Window water spot removal

Detaling and car washing techniques

Window water spot removal

Postby muzza » Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:46 pm

Had a go at window water spot (hard water marks) on my glass the other day. Car has hit 1yo and a few things need a bit of tidying up.

Water here is not really "hard" at all but recent dirty rain, hot summer, quick drying of drops etc had made some noticeable spots on the windscreen and side glass.

Normally the windscreen gets Rain-X regularly but I hadn't done it for a while so had some annoying circular spots all over, ESP noticeable driving onto the sun.

Gave the windscreen a vinegar soak with a window microfibre cloth, and it cleaned right up. Rain-X ed it and good as new.

Side glass not so flash, vinegar moved a little but not all. Gave it a wipe with CLR (sulfamic acid) and had more progress. Rain-X and they came up pretty good.

I think the go is to keep the Rain-x on regularly to get water to roll off easy and not sit and dry leaving deposits.

Any thoughts or suggestions from others?
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby madix » Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:10 pm

For the really stubborn waterspots, you can compound the glass to get it clean again.
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby HyRax » Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:44 pm

You can also use steel wool in light circular motions to smooth up rough areas of the glass that capture dirt and stains easily (no, I'm not kidding, but obviously only do it on the outside, not the inside where your tint is).
I was going to procrastinate, but I put it off...
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby psy » Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:49 am

I've had success with a glass polish applied by hand.

Can't recall the brand - was recommended to me by the folk at WaxIt, but can check at home tonight if you want to head down that path.
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby muzza » Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:18 pm

psy wrote:I've had success with a glass polish applied by hand.

Can't recall the brand - was recommended to me by the folk at WaxIt, but can check at home tonight if you want to head down that path.


Yeah, cerium oxide paste is hard enough to polish glass, but can be lots of work to do I have heard. I would try some normal paint compound first and see if that budges them.

Thanks all.
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby hamish_023 » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:15 am

Try this first:
http://waxit.com.au/p/8778751/carpro-sp ... 500ml.html

That way you wont affect the beading of the glass.

If its etched into it deep then you need to use steel wool or a compound. What ever you end up doing out of these its worth getting a glass sealant like Nanolex
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby BUDDAH » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:59 am

The water spots are most likely calcium/mineral deposits white vinegar should remover them :wink:
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby muzza » Sun Mar 16, 2014 9:33 am

Great info thanks, I must look into the Nanolex Glass Sealant, claims to be better than RainX for durability.
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Re: Window water spot removal

Postby hamish_023 » Sun Mar 16, 2014 6:57 pm

muzza wrote:Great info thanks, I must look into the Nanolex Glass Sealant, claims to be better than RainX for durability.



Much better! Will last a year with wipers and two without
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