by Miguel Villahermosa

Created on: September 14, 2009   Last Updated: September 23, 2009

Northwest residents live in one of the most beautiful regions of the country-we have rivers, lakes, mountains, beaches, and one of the most diverse ecologies anywhere in the country. Did you know that one of only two rain forests in the U.S. is located in Washington State? Unfortunately, all of the rain that keeps our forests and lawns green and lush takes a toll on our automobiles.

One of the most common questions that we are asked is "how do I get water spots off of my car?" There are many ways to accomplish this, but in the below article we are going to describe for you the BEST ways-the fastest and easiest ways-to get hard water spots off the windows and paint of your car. Below you will find some very useful information on how water spots end up on your car, and the best way to remove them.

What are water spots and how do they get on my windows and paint?

A water spot is a mineral deposit left on any surface that is allowed to air dry. Water spot formation is affected by the mineral content of your local water supply. The severity of the spot is directly affected by the specific minerals or "suspended solids" which are contained in your local water supply. The Sodium level of the water has a very large affect on the severity of a water spot.

Water spots form when a surface that has been washed is allowed to air dry. If a surface is allowed to dry in the sun, water spots will be more severe as the heat causes the suspended solids (minerals) within the water to "bake" onto the surface. The type of surface will also affect the severity of the water spots-more "slippery" surfaces are less likely to hold spots although generally they are softer and more prone to etching.

What does this mean? Basically, if you wash your car in the sun and don't dry it with a towel or shammy, the minerals in your local water supply are going to bake onto your car and when the water is gone the minerals will live on-you will have water spots on your paint and windows. At The Car Bar, we see a lot of cars with water spots as a result of parking next to sprinklers, so it doesn't just happen when you wash the car. Generally, rain doesn't leave bad water spots because the mineral content of rain (with the exception of chemical rain) is much lower than that of water that comes out of the ground.

Determining the level of severity of water spots

The first step in determining how to remove the spots from your paint or window is to determine the severity of the mineral deposits and thus determine

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