by Moe Zilla

Created on: July 25, 2009   Last Updated: June 05, 2010

Old paint jobs may be more susceptible to water spots than newer paint jobs, so keep an eye on your car. It's easy to remove water spots from car paint if you know the right tricks. But otherwise, it can be a very frustrating experience...

When water evaporates from the surface of your car, mineral deposits can be left behind. (The water evaporates, but the minerals don't!) Fortunately, most of these deposits rest on the surface of your paint, and in some cases simply pouring on a white vinegar and water solution for 10 minutes will eat through the mineral deposit (while leaving the paint in tact). But in other cases, removing water spots requires some careful washing, and these extra car care tips!

Your problems start when the mineral deposits have bonded with the paint, so even a thorough car wash leaves the minerals clinging to your paint job. In situations like this, experts recommend using a special non-abrasive rub (like Meguiar's "Smooth Surface Clay Kit"). Just spray on a lubricant, and then wipe the clay over the water spot/mineral deposit. Amazingly, the minerals are absorbed into the clay - and this should leave behind clean paint!

Unfortunately, some mineral deposits leave small dents, or "etches", in the surface of your paint job, especially if they've been baked into the surface by the heat of the sun. (Some people even recommend that you wash your car in the shade!) Meguiar's recommends a scratch cleaner - followed by a new coat of wax, to protect the paint - but others suggest that a paint polishing solution might work just as well.

One web page has some even better advice: prevent water spots from forming on your car. ("Continuously wiping the car with same damp cloth causes some film of water being left behind on the paint... This could be avoided by using two or more dry cloths as follow-up after you've wiped with the first one.") And if you're interested in shielding your paint job from water spots altogether, they recommend a good car wax.

And remember that sunlight will make water spots worse, so always try to choose your parking space carefully. If you care about the way your car looks, you'll want to do more than just drive it home with a good paint job. You'll also want to take care of that paint job, so your car keeps looking good even after it's left the lot!

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