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Interior & ExteriorDiscussions about the interior, and exterior of your vehicle.
This is a discussion thread titled "Water Spots On Glass", within the Interior & Exterior forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
I've got what appears to acid rain spots on my windows. Anybody know of any products to take the spots off or am I stuck with them? Any/All help is appreciated. Thanks...
I've read that white vinegar will remove regular water spots, but I don't know about acid rain spots.
Zaino makes a window polish that works pretty good at removing spots and such. It's a gritty liquid that you rub on the glass and then buff off. I'm sure other companies make something similar that you could find at Pep Boys or something.
Greg
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Glass is very hard to permanently "spot." Most acids, epecially from acidic rain, should not effect the glass. I would suspect bird droppings or industrial plant fall-out from an alkaline source (such as lime). Although newer cans of Bon-Ami say not to use it on glass, I still use it with great success. Keep the area real wet and polish the affected area with a CLOTH. This should remove the etching. Do not use a scouring pad!!
i have had good luck with vinegar. try to let it sit on the area sort of soaking with a rag and then wipe. i mistook water spots for water stains on my paint. water spots are deposits on the surface. water stains have removed part of the surface. i have to compound the paint to make it match the level of the lower spots. you can't do that with glass. i hope for your sake this has not eaten away the glass.
I keep quite a few different types of acid (almost 100%) in glass, I can't believe acid has etched your glass, now for some serious water spots, paint, etc. I can believe it. I have had acid etch / remove coatings from optics but our windshield doesn't have a coating on the outside. Before anyone compounds their paint, try a clay bar. What you think is etched into the paint, almost looks like the paint is cracked can be bonded contanimants that will remove with incredible ease with a clay bar. I couldn't believe my eyes how it worked and have never felt a smoother hood in my life after I clayed it.
I have been going back and forth will Sal at Zaino on this water spot topic. My problem is my 5 month old white Tundra has lots of water spots. Vinegar and clay does not touch them. I have had Zaino on since it was new but they keep on getting worse. I used WAX SHOP SUPERGLAZE in small spots and they go away. ?????
I have a 2002 Tundra that I have been able to keep Spot-free.
My wife's 3 YO Rav is not so lucky. She gets sprinklers at her School (she's a teacher) and the spots are just bad...even on the windows - where they're most noticable.
Is there anything I can do to protect MY windows from looking like her's one day, and can I do anything for her Rav?
A thorough cleaning of the RAV should do.......just car wash soap and water should do the trick to remove the water spots. Of course, I wouldn't wash the car in the blasted Cali heat either......wash and dry it early in the morning. After the wash, follow up with some paint cleaner, polish, and wax.
Since your wife seems to be cursed with the "sprinkler" virus, I would suggest a car cover for the RAV. I personally don't care for them, but in your situation, it will save you a lot of elbow grease.
A mixture of vinegar and water should get rid of the spots. I would apply a coat of Rain-X to the windows after that. It might not prevent future spots but should help you get them off easier next time around.
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Try a product called "Bio-Clean Water Stain Remover". I tried vinegar, ammonia, and windex and none of them worked on my severely spotted windows. This Bio-Clean stuff worked great. I bought it at a local auto parts warehouse, but you can probably buy it online. If you can't find it online you should try calling window shops, auto parts stores, or possibly hardware stores. 20oz bottle for around $13.
Worse comes to worse, you can find a window stripper compound at your local auto-parts store. It's essentially rubbing compound for your windows. It'll strip off Rain-X, and whatever else is on your window. I've never used the stuff myself.
As for your wife, have her park away from the sprinklers. A few good washes with a car soap, and I've found that most water spots will go away off of the glass. The paint usually needs to be buffed out to get rid of the serious water spots though...
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Water spots are the result of the chemicals in the water when it dries. I use Bon Ami on a damp sponge when I wash the car to do the windows - especially the windshield. It cuts the crud pretty well. I've had pretty good results just making a slurry paste with it and using it as a polish for the glass. The common cleaner CLR (calcium, lime, rust) works pretty well too for stubborn spots on glass. Rain-X is a good protectant for the glass.
There's this product called MX-7 that you can find in just about
any auto store. You just apply it with a rag, allow it to work and
wipe it off with a clean cloth. I've had excellent results with
"minor" water spots.
So I recently washed my new (2 weeks now) truck and find that the windshields are all covered in unremovable spots. It looks like water spotting, but no amount of scrubbing with Windex, car soap, or even my fingernail takes it off.
If we scrub pretty hard with rubbing alcohol it will come off, but it requires a lot of elbow grease.
The truck arrived clean of course, since then its been subject to 2 weeks of major pollen release here in Houston (pine and oak), a couple rainstorms, and then i washed it with regular Zipwax car soap.
Most of the water ended up drying on the windows before i could dry it (hot outside and was washing two cars), thats when I noticed the water spots for the first time.
Both of our cars '04 Prius and my truck had these spots all over the windows.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what these might be / how to remove them?
We're going to try some ammonia on it later this week, but we're kinda short on ideas otherwise.
You could try a product called MX-7 or anything similar made specifically for water spots. You could also use a very fine steel wool with auto detailer or water. When using the steel wool, make sure you use very little pressure. A friend of mine uses a product called "Safe Cut" with the steel wool. The van he did was about 5yrs old and he was able to bring the window back to new.
Acid Rain Spot Remover?
A few good washes with a car soap, and I've found that most water spots will go away off of the glass. The paint usually needs to be buffed out to get rid of the serious water spots though...
Unremoveable water spots
