I would also use vinegar for water spots on your paint. Wash your truck first, then apply distilled white vinegar with a sponge. Do one section at a time, and let it sit for 30 - 60 seconds, then rinse.

If water spots are allowed to stay for more than a week or so, the minerals may etch the paint. In this case, using vinegar will remove the mineral spots, but the paint will have etched spots (dimples). It may be necessary to use a medium cut polish or fine cut polishing compound to restore the paint surface.

Oh yeah, and when you use vinegar it will probably remove your wax, so be prepared to re-wax your truck when you are through with the vinegar.

Also, when you get rid of the water spots, avoiding them in the future is easy if you chase after them. The best solution is to use a detailing spray after you wash or as soon as you discover the spots.

Good Luck!

 

Well, that was the problem to begin with, lol. The spots came from the water I used to rinse the soap off. I'm on the road and didn't have an Absorber handy. By the time I got back to the apt. they had already solidified (about 5 minutes). I guess I will just not wash it until I get home, our water is a lot softer I guess.They'll form, but only after a hour or so. These were milky white splotches, and not even cleaner wax would remove them.

Cool! Another glass cleaner and #0000 wool user. I thought I was alone. Nothing will get a window cleaner in my personal experience. For drying windows, I use an old t-shirt with no fabric softener. NO streaks, and NO lint!,,,,98

 

"water spots on paint" polish cleaner or just a cleaner for paint. (a polish or cleaner will also remove any wax you have on too)
Try to help protect your paint by putting a wax/sealer on? With a wax on its harder for the spots to stick on the suface
Hope I was of some use

:santa:

 

Ceramic Glass cleaner is the best thing I found to clean water spots off windows. I tested many different things a year or two ago and the ceramic glass cleaner won hands down. You do NOT need to dilute the ceramic glass cleaner, doing so will just make it much less effective.

It will NOT scratch you window because it is made to use on glass stoves straight from the bottle. I did the windows on my last truck at least 4 times never any problems and as a matter of fact the ceramic glass cleaner will buff out light scratches in you glass.

When I bought my Lightning last February the first time I detailed it I had to use ceramic glass cleaner on the windows because of water spots. It was a brand new truck with only 3 miles on it but it had been at the dealers for a good 4 – 6 months.

The ceramic glass cleaner I use is “Cook Top” which can be bought at Sears. I believe Bar Keepers Friends is a ceramic glass cleaner and if it is it too can be and should be used straight out of the bottle on the glass, just like you waxing the glass.

Use a damp cloth, like you would waxing, and apply to a CLEAN WINDOW (i.e. wash window, or use a regular glass cleaner like Windex). You do not need to use much pressure at all, light to moderate pressure is enough. Simply rub back and forth approx. 6 – 8 times and move on to another area. I would do approx. a square foot and let dry to a haze. Buff off with a dry cloth.

My front windshield took me no more then 15 minutes to do and that was to apply it, let it haze and buff it off.

Even if you have no water spots it is a great thing to do at least every 6 months or once a year. You would be amazed at how much better you windshield looks, like brand new again.

Again, if you use a ceramic glass cleaner use it STRAIGHT from the bottle with a damp cloth, do not dilute it or you will not get very good results and will take you longer…

Trust me guys, I am as **** or more **** then most (except RockPick) when it comes to my vehicles and I would NEVER state something unless I knew from personal experience…

With that said I would NOT recommend using ceramic glass cleaner on any type of tint including the factory tint on the inside windows…

 

Speaking about doing a review I did a search and found my review on my computer. This is from July 2003:
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Windshield water spots removal review:


A few weeks ago I posted a question to all you ****** because let’s face it any one down here in General Care (asking questions, answering questions or just reading the threads) is a real ***** about their truck including myself. So now that I have your attention lets begin:

I posted a question about removing a chit load of water spots on my windshield. I had no water spots on the side or back window just the front. Perhaps that is odd, but hey I live in New Hampshire and it is an odd state. I had never had water spots on my finely detailed ***** truck because I clean the damn thing like every weekend. Then one day I get in my truck after work and SHAZAM there is water spots all over the front window and as I drive home they just look like they are procreating more water spots. Upon arrival at home I get my Windex to clean the window and DOOH, they are not coming off.

So I get on-line and ask all you uhhh, well you got the idea now, about how can I rid myself of the water spot invasion on my windshield. I got great responses from many of you. The main ones I remember is Vinegar, so my truck can smell like an old fart rest home, straight Razor blade so as to keep the cost of health insurance high when I go in for stitches, the mighty clay bar (and it is a mighty tool in the arsenal of detailing supplies), and Bar Keeper’s Friend suggested by a member ***** here by the name of Jaguar. The Bar Keeper’s Friend is a glass ceramic cleaner designed for cleaning, you guessed it, glass ceramic like on today’s new stoves. If you had guess it was a bouncer for taking out the load mouth ******** at the bar because they can’t handle their alcohol then subtract 10 points.

Now, me being a big fan of Zaino I found that they sold Z12 which is a glass polish which can be used to remove water spots (acid rain) and minor scratches. Since I needed a re-supply of other Zaino products I went ahead and ordered a bottle of it (it is approx. 15oz) I am not sure because the bottle does not state how much is in there.

So now I am armed with all these possibilities and here are my results:

Vinegar: First this chit stinks and makes you feel like you need to look over your shoulder for a hug bunny carrying a basket of treats. I tried it like recommended. I put some, a good amount, on a cotton towel and rubbed it in real good, damn near popped my elbow out of its socket. It did remove “some” not many but a few water spots. If you like to smell like some old fart that escaped the rest home and/or Easter really excites you then by all means go ahead and use it. Check with your health insurance first and see if you’re covered for elbow replacement.

Razor blade Nice straight edge razor blade in a holder. Works great for removing dried bug guts, and stickers. Not so good for water spots. It removed about the same amount of water spots as grandpa’s Vinegar. It is debatable if it is better to take 20 showers to get the rest home smell out or just to go once and get sewed up. The choice is yours and every medical plan I know of will cover you for stitches.

Clay bar Words great at removing particles from the paint. However it sucks to high hell to remove water spots. I laid into the lubrication for the clay bar because I could go about 5 strokes (RockPick, keep you’re comments to yourself LOL) and it would dry and then I had clay marks in the windshield. The clay marks were a pain in the butt to remove so I aborted the mission of trying to use the clay bar. I did not see it remove anything.

Bar Keepers FriendRecommended by Jaguar Didn’t use it because I didn’t have any. However I did have Cook Top glass ceramic cleaner which is the same thing. You apply it with a soft cotton cloth, let haze and then buff off (more like just wipe off, so damn easy a blond could do it right). This stuff worked AWESOME, where I applied it all the water spots gone and a nice clean and shinny windshield. I bought my Cook Top glass ceramic cleaner at Sears. It cost something like $14.00 for a 20oz bottle. (70 cents an ounce)

Zaino Z12 Glass polish marketed for removing acid water spots on glass and minor scratches. I paid $12.95 for a 15oz bottle (86 cents an ounce). It too worked AWESOME and removed every water spot where I applied it. However I did have 2 minor scratches and it didn’t touch them so it is not a minor scratch remover.

Both the Zaino and Cook Top did excellent. Both are applied the same, soft cotton cloth to apply, let haze and buff (wipe) off. Easy as speeding down the turnpike with AC/DC cranked way up looking for a ticket.

I would like to thank all who recommended different products and/or methods. Jaguar had the winning recommendation so I would like to give him credit for it.

Conclusion and recommendation:

Either product, Zaino Z12 or any brand Glass Ceramic Cleaners will do the job and remove the water spots with ease. They both clean excellent. If you ever notice after time how you can see the outline of where the wipers have contact with the windshield this will clean the grime and make it look like a new windshield, no outline of the wipers.

Though I love Zaino if I had to choose only one product to recommend it would be the Cook Top, Bar Keepers Friend or any other brand of glass ceramic cleaner. Mainly because you can get it at any appliance store and not pay the shipping cost like you do with Zaino products, and it seems it is cheaper per ounce then Zaino.

It took me approx. 20 – 25.7 minutes to do my windshield completely and that is using Windex to clean it after buffing the polish off. I don’t smell like an old escaped fart from a rest home, and I still have complete use of my hands and arms, (RockPick, keep you’re comments to yourself LOL)

Don’t trust me then find a nice little blond and have her do your windshield with the above recommended products and you will want to be wearing Depends when you take a look after she is done…

 

Another steel wool user here. Works awesome to remove the road grime and crap that builds up from the windshield too. I swear by the stuff. JUST DON'T USE IT ON MIRRORS...it'll scratch them.

If you have tinted windows, DO NOT USE IT ON THE INSIDE, it'll scratch the tint.

I used one of those bug remover sponges the other day while filling up, and it had small rocks in it. It scratched my windshield all to hell and back. Got home and used the steel wool...not a scratch to be found.

 

Great post 01 XLT Sport, thanks for all the great info.