8 Ways to Get Hard Water Spots Off Your Car
Knowing how to get hard water spots off a car can prevent significant issues with your car’s paint job. Take a look at how to deal with water spots on a car.
Have you ever noticed odd white spots on your car? Those are hard water spots. When talking about “hard” water, we don’t mean it’s physically hard; it means the water has a higher mineral content.
These minerals can affect the look of your car and the paint, so it's crucial to eliminate them. Learn how to get rid of hard water spots on your car.
Why Should You Get Hard Water Spots Off Your Car?
Once a hard water rinse evaporates, all that’s left are minerals and corrosives that slowly ruin your car’s paint by creating microscopic craters. These craters will grow bigger every time hard water touches them and evaporates.
The craters can also become scratches if you try to clean them the wrong way.
8 Ways to Get Hard Water Spots off Your Car
Now that you understand how damaging hard water spots can be, let's talk about how to remove hard water spots from your car.
1. Get a Car Wash
The first and easiest way to get hard water off your car is to get a professional car wash. The car wash does all the work, and if you go to your local Take 5 car wash, you can get the VIP treatment—including many preventative tools to fight future hard water spots.
2. Wash Your Car Yourself
If you have an afternoon free, you can wash the car yourself. The only problem is that you need the right equipment and skills to prevent minerals from pushing deeper into the paint’s coat, which can lead to scratches and more corrosion.
3. Use Distilled Water to Wash Your Car
Sometimes, your water is the problem—you may have hard water and not realize it. When cleaning your car at home, use distilled water, which is free of minerals. Distilled water helps with hard water spots and prevents you from getting more.
4. Polish Your Car
If you have the skills, you can try polishing your car. Polishing helps remove hard water spots because the spots are etched into the paint, and the polish buffs the first few layers of paint.
You need to be comfortable polishing your car because one wrong move could remove multiple layers of paint, leading to a much bigger problem.
5. Use a Clay Bar
A clay bar is a special tool that removes contaminants, including minerals, from your car’s paint surface without damaging the paint. You use it after giving your car a cursory wash, and then you gently rub the clay bar over the spots. Once you’re done, rinse your car off.
6. Use Vinegar for Spot Treatments
Another spot treatment method is mixing 50% vinegar with 50% distilled water. The vinegar dissolves the minerals but won't affect the paint, thanks to the distilled water. You can apply this mixture to a microfiber cloth and then rub the hard water spots away.
7. Use Baking Soda
Like the vinegar mixture, you can mix distilled water and baking soda to make a paste for your car’s surface. Apply the paste to the hard water spot and let it sit for a few minutes. This gives the baking soda time to neutralize the contaminants. Rinse the paste away; hopefully, the spots will be gone.
8. Use Water Spot Remover
Water spot remover is specifically designed to clean water spots instead of being a general cleaner. Each remover has different ingredients, so follow the instructions carefully to avoid damaging your vehicle’s paint.
How to Get Water Spots off Car Windows
Water spots on car windows can be annoying. You can get water spots off car windows in many of the same ways you would on your car’s paint. You can use the following:
- Water spot cleaner
- Window cleaner
- Vinegar/Water mix
- Baking soda/water mix
What’s the Right Spot Removal Method for You?
The best way to remove hard water spots from a car's paint is to have a professional handle it; that way, you’ll avoid additional craters or scratches. You can also try the vinegar mix, baking soda mix, a clay bar, or water spot remover.
How to Prevent Hard Water Spots on Your Car
The best way to get rid of hard water spots from your car is to never get them, so what are the best ways to prevent them?
Wash Your Car Regularly
To prevent hard water spots, ensure you wash your car regularly. This will prevent the minerals in hard water spots from settling and damaging your car’s paint. If regular car washes are too much of a chore, just stop by your local Take 5 and let us take care of it!
You can even save money by joining Take 5 Unlimited™!
Wax Your Car
Waxing your car gives it a glossy shine and protects your car’s paint. Wax acts like a sealant and protects your vehicle and the world. It also makes it easier to clean your car because the surface is slippery.
You can get your car washed and waxed when you opt for a Pro5™ Wash at Take 5.
Apply Ceramic Shield Layer
Ceramic coating works similarly to wax, but it’s a little tougher. Ceramic coating protects your car’s paint from natural contaminants like insects, road salts, natural minerals, and even the sun. This layer of protection makes it harder for water spots to stick.
Take 5 will apply a ceramic shield with a Pro5™ Plus wash, which includes a wash and waxing.
Protect Your Car from Hard Water Spots with Take 5!
Eliminating or preventing hard water spots is as easy as stopping by your local Take 5! We clean and protect your car within minutes, and you don’t have to leave your vehicle!
