Any suggestions to remove some very stubborn water spots I have on my windows? I have tried Stoner's Invisible Glass, Eagle One 20/20 and RainX with no luck. Any suggestion on other products or tips that may help me with these products would be appreciated. Specifics on how when where is always nice. Thanks a bunch

 

GBT,

The two-options that I've found that seem to work...

1. Distilled vinegar. Because of it's acidic characteristics, it's typically able to bring the water spot (calcium and various metals typically) into solution and thus, you wipe them right off. Follow with Stoner's IG and, presto, clean glass.

2. Taught to me by the great 01 XLT Sport (tounge in cheek )... Barkeeper's Friend. Available at Wal-Mart in the household cleaning section near the comet and similar products. It works in the EXACT same manner but has a little more oompah than vinegar.

Pay EXTRA SPECIAL ATTENTION to not get EITHER product on your paint as both are acidic and, further, the BKF is slightly abrasive.

Hope that helps!

RP

 

Place I worked at had a car wash to get the salt off after work,but the water was hard and left the windows spoted bad after being out in the sun.I took lime away and a pad to the windows,keeping it on the glass and not over loading the pad to keep it off the paint.After a good hand rubbing I washed with soap real good.One place I worked after getting out high school used a glass wax to get water spots off after washing the cars and pickups cause the water was so hard.I've used fine steel wool also to get water spots off. Rain-X helps keep some spots off after you clean your glass good,so the hard water can't build up on the glass in the hot sun.

 

Barkeepers Friend and BonAmi works on the windows. Be sure to use plenty of water with either. Do not use it straight. It will scratch your glass.

Good luck

NEWLY

 

Great point NEWLY and I'm very sorry that I left that CRITICAL piece of information out...

What NEWLY said is EXACTLY correct. Make sure to utilize alot of water as the BKF is abrasive and will scratch.

I like to take a large terry towel and put it right above my wiper cowl so that any 'run off' from the windshield flows down to the towel while I'm using BKF or Vinegar. That way you don't have to worry about getting it on the plastic and it causing problems... oh yes, and be sure to pull the wipers back so that they're not in contact with the BKF or vinegar as well...

Thanks again NEWLY... very good advice!

RP

 

DETAILING 101
Try this, use a "glass cleaning compound" meant for cleaning glass for mineral deposits ect ect., rain-x glass polish makes it or you can go to your glass repair place they might carry some. You will find that it works much better then Barkeepers Friend and BonAmi. (I think that stuff you should be keep in the bathroom)
On vinegar here is a good tip on using it, go down to your garden nursery store and pick up some spreader sticker technical word for it is surfactant (anti-hydrophobic) add a few drops to the vinegar and the vinegar will spread evenly on the window and do the job faster & better throughout. I like to use diluted phosphoric acid /w water /w spreader sticker, I mix it to what the window needs. You can use Coke (soft drink) has phosphoric acid in it and its spreads easy too.
On showcars and new cars you can undo the fine micro-scratches* done by paper, Barkeepers Friend and BonAmi is Cerium Oxide anything else doesn't come close to it. (*when I mean fine micro-scratches you can not see by the naked eye but in volume you can)

:santa:

 

I use regular glass cleaner and #0000 steel wool. I've yet to see a water spot it won't remove. Follow it up with a glass cleaner and rag to get it crystal clear. I've used this for years without a problem.,,,,98

 

What you are trying to do is cut through the hard-water deposits that are nothing more than stubborn calcium and lime. This is a tip that a high-rise window washer gave me. Go to your local KMar, Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes and get a jug of CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust) , the stuff in a silver plastic container. Park in a shaded area and let your windows cool. Dampen a rag with this stuff and slowly wipe your windows in a circular pattern. Do not get it on your paint. Follow-up with some windex and whoohoo!!!! It is non-abrasive and works like magic. I would stay away from Bon-Ami.

 

I have had great results with Ceramic Glass Cleaner. I used it with the "brillo" side of a household sponge. I picked it up at Home Depot near the appliances.

 

Well after getting all the information I needed on this thread, I decided to try out many of the products you guys suggested. Here are my own personal findings, I sure results vary:

1. CLR - Cleaned well but still left a majority of the spots, easy to use, and easy to clean off.

2. Ceramic Glass Cleaner - Just to afraid to use, more afraid of using on the inside tint then on the outside glass.

3. Barkeepers Friend - Worked well but was unsure of how much water to dilute it with, clean up was a bit of work,not the easiest to use due to having to mix it up to get the right concentration for safe use

4. Distilled Vinegar - Worked great after a few applications, no water stops to be found, easy to use, easy to clean up

In short, I personally will use the distilled vinegar and clean up afterwards with Stoner's IG. Cheap and easy just like I them.

Now to the proof

Hardwater spots on windows looked like this before the test


And like this afterwards



Hope is helps others with this problem

 

Don't be scared.....its made to clean/polish the flat topped electric stoves.

I have never used it on the inside either and will for "Mikey" to try it first.

I have been using Klasse AIO on my windows, bumpers and step bars. It does a great job of cleaning and leaves a great finish. Its supposed to last for six months, but liike polishing/waxing, I can never wait that long to see if it actually does...

 

Any advice for water spots on paint, vinegar? The water here in Tampa is mineral rich beyond what Houston ever is! Even a wet rag wouldn't remove them right after the washing.,,,,98

 

Not to mention the damn sprinklers here in this complex. There's no safe spaces, every car gets sprayed with smelly reclaimed water.,,,,98

 

That is how I got my bad water spots, damn sprinker system at the hospital I work at.

 

I have found the best thing that works for me, and if you arent scared to try it, it works very well. I use 0000 steel wool and any glass cleaner. You spray the glass first with the glass cleaner, and the gently rub the entire glass with the steel wool. It will remove the water damage, and the that nasty area that is left from the wipers. Then just clean the glass as normal. It is a little more labor intensive, but it works great, and works the same on chrome. The extra fine steel wool will not scratch the glass ot the chrome. Try it, and let me know. I do the glass that way about every 6 months. DO NOT USE A GREEN PAD!!! That will scratch the glass.