Removing Lime Deposits

[Bar53]

I live in an apartment in Germny and park my car in an underground parking lot. I left it in the underground for many weeks while going on vacation back to the U.S. and lime deposit dripped on the right front fender. I have tried turtle wax (didn't work); I tried Meguiar's liquid wax (there is no paste wax available in the PX) after using a high pressure wand at a local car wash. I haven't had much luck with it either. My fingernail was able to scrape tiny bits off. It is a 2010 Mustang and I'm afraid to use any "scraping" in a more aggressive way. Would the Meguiar's paste wax do the job? Thanks.

[smack]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

See if you can find the clay bar kit. Clay is what is needed to remove above surface contaminates. If the clay bar dosent pull it off at first let it soak in the quik detailer for a while to see if it softens it up.

[greg0303]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

It looks like you need something stronger with cleaning ability.

A cleaner wax would be a good starting product. If unsuccessful than you may step up to cleaner polish, like SwirlX.

Give it a shot with A12 Cleaner Wax, ColorX or M06 Cleaner Wax first. Use some pressure when applying. You may need couple approaches to fully remove it.

[Blueline]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

Soak a paper towel in vinegar and let it sit on the lime spot for 5 or 10 minutes. Should soften it up.
If you try to get it off with wax (ColorX etc) the little particles will scratch the heck out of your clearcoat.

[Murr1525]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

Yes, I think you will need to soak/treat the deposit before getting into claying, paint cleaning, waxing.

The above is a good idea. Maybe some WD40, it does everything else. Some fairly diluted CLR if you got desperate?

[greg0303]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

After you wash and dry the effected area of your vehicle you could use distilled white vinegar. The acids in vinegar will break the bond between car paint and mineral deposits.

[greg0303]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

Soak a paper towel in vinegar and let it sit on the lime spot for 5 or 10 minutes. Should soften it up.
If you try to get it off with wax (ColorX etc) the little particles will scratch the heck out of your clearcoat.

He already used wax on it.

[TOGWT]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

Correction - these can usually be removed by using vinegar and detailer's clay to remove any hardened surface deposits

a) Apply 1:1 ratio distilled water with distilled White Vinegar (Acetic acid) solution, and using a spray bottle, spray that mixture on the spots and let them "soak." Then rinse with water and repeat as necessary.

b) If the ambient temperature water/vinegar mix does not work, use warm (100-120 degrees) 100% distilled White Vinegar, saturate a clean kitchen sponge with undiluted vinegar and hold the sponge over the concrete spots for a few minutes

c) If the above do not remove them try equal parts distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and distilled white vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will help etch and dissolve the concrete

[Blueline]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

He already used wax on it.

I knew that. But trying more wax was not a good idea.

[greg0303]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

Correction - these can usually be removed by using vinegar and detailer's clay to remove any hardened surface deposits

a) Apply 1:1 ratio distilled water with distilled White Vinegar (Acetic acid) solution, and using a spray bottle, spray that mixture on the spots and let them "soak." Then rinse with water and repeat as necessary.

b) If the ambient temperature water/vinegar mix does not work, use warm (100-120 degrees) 100% distilled White Vinegar, saturate a clean kitchen sponge with undiluted vinegar and hold the sponge over the concrete spots for a few minutes

c) If the above do not remove them try equal parts distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and distilled white vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will help etch and dissolve the concrete

Jon,

Just a quick question: do lime deposits etch over time and you need to get them out from below surface?

[greg0303]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

I knew that. But trying more wax was not a good idea.

[TOGWT]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

[QUOTE =Jon,

Just a quick question: do lime deposits etch over time and you need to get them out from below surface?] [/QUOTE]

Yes its alkaline

Often found from parking in municipal or underground parking facilities, calcified water spots on paint and glass, water and concrete spots are pretty much the same chemically; they are consist of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) both of which are basic (alkaline pH 10) with the concrete being cross-linked with water

[greg0303]

Re: Removing Lime Deposits

Yes its alkaline

Often found from parking in municipal or underground parking facilities, calcified water spots on paint and glass, water and concrete spots are pretty much the same chemically; they are consist of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) both of which are basic (alkaline pH 10) with the concrete being cross-linked with water [/QUOTE]

Thanks for clearing it up, Jon.