We get SEVERE hard water spots on our windows at work, worst case scenario (on glass) use a flat razor blade

 

To update, I tried White Vinegar solution (both 50% and 100%), no help.

Next, a buddy of mine gave me a bottle of Zaino Z-12 glass polisher he swears by, I plan to give it a try over the week-end. Will let you know.

 

Needs mechanical removal, not chemical. Look into a good buffer and something like a non-degrading, very fine particle abrasive. Strangely enough, turtle wax liquid clay bar and any sort of good buffer/pad (I actually use that goofy Mequires round sponge thingy with a 9A DeWalt drill and get great results, but have to start off very slow and work up speed or crap flies everywhere).

Degrading (again cheap-as-dirt Turtle Wax white polish paste, *NOT* cream) is also effective but for newer cars (200+), the clear coat is hard enough to need a non-degrading. But! Make sure it's extremly fine and watch out for crap in your buffer making scratches.

FYI: There is positively no way to do this by hand, especially with a hand clay bar, unless you have about 30 football players working on the car and wear all of them out. Must go with buffer, for which I am and would advise looking into a professional or semi-pro system (seem to be $250-375 well worth it for a $30,000 car).

OR Just go drop a few hundred at a good body shop and let them use their professional equipment on your car every few years. All you do then is keep it waxed to provide some external protection. 3M's new products are extremly nice, but so are others. Mothers, Meguires, etc. All top notch, but that's just the beginning youare what makes it work. Do some online research. It's not a new topic so ton of great threads.

 

i second the flat razor blade, just be patient and relaxed. it took me bout 3 hours on a silverado, but i had practice on a rental car and saw the damage if you mess up.

 

Considering the cost of a new windshield, I'd practice on someone else's car also. A rental sounds right.

Or convince a relative you're doing them a huge favor, especially if they only wash their car by driving in the rain.

Shawn / sparkinark

 

Meguiars rules!

-$tanley

 

And this was a helpful comment? Gee, thanks for the input.

IF the spots are not etched into the paint/glass this stuff works wonders: Dura Gloss Water Spot Remover #505. If they are etched then more drastic measures will need to be taken as in machine polishing or perhasps wetsanding.

 

agreed.... and then polish her, and keep her well waxed