Help for hard water

[SSMKNU2]

^^^I was literally about to state all of that guys but you beat me to it!
Here is another option you could try. (Sorry Adams for linking a competitor's product) http://shinesupply.com/collections/w...cts/spot-rinse

[snarky]

very annoying tap water here as well. even rain water is better.
i microfiber it away. there's no other choice for me. i hit the car several times with the hose to keep it "beaded wet" until I am ready to dry.
actually the yellow paint is not too bad for spots. but the DD with Japanese black paint? a nightmare. I won't even rinse the accord with the hose unless I'm going to dry or it will look like absolute sh*t. I use adams americana or zymol creame at least 4 times per year.

[RubyCamaro]

Originally Posted by SSMKNU2

^^^I was literally about to state all of that guys but you beat me to it!
Here is another option you could try. (Sorry Adams for linking a competitor's product) http://shinesupply.com/collections/w...cts/spot-rinse

Something like that would be very useful but I wonder if it strips off the wax?

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

If the water spots your seeing are only occurring after a wash, they are topical spots. These occur when minerals in the water dry on your paint along with the water. The most common is Calcium Hydroxide. Calcium Hydroxide is high in PH. An easy way to determine if CH is your culprit is to use white vinegar on one of the spots. Vinegar is mildly acidic, and will loosen the bond of CH, and allow you to wipe the spot off easily with no pressure. This will remove your wax though.

To avoid spots you can filter your water, or follow the already suggested method of washing car at cool times of day and only in the shade. Use a good PH balanced soap. After you've washed the entire car, rinse all the soap off. Then do a pooling/sheeting rinse.


If you have a good coat of wax or sealant on the car, you should be able to remove 80-90% of the excess water, leaving you very little to dry, thus reducing chances of spotting. A detail spray (1 mist per panel) while drying will also speed up your drying process while providing some lubrication for your drying towel. I can dry my car in 10 minutes usually, and none of the water has a chance to dry and cause spots.

[RubyCamaro]

It is both washing & if I get caught in the rain. I used to be able to get the car dried off with little in the way of water spots but it has gotten worse & now nothing seems to work. I appreciate all the input. I'll get this thing figured out.

[SilverSS1LE]

i do exactly what adams has stated above, and i never have water spots.

[Galaxy_Stranger]

Does anybody know if hard water can actually SCRATCH the finish?

[pickwithaustin]

Home Depot and Lowe's both sell a small unit you can hook up to your garden hose setup. To avoid the water spots, I just finish off my wash with the California Water Blade,