Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

[RebelChevyGal]

My husband and I bought a car back in April, and my husband elected to have the dealership do a final "detail" on it. I should have spoken up and said no, but the excitement of buying our 1st car had overwhelmed me, anyway the next day we notice the car is COVERED in water spots. I mean covered; glass, trim, body, everywhere. But they look, to me, like they are underneath some wax, like they just sprayed some wax on and called it a day. Fast forward to now when I just can't take knowing the water spots are there anymore, you can't see them well especially when the car is clean and it is sunny(You need sunglasses just to look at it). I bought some Ultimate Compound but I'm afraid it may be too aggressive. I've also got the Smooth Surface Clay kit and the NXT liquid wax and I use Gold Class wash every week.

So what I'm asking is will the UC be too aggressive for this application? Or should I look for something else, they did not have Water Spot Remover or I probably would have gotten that. And ScratchX was just too small a bottle since the entire vehicle is covered. This is the best picture I have right now, I just tried to take a better one with my real camera but the sun is just too bright right now.

[Top Gear]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Welcome. I'd start with a good wash using Gold Class Shampoo and a microfiber mitt. Be careful about grit, etc. There are lots of threads here about washing. After that, the car could/should be waxed, and a "cleaner-wax" might be best - Meguiar's offers several. Any of them will work for this purpose, and then you can use a quik wax spray from time to time after you regularly wash the car. In this case, I think those spots will be gone without having to compound

[The Guz]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

You came to the right place. You have quite a few options to remove water spots. Some water spots etch deeper than others and those will require more work. You are fine with ultimate compound. If you are afraid to start with that at first then I would recommend you pick up a cleaner wax and/or either ultimate polish or M205. Then start with the least aggressive approach or as we would call it a test spot.

You would go with the least aggressive approach. For example you could start off with a polish like ultimate polish or M205 and see how that works. If it's doing the job then you can continue around the car and then add your NXT for protection. If you need to get more aggressive, then this is where you would use ultimate compound. You would then either proceed with a polish or just apply NXT.

If you are looking for an all in one type product, then I would recommend white wax. The abrasives in it will clean and remove some of those water spots.

[davey g-force]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.



Before you do any polishing / compounding, try claying with your Smooth Surface Clay Kit first. That could well remove the spots, and you'll just need to wax afterwards.

If not, it's time to polish / compound.

You should always start with the least aggressive approach to get the job done. So if you don't mind buying more products, and you have time to try different things, go out and get yourself a cleaner wax (as suggested by Top Gear) such as Megs White Wax and some Ultimate Polish. Try the WW on a test spot and see if that produces the results you're after. If so, repeat over the whole vehicle. If not, try UP on a test spot and see if that works. If so, repeat over the whole vehicle.

In the case where WW works, you do not need to wax afterwards (since it's a cleaner-wax or all-in-one) but you can if you want more durability. In the case where you need to use UP, you need to apply wax afterwards.

If you don't have the time / money / inclination to do all that, I'd have no hesitation just going straight for your UC. It's more aggressive than the other two, but the amount of clear coat it takes off is still negligible. Especially if you're working by hand (which I assume you are).

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

*EDIT* Guz beat me to it! We basically said the same thing in different ways lol

[RebelChevyGal]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Welcome. I'd start with a good wash using Gold Class Shampoo and a microfiber mitt. Be careful about grit, etc. There are lots of threads here about washing. After that, the car could/should be waxed, and a "cleaner-wax" might be best - Meguiar's offers several. Any of them will work for this purpose, and then you can use a quik wax spray from time to time after you regularly wash the car. In this case, I think those spots will be gone without having to compound

I do use a microfiber thingymabob, its got the dreads on one side and the gentle scrubbing pad on the other. As well as using the two bucket method and working panel by panel.

You came to the right place. You have quite a few options to remove water spots. Some water spots etch deeper than others and those will require more work. You are fine with ultimate compound. If you are afraid to start with that at first then I would recommend you pick up a cleaner wax and/or either ultimate polish or M205. Then start with the least aggressive approach or as we would call it a test spot.

You would go with the least aggressive approach. For example you could start off with a polish like ultimate polish or M205 and see how that works. If it's doing the job then you can continue around the car and then add your NXT for protection. If you need to get more aggressive, then this is where you would use ultimate compound. You would then either proceed with a polish or just apply NXT.

If you are looking for an all in one type product, then I would recommend white wax. The abrasives in it will clean and remove some of those water spots.

I think I had the M205 in my hand and opted for UC instead. I think its because I figured UC I could also use on my husband's neglected '99 Suburban. There were just too many dang choices. lol

Before you do any polishing / compounding, try claying with your Smooth Surface Clay Kit first. That could well remove the spots, and you'll just need to wax afterwards.

If not, it's time to polish / compound.

You should always start with the least aggressive approach to get the job done. So if you don't mind buying more products, and you have time to try different things, go out and get yourself a cleaner wax (as suggested by Top Gear) such as Megs White Wax and some Ultimate Polish. Try the WW on a test spot and see if that produces the results you're after. If so, repeat over the whole vehicle. If not, try UP on a test spot and see if that works. If so, repeat over the whole vehicle.

In the case where WW works, you do not need to wax afterwards (since it's a cleaner-wax or all-in-one) but you can if you want more durability. In the case where you need to use UP, you need to apply wax afterwards.

If you don't have the time / money / inclination to do all that, I'd have no hesitation just going straight for your UC. It's more aggressive than the other two, but the amount of clear coat it takes off is still negligible. Especially if you're working by hand (which I assume you are).

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

*EDIT* Guz beat me to it! We basically said the same thing in different ways lol

Yes I was going to clay regardless after this next wash this weekend because there are bonded contaminants on the back bumper, probably brake dust. I think I'll probably pick up some WW and UP, its always good to have different "tools" around. And yes I am working by hand, I never picked up a liking for power tools.

Hopefully the spots will be gone this weekend.

Pic of the car just cause! As she sits today.

[davey g-force]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Nice looking machine. It will be nice to get rid of those spots!

[gmitch23]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Nice taste in cars! Water spots will come off with no prob. Just make sure after you wash, you're in the shade and able to dry before the sun leaves you with new spots.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Some great advice from a bunch of forum members who know their stuff!

Just FYI, water spots come in a very wide variety of types and severity. Factors that contribute to their severity include time (how long they've sat on the paint), heat (are they baking in the sun on a black car), mineral content in the water (reclaimed water, as is often found in municipal sprinkler systems, is just loaded with nasty stuff), acidity (close proximity to heavy concentrations of factories can cause acid rain - just ask anyone living in Shanghai, China!). They start as simple mineral deposits on the surface and, if caught immediately, can be wiped away with a microfiber towel and some quick detailer. If left to sit for a few hours those mineral deposits can bond to the paint and a clay bar will remove them. Alternatively, a simple wash with a couple gallons of water and a cup of distilled white vinegar will break down the minerals and remove the spots quickly. After that it can get tricky as the minerals can actually start to etch down into the paint. In that case, the ONLY solution is an abrasive product to level the surrounding paint. As scary as that sounds, we are talking about microscopic abrasives that remove such a tiny bit of paint that we usually can't even measure the difference with a paint thickness gauge.

We wouldn't hesitate to use Ultimate Compound to remove these, given that they've been present on the paint for a few days (at least) by this point. Don't worry about UC being too aggressive; you have control over how aggressive it really is based on your applicator of choice, how hard you rub it into the paint, how large or small an area you work on, etc. Get a nice soft foam wax applicator pad to apply it, squirt about a 50 cent piece dollop of product onto the pad, and work that into an area roughly 1' x 1'. Keep your fingertips off the pad - spread your fingers across the surface to more evenly distribute the pressure, and work in either a circular motion or straight lines, which ever is more comfortable for you. Don't let the product dry on the surface, but rather wipe it off after working it for maybe 20 seconds or so. Evaluate the area you just worked on relative to an untreated area, and apply again if needed.

Keep in mind that wax alone is not designed to fix this sort of issue. Waxes, with the exception of cleaner waxes, don't contain the abrasives needed to remove defects from the paint, they're only there to add protection and maybe a bit of gloss.

[RebelChevyGal]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Nice taste in cars! Water spots will come off with no prob. Just make sure after you wash, you're in the shade and able to dry before the sun leaves you with new spots.

Oh hello fellow 'Bu owner! We do love this car. And I do wash in the shade, I try to time it so that once the area I use is in the shade it will stay shady until the sun goes down.

Some great advice from a bunch of forum members who know their stuff!

Just FYI, water spots come in a very wide variety of types and severity. Factors that contribute to their severity include time (how long they've sat on the paint), heat (are they baking in the sun on a black car), mineral content in the water (reclaimed water, as is often found in municipal sprinkler systems, is just loaded with nasty stuff), acidity (close proximity to heavy concentrations of factories can cause acid rain - just ask anyone living in Shanghai, China!). They start as simple mineral deposits on the surface and, if caught immediately, can be wiped away with a microfiber towel and some quick detailer. If left to sit for a few hours those mineral deposits can bond to the paint and a clay bar will remove them. Alternatively, a simple wash with a couple gallons of water and a cup of distilled white vinegar will break down the minerals and remove the spots quickly. After that it can get tricky as the minerals can actually start to etch down into the paint. In that case, the ONLY solution is an abrasive product to level the surrounding paint. As scary as that sounds, we are talking about microscopic abrasives that remove such a tiny bit of paint that we usually can't even measure the difference with a paint thickness gauge.

We wouldn't hesitate to use Ultimate Compound to remove these, given that they've been present on the paint for a few days (at least) by this point. Don't worry about UC being too aggressive; you have control over how aggressive it really is based on your applicator of choice, how hard you rub it into the paint, how large or small an area you work on, etc. Get a nice soft foam wax applicator pad to apply it, squirt about a 50 cent piece dollop of product onto the pad, and work that into an area roughly 1' x 1'. Keep your fingertips off the pad - spread your fingers across the surface to more evenly distribute the pressure, and work in either a circular motion or straight lines, which ever is more comfortable for you. Don't let the product dry on the surface, but rather wipe it off after working it for maybe 20 seconds or so. Evaluate the area you just worked on relative to an untreated area, and apply again if needed.

Keep in mind that wax alone is not designed to fix this sort of issue. Waxes, with the exception of cleaner waxes, don't contain the abrasives needed to remove defects from the paint, they're only there to add protection and maybe a bit of gloss.

I did try vinegar first, but it did nothing, I didn't think it would but since I had it on hand I figured I'd try. The water spots have been there since we bought it back in April, probably even before then. I'm thinking they came from dealer lot spray downs or previous owner mistakes. So going on 4 months at least of being there. I have been looking at the proper way to apply it, I don't want those cheetah spots! I always try to do a lot of researching before going ahead and doing something new. And I love this forum for that, I do have a buddy who owns a detailing business but I'm sure he's tired of me asking him stuff all the time.

Thank you all so much for your info.

[gmitch23]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Id really try UC if it were me. With it being water spots it shouldn't be that tough of a job and wouldn't worry about cheetah spots. At the very least, try a small area and if you do not like the results you can stop there. You will be very happy to get those spots off and will be satisfied with the looks. I've learned so much from this site alone it's ridiculous. I used to be cautious like you are too. Now I use a dual action polisher like a pro. One day I'll get brave enough to try a rotary. (Maybe in 50 years lol)

[RebelChevyGal]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

I went ahead with the UC, and glad I did. I had to do a couple passes before getting a finish I was happy with so I probably would have wound up using it after trying the other products. They aren't completely gone, but a coat of wax hides what's left. My only problem is after taking like an hour break I went back out to do some more and when I went to apply the wax it came out like this:



I tried shaking it but it didn't make a difference. Could leaving the bottle outside for like an hour cause this? It seemed fine when I waxed the hood before taking a break.

[RebelChevyGal]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Sorry if this double posts, but I posted yesterday and for some reason it didn't post. I think it said something about needing moderation.

I went ahead with UC and glad I did. It took about 3 passes to get a finish I was happy with. It did not completely remove the spots, well I should say applying it by hand did not remove them completely. I would assume by machine they would be gone, but wax hides what is left pretty well. My only problem is after taking like an hour break I left the bottle of wax outside and when I went to wax after compounding a fender the wax came out like this :



The wax seemed fine before taking the break, so could leaving it outside in like 80ish degrees cause it to separate like that? I tried shaking it and even had my husband try after he told me that I was "shaking it wrong". The plan is to return it, provided I can find the receipt. Although I have a decent rapport with the place I bought it from so I may not need the receipt.

[Top Gear]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

HaHa! "You're shaking it wrong." Typical husband response, I'm sure you thought

It's just coagulating much like milk would. It's not really the temp but the air transfer that probably got to it to dry out and form a skin. Keep it sealed, and shake well before using. The gloppy wax bits are probably still usable, once you start applying it. If the store will replace it, might be worth a try just for peace of mind.

[RebelChevyGal]

Re: Water Spots underneath wax possibly.

Dang, it did double post. I'm sorry. And I can't figure out how to edit or delete one lol. That moderation thing was weird, I've never gotten that message in all my forum going years.

And it was a totally typical husband response lol, shaking it wrong. How is that even possible?

I kept the bottle inside overnight and sealed but it is still all separated today. We've got to go back to the store soon anyway so its worth a try to switch it out.