Water Stains on Paint Can be Tough to Remove.
Half of the hard work is done after you paint you’re own car but the other half of the work is the maintenance and care for your new paint job. One of the things you can’t control is the weather and it’s effect on paint. A hard rain or acidic rain can leave water spots. Also washing your vehicle with water that has heavy deposits of minerals can leave water spots on your paint that can be tough to remove. Below we cover the ways to remove these water spots or stains.
- Spray Detailer/Cleaner- A good spray detailer will have cleaners in it that will remove light water spots from paint. Using a clean microfiber saturate the area with spray detailer and also wet the rag as well. Then wipe the area with one firm swipe and review the area. If the spot is gone you can wipe off with a dry microfiber and you’re done. If the spot remains you may need to reapply or use a slightly more aggressive cleaner first. If no spray cleaner will remove the damage you will need to remove it with a multi-step process.
- Polish the Paint- Using an orbital or rotary polisher with compound will have enough abrasion to remove most water spots. Start by cleaning the panel with water and getting any major dirt off of the panel. You can then apply compound to the buffing pad and working the area you need to correct. Once the spot has been removed you can do the entire panel that the water spot was on. This will avoid having a spot of paint that it cleaner/more polished than the rest. Finish up with a good spray detailer and a clean micro fiber rag.
- Wet Sanding the Paint- If the spot is really etched into the clear coat you may need to wet sand before polishing the defect out. Start with as fine of a grit as possible like 1500-2000 grit paper. Once the spot has been removed you can work your way up through the polishing process.
Hopefully those quick tips will help you correct a water spot or water staining issue in your paint or clear coat. For all of our paint care products visit our site HERE.