, white distilled vinegar and 0000 steel wool. After trying all of these things the spots are still there. Any help/suggestions with proven methods would be appreciated.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,627
Likes: 0
From: West Valley Utah
I clean the glass coffee pot with CLR. Real hard water here, combine with coffee and it makes some pretty tough stains. CLR cleans it up. I do use a very fine scotch brite for the more stubborn spots.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 878
Likes: 0
From: Cornelius, Oregon
Man, I have the same problem. In my 20+ years of washing my cars I've never really had a problem with water spots on the windows, until this weekend. I moved to a new place with well water and this weekend was the first time I washed my truck with it. Now I have water spots so bad I can hardly see. I have no idea what to use, except for one slight recommendation. A friend of mine used to work at a dealership as an auto detailer. They had some "water spot remover" that worked awesome. I saw it in action once and it cleaned off the worst water spots like they were nothing. It was a simple spray on, rub lightly and rinse off. Worked great. I'll try to find out if he remembers what that stuff was and where to get it, though I'm pretty sure he said it was one of those chemicals that aren't available to the general public. If I find out, I'll let you know.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,787
Likes: 0
From: covington wa.
well, once you figure out how to remove the water spots, using the suggestions here
in this post.
after washing the car windows use two soft towels one to wipe off the excess water
and the other to buff the rest before it dries.
ive always used rain x on my windows dispite what some poeple say about the stuff
and never had any problems, once you have it on all you do is run your hose along
the top of your window and the water just sheaths off, no drying. works for me.
good luck.
in this post.
after washing the car windows use two soft towels one to wipe off the excess water
and the other to buff the rest before it dries.
ive always used rain x on my windows dispite what some poeple say about the stuff
and never had any problems, once you have it on all you do is run your hose along
the top of your window and the water just sheaths off, no drying. works for me.
good luck.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 878
Likes: 0
From: Cornelius, Oregon
Well I talked to my friend but he doesn't remember what the stuff was other than it was a mild acid solution.
A little surfing on the web netted this:
http://www.prowax.com/1prod_bulls/C-30pb03_12_04.pdf
C-30 Water Spot remover:
From reading the instructions and description it sounds pretty close to what he described.
A little surfing on the web netted this:
http://www.prowax.com/1prod_bulls/C-30pb03_12_04.pdf
C-30 Water Spot remover:
Easy to use liquid removes water spots, etching & pitting from glass, chrome and stainless steel surfaces with very little effort. Mild acid formula breaks the bond between mineral deposits and the substrate. Leaves the surface free of deposits while restoring the optical clarity of glass and other surfaces.
Trending Topics
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 0
sometimes the only thing that will take some of those stubborn water spots off, is fine steel wool(it has to be fine) it wouldn't scratch the glass.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Ford Super Duty: 5 Things Owners LOVE, 5 Things They LOATHE!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2026 Ford Truck Engine RANKED from WORST to FIRST!
Michael S. Palmer
The Best F-150 Deal of Every Trim Level (XL through Raptor)
Joe Kucinski
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 2
From: CA Central Coast
Spot-X is one product that removed hard water stains from shower doors. Stains so bad the remodel guy said we'd need to buy new glass...the doors looked like they were factory opaque. After I cleaned the doors and put them on the porch to dry, he walked right past them without seeing them, they were so clear!
http://www.glass-restorer.com/
My auto glass guy sells another product that works well, slightly easier to apply and cheaper by half, A-MAZ water stain remover:
Pacific Sun Makers Inc. 1-800-921-6861
You might even make a few bucks if the water is so hard in your area, become a distributor!
http://www.glass-restorer.com/
My auto glass guy sells another product that works well, slightly easier to apply and cheaper by half, A-MAZ water stain remover:
Pacific Sun Makers Inc. 1-800-921-6861
You might even make a few bucks if the water is so hard in your area, become a distributor!
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 772
Likes: 3
From: Mount Airy, MD
I'm going to have to give one of the suggestions above a try. I've tried 0000 steel wool with distilled white vinegar and Bon Ami combined and the spots didn't budge. Both the C-30 and the Spot-X sound good but the C-30 sounds more like what I might need since it has the mild acid in it. I'll give it a try and post my results. Thanks guys!
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,921
Likes: 0
From: central TX
The 0000 steel wool has always worked for me, but I use the Sprayway glass cleaner with it as a lubricant. The C30 type products may or may not work. At this point it isn't just that the minerals are there, it's that they have etched themselves into the glass.
When and if you do get them off (there is a chance that the minerals have etched the glass too far for the above) I've found that just having hard water dry doesn't leave permanent marks. It's when you leave it out to dry in the sun that they take hold. Neither is good, the sun seems to amplify the damage quite a bit.
I've used a glass polishing kit with good results (pad that goes on a drill and some abrasives) for really bad glass. It was not for this specific use, worse actually (the really tiny chips windshields get over time, eventually ""clouding" it). Use it as a last resort and not too often, you'll be taking a little glass away as well. Good luck.
When and if you do get them off (there is a chance that the minerals have etched the glass too far for the above) I've found that just having hard water dry doesn't leave permanent marks. It's when you leave it out to dry in the sun that they take hold. Neither is good, the sun seems to amplify the damage quite a bit.
I've used a glass polishing kit with good results (pad that goes on a drill and some abrasives) for really bad glass. It was not for this specific use, worse actually (the really tiny chips windshields get over time, eventually ""clouding" it). Use it as a last resort and not too often, you'll be taking a little glass away as well. Good luck.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Yorktown, VA
I had this problem when I bought my truck. None of the homemade solutions would work. I finally broke down and bought Zaino Z-12 Clear-View Glass Polish. It wasn't magic, but with some rubbing it did work. I highly recommend it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
The wife parked her black Excursion in a parking lot next to a sprinkler. This sprinkler did a number on the paint, as well as the Glass. (most of the pass side). I used body clay on the paint, and thought I would try it on the glass. It worked like a charm. It needed quite a bit of spray lube (sold with the body clay). Letting this stuff dry out was a bad thing. It worked so well, I ended up doing the whole vehicle. I thought I took good care of the paint. A big difference was very noticeable. Btw Steel wool is ok for glass and chrome. Scotch brite should never be used, it will do exactly what it is designed to do.......scuff (dull) the surface.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 2
From: CA Central Coast
Originally Posted by kenneBF250V10
I'm going to have to give one of the suggestions above a try. I've tried 0000 steel wool with distilled white vinegar and Bon Ami combined and the spots didn't budge. Both the C-30 and the Spot-X sound good but the C-30 sounds more like what I might need since it has the mild acid in it. I'll give it a try and post my results. Thanks guys!