Hard Water Spots

trijicon

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I recently washed my BLACK 05 4runner around two weeks ago. Since then the light cover of dust/dirt has taken over. But then yesterday, a sprinkler turned while I was parked at a restaurant and blasted my whole front end. Now the white hard water residue is crusted on my bumper and hood.

What is the best thing to do? Rewash it? Is it bad to leave the residue there until the next car wash? Do I just wash the front? If so how should I go about doing it, water only?

Remember the dust/dirt layer is still there.
 
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Give it a normal wash with soap and water to get the dust off first. Then, using some clean soapy water, use a clay bar and rub it on the paint where the water spots were. It will remove them and other contaminants in the paint surface. You can then rinse and dry. Waxing is an option if you have the time and will help prevent water spots like this from damaging the paint in the future.
 
Can you post a pic of the water spots? If clay bar didn't work, I have another suggestion, but here's how to clay bar...

Wash with soap and water, then rinse. Then make up a new fresh bucket of soap and water. This will be your "lubrication" while rubbing the clay bar over your paint finish. Take a wash mit and soak up some water/soap, and squirt it onto the part of the truck you're working on. Then take the clay bar (use small pieces at a time so if you drop it, you can throw away and get a new piece) and rub it back and forth on the paint. You don't have a push too hard, but hard enough so it's getting good contact. This should remove water spots, some tree sap, overspray, etc. If you see discoloration or little dark specks in the clay, then it's working. These are the contaminants or oxidation coming off the paint. Try to use a light colored clay bar (like Meguiars Quik Clay - it's white) so you can see the difference. When it starts to look dirty, roll the clay over a few times and knead it a bit so you have a fresh surface. I use one piece of clay every time I detail and, like I said, if you drop it once, toss it. Otherwise the stuff it picks up off the ground will be etched into your paint.

Whew! Now that I explained that... if the clay bar did not remove your water spots, move up to something more abrasive (but still mild), like Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner (#1 in a 3 step product line). This product simply buffs on and off by hand. You don't let it dry like wax, you just buff it on, rub it around a bit, and buff it off. This will remove light swirls, scratches, and anything the clay bar couldn't, especially those water spots.

Let us know if any of this helps.
 
Last edited:
T4Runner06 said:
Then make up a new fresh bucket of soap and water. This will be your "lubrication" while rubbing the clay bar over your paint finish. Take a wash mit and soak up some water/soap, and squirt it onto the part of the truck you're working on.

if you buy a decent claybar, i.e. mothers or most any claybar today in auto stores, they come with the lubrication spray to use.
 
broncosi said:
if you buy a decent claybar, i.e. mothers or most any claybar today in auto stores, they come with the lubrication spray to use.

I find a warm bucket of car wash works faster and better. I'll dump most of the lube into the bucket along with carwash. Keep some lube for touch up clay later. The warm water keeps the bar soft. Easy to wash away clay residue. Just dunk and go, no spray bottle to manage. I don't use a mit.
 
broncosi said:
if you buy a decent claybar, i.e. mothers or most any claybar today in auto stores, they come with the lubrication spray to use.

True. I got the Quik Clay kit, which came with the detail spray for lube, but since our 4Runners have a lot of surface area, that little bottle of detail spray goes pretty fast. The first time I used the kit, I used the whole bottle. Now I have leftover clay and no detail spray, so I now just use the soapy water. It's cheaper and achieves the same thing. I did buy another bigger bottle of quik detail spray, but I use that for in-between wash cleaning. I'll wipe down the truck with a Cal. Car duster, then use the detailing spray for a quick cleaning.
 
Bluto said:
I find a warm bucket of car wash works faster and better. I'll dump most of the lube into the bucket along with carwash. Keep some lube for touch up clay later. The warm water keeps the bar soft. Easy to wash away clay residue. Just dunk and go, no spray bottle to manage. I don't use a mit.

When you use this method do you wax afterwards or just wash and go?

TIA
 
In the recent Popular Mechanics, the Auto Tech section said that high alkalai/base dust combined with the high acidic water from commercial sprinklers can actually etch the glass/paint as the water evaporates and leaves a highly caustic alkalai residue. Especially if the water dries in direct sunlight.

You may have to get the water spots buffed out. This is more typical for the window glass than the paint, but the paint will show marks if left unattended.

Check out the June PM.
 
MAC4Runner said:
When you use this method do you wax afterwards or just wash and go?

TIA

Have to wax. The clay bar removes any wax/sealent. If I touch up spots with cay, I re-wax the area.
 
Sac State is the winner

Water Spots (with the right mix with contaminants and time on the surface) WILL etch clear-coat. A safe way to remove them is to whipe down the car while its still wet. Yea right, like anyone can do this with a daily driver. The clay bar IS the next best option. If that doesn't work, i've used a mix of Vinegar and water to remove the white "Oxidation" looking outline, and just waxed over. However, that does NOT remove the etching that is there. Mostly, the small etches are only visible to autopians looking for it, but running a finger over it, you can definately feel it. Polishing is the only way to remove it. For most water spots, a very mild polish is all that is needed!
 

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