Cleans Water Spots Off Cars & Windows

Water spots can be a problem on cars from the hazy stains they leave. They can result from acid rain and remain after rainwater dries off the car. They can be unattractive on the body and paint job, but they present a bigger problem on the windows as they can impair vision. Success in cleaning these spots off the car depends on how long you wait and how hard the stains are.




Glass Cleaner
Glass cleaner may get some of the softer, easier water spots off the windows but not the harder spots. At the very least, the glass cleaner removes other dirt and debris from the car so you can easily see the hard spots better. Apply the cleaner from its spray bottle to the entire surface and then wipe it away using clean cloth towels. Use glass cleaner without ammonia; this means you should avoid most household cleaners. You can use basic soap and water in place of glass cleaner for the car body.

Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol can get water spots off if you apply it and clean the car immediately after the rain. It works best if you mix it with water and vinegar, making sure the solution is at least 70 percent alcohol. Apply the alcohol to the rag first and then rub the rag across the surface. Use a very soft cloth and don't rub the surface too hard as you may cause abrasions. Alcohol dries and evaporates quickly, so let the car dry in the shade.

Commercial Compounds
A number of commercial rubbing compounds are designed to remove the spots completely; some even advertise as keeping them away afterward. Many of these compounds require a special brush-like applicator that rubs the compound onto the car. You then must rinse the car off to remove the compound. You may need to do this process multiple times to completely remove all the water stains.

Orbital Buffer
While brush-like applicators are usually recommended for applying rubbing compound, an orbital buffer can be effective. This works especially well because it can apply the compound to the surface quickly before it dries, which is a concern as that can scratch the windows. Use a buffer with a terry cloth bonnet since it is the one of the softest available. Only use the buffer on glass surfaces; using it on the car body can singe your paint job

Recommended Auto Glass Cleaner:
Sprayway Glass Cleaner
Stoner 92166 Invisible Glass
No Touch GS8 Auto Glass Stripper (See all Automotive Glass Cleaners)

Tips to Clay Bar Your Car

If you are new to the world of auto detailing, clay bar car will sound odd if you are unfamiliar to this process. There are 4 specific areas of proper paint care when it comes to the paint on your car:
• Washing
• Cleaning
• Polishing
• Protecting

I don't consider myself an excellent detailer by any means, but I have a good amount of experience sanding, buffing, and waxing cars. One thing I have never tried, however, was using a clay bar to clean the paint's surface.

Honestly, I've always considered the "clay bar treatment" a gimmick- promising an easy way out of doing labor intensive work, and patently dismissed it. Well, I've become a believer. Last weekend, I was trying to rehabilitate the paint on my Subaru and among it's problems was massive overspray caused by careless spraying of motorcycle parts by me a while ago. Ironically, it was the same black paint I used on my Crown Victoria- a single stage black urethane, and it is really sticky.

I tried a couple different polishes and cleaner waxes with little success. Rubbing compound and a high-speed buffer was the next step, and if that didn't work I would have to wet-sand the whole car to get rid of it. That's a lot of work.

Clay bar is advertised to remove surface contaminates- tar, water spots, rail dust, and overspray- so I thought it was worth a try. And I'm happy I did; it works very well. I bought a box of Clay Magic at Autozone for about $16, and the it included a small brick of clay and a spay bottle of "Clay Lube" (probably soapy water).

Spray a section of paint, and start scrubbing with the clay. It feels like there is a lot of drag on the clay at first as it picks up all the junk off the paint, but once the surface is clean, it glides across smoothly, and the paint feels smooth as glass. The clay, however, will be black with all the junk from your car, so just turn it over or knead it like silly putty to expose a fresh section. It also does a good job cleaning up plastic trim, headlight and taillight lenses, and probably your glass, too, though I didn't try that.

Clay bar will not remove scratches or swirl marks, though. You will still need your buffer for that stuff. But this is a great way to clean your paint and prep it for polishing and waxing. I'm a fan.

Instructions

1 First, you want to wash your car completely with a recommended car shampoo. This will remove any wax that may help seal in the contaminants on the paint. Regular car wash is made not to strip wax, so it may not be as effective. Put your hand in a zip lock bag and run it over the surface. It will feel like sand paper. These are the contaminants sticking to your paint.

2 Next, Make sure your car is parked in the shade and it's surface is cool to the touch. You can now take the clay bar out of the container and divide it into 3 or 4 pieces. This is so you will have spares in case you drop the clay on the ground (the clay will pick up dirt and grit if dropped, rendering it useless). Knead the piece of clay until it gets softer and then flatten it.

3 Take some spray detailer or clay lubricant and spray it on a 2 foot square area and on the clay itself. More lubricant is better. Work the clay across the surface in a back and forth motion using moderate pressure until it begins getting easy to glide across the surface. Once it glides then you can move on to another area. You can use the zip lock on your hand to check to see if it is smooth enough for your liking. Every now and then you should knead the clay and refold in order to create a clean clay surface.

4 Once you are satisfied with the area you are working on, move on to another 2 foot square area. Continue this until you have completed the entire car. Keep in mind that this is not a quick job. It may take you 4 or 5 hours to do it properly, but it will be well worth the time. Nothing makes your paint as smooth and shiny as a clay bar detailing.

5 Make sure to buff your car with a polish and a wax in order to seal in all of your hard work and to help seal out paint contaminants and debris.

Things You'll Need
• Car Shampoo
• Clay Bar (Meguiar's, Mother's, 3M, etc.)
• Clay Bar lubricant (Meguiar's Spray Detailer, etc.)
• Paint Polish (to remove excess clay on paint)

Recommended Clay Bar :
1. Meguiar's G1001 Smooth Surface Clay Bar
2. Mothers 07240 California Gold Clay Bar
3. Wolfgang Elastic Poly Clay

How to Compound & Buff

Most automobile owners want the exteriors of their vehicles to be clean with a buffed shine. Rain, snow, oxidation and ultraviolet light can all have detrimental effects on surface paint, producing a hazy or fogged appearance. By using cutting compounds and polishing wax, surface paint can be restored to look like new again. A vehicle owner who learns how to properly use an orbital buffer, compounds and waxes can perform a partial or full polish restoration with professional-looking results.

Instructions
1.Mix a solution of dish-washing soap in a bucket of warm water. Use a washing mitt. Remove all grime, oil and oxidation. Dry with clean towels. Use a crescent wrench to bolt a cutting pad onto an orbital buffer, or install a Velcro pad. Use a medium cutting pad to start with. Select a small area of the surface to perform a test run.

2.Apply a smear of medium-grit cutting compound to the cutting pad. Turn on the orbital buffer; if the buffer has a variable speed control, set the knob for 1000 to 1500 rpm. Run the buffer from side to side over the surface, keeping mild contact with the paint -- do not push the buffer pad into the paint with excessive pressure. Switch the movement to up-and-down buffing strokes, then pull the buffer away from the paint.

3.Wipe the compound residue off with a microfiber towel and examine the surface. You should be able to see your reflection in it, with no haze or oxidation. If the surface appears deeply fogged, switch to the heavy cutting pad and heavy-grit compound and buff over the same area. Depending upon your results, use the pad and compound that worked best and run the buffer over a larger section of about 2-by-3 feet.

4.Use side-to-side movements, then up-and-down strokes. Always keep the buffing pad spinning and moving -- do not let it sit in one area, where it can burn the paint. Lighten the touch of the buffer around sharp edges and seams. Wipe down each section with a microfiber towel and examine the surface. Re-buff any areas that seem heavily oxidized. Change to a clean cutting pad if the old one loads up. Take frequent breaks if you are buffing the entire vehicle. Use a dab of cutting compound on a microfiber towel to get any areas that the buffer could not reach.

5.Remove the cutting pad from the buffer and install a polishing pad on the sponge backing. Apply a liberal amount of polishing wax on the pad, and using the same procedure, buff the wax into the paint. Remember to use side-to-side, then up-and-down movements with the buffer. Wipe down each section you polish with a microfiber towel and inspect the results. You should be able to see a crystal clear reflection of your face in the paint, particularly with a darker color.

6.Change the polishing pad if the old one loads up. Use some polishing wax on a microfiber towel to reach any spots the polishing pad missed, such as the corners of the side panels, or in and around door handles. Use clean microfiber towels to wipe away all wax residue after you have finished the entire buffing procedure.


Things You'll Need
• Liquid-washing shampoo: Detailer's Pro Series Xtreme Foam Formula Auto Shampoo
• Washing mitt
• Bucket
• Towels
• Crescent wrench
• Porter Cable's buffer
(with cloth or sponge backing pad)
• Microfiber towels
• Cutting compound (fine, medium and heavy grit)
• Cutting pads (fine to heavy)
• Polishing pads
• Polishing wax
• 3M Swirlmark Remover

Recommended product of Car Wax & Sealant to use :

Top 3 Waxes

1. Meguiar's A-2216 Deep Crystal Carnuba Wax
2. Surf City Garage 150 Barrier Reef Carnauba Wax
3. Meguiar's M2611 #26 Yellow Wax Paste

Top 3 Sealants
1. Surf City Garage 701 Shine-On Sealer and Glaze System
2. Wizard's - Supreme Seal Paint Sealant (12oz) : 11500
3. MEGUIAR"S SYNTHETIC SEALANT 2.0

Top 3 Spray Wax

1. Surf City Garage 100 Speed Demon Wax Detailer Spray
2. FLITZ Speed Waxx
3. Meguiar's G14422 Ultimate Quick Detailer