Water Spot Removal - the next step?

[davisinla]

Hi All:

I've been trying to remove what appear to be old water spots all over the hood of my white '87 Mustang (original paint).

Last weekend, I used #83 with the PC. While I can see an improvement, the spots are not gone.

My question is what do I do now.

1) Try again with the 83?

2) Use something else?

3) Give up and bring it to a professional? (I don't have, and never used, an orbital.)

I also found it kind of difficult to remove the residue of the 83 - I tried using less, buffing more, wiping it off faster, etc. I wound up using DC#2 to for a final clean with decent results - but the spots are still there, only visible from certain angles and in certain light.

(FYI, I DID read Mike's instructions elsewhere on this forum.)

Any suggestions on my next step.

Thanks,

Paul

[jfelbab]

I'd try again. If #83 fails to take them out they must be etch marks and might require a rotary buffer to remove.

If you were doing this by hand you might use a terry applicator to get some extra bite.

This product really does best with a buffer. It's hard to generate the heat needed to break it down by hand.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

Some paint can be as hard as glass! In that case, as jfelbab
mentioned you may need to use a rotary and an experienced user to remove the water etching. Some etching may be so deep, that it can not be removed without making your paint dangerously thin.

Here is an excellent link discussing difficult paint:

A Lesson From White Paint

Tim

[davisinla]

Thanks folks.

jfelbab: I'll bet one of my other cars will look familiar. (And it's got NO paint problems):

https://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/mr2/mr2drive.jpg

https://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/photoshoot.jpg

[aaron33]

I'd spray the area with 50:50 white vinegar-water and give the area a light agitation with a clean MF cloth. After that, rinse off with water and neutralise with a sodium bicarbonate solution just to be sure. Then do your usual wash,clay, polish, wax.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey,

Just to chime in here....

Using vinegar was sometimes used on glass to remove mineral deposits which were above the surface and in the form of water spots.

However since #83 with the G100, which is far more aggressive than vinegar, was already used, the etching is fairly deep into the clear coat.

Here is some information from Mike regarding the differences in water spotting/etching:

There are two kinds of water spots,

1) Above Surface Mineral Deposits
2) Below Surface Water Spot Etchings


Type I Water Spots

Type I Water Spots are what Meguiar's refers to as Above Surface Bonded Contaminants. A Type I water spot is some type of deposit, often times a mineral deposit that was in the water source, sitting on top of the surface.

If you have Type I water spots, you can use either a clay bar or a paint cleaner like ScratchX by hand. Clay bars are for removing above surface defects and will typically do a good job of remove Type I water spots/deposits from off the surface. Sometimes you may have to follow the claying process with a paint cleaner like ScratchX to completely remove all traces of where the mineral deposits attached to the finish.

Type I Water Spots






Type II Water Spots - Etchings below the surface
Type II Water Spots are what Meguiar's refers to as Below Surface Defects. A Type II Water Spot is actually an etching in the surface where whatever was in the water was strong enough in it's chemical composition to actually eat or dissolve the paint and thus etch into the paint.

If you Type II Water Spots, you can use a paint cleaner by hand such as ScratchX, or a machine applied product such as a compound, paint cleaner, or cleaner/polish to machine clean the finish, removing a small amount of paint in an effort to level, or smooth out the finish. The goal is to remove just enough paint to level the surface with the lowest depths of the defect.

Just to be clear, removing Type II Water Spots means removing paint. As such, you are limited as to how much paint you can remove. In some cases you may want to check with a seasoned professional for their advise before attempting to remove below surface defects like Type II Water Spots.


Type II Water Spots - Etchings below the surface


Close-up of same photo above


Click here to add your comments or ask questions about this article...

Cheers!

Tim

[jfelbab]

Originally posted by davisinla
Thanks folks.

jfelbab: I'll bet one of my other cars will look familiar. (And it's got NO paint problems):

https://www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/mr2/mr2drive.jpg

www.paul-davis.com/vehicles/photoshoot.jpg

That's a really clean MR2.


My MR2 is a garage queen now but was a daily driver for 12 years. I have 128,000 miles on it and it still looks and rides like new. That body style seems to be ageless.

[davisinla]

Thanks for all the info, folks.

The feeling I'm getting from this info, as well as other threads on the subject, is that if using something like ScratchX vigorously by hand on a small section does not remove the water spots, it's probably time to take it to a professional.

Is that pretty accurate?

[jfelbab]

Or as Mike points out you can become a semi-pro for the same money. For what you will pay a good detailer to polish and wax your car you can buy a Porter-Cable polisher and the products to do it yourself. There are some instructional videos on line here somewhere. It is not all that hard and if you are using the Porter Cable you can not damage your paint unless you drop it on the hood.

[davisinla]

Are you referring to the DA? I've been using it for years. That's what I used for the #83.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey davisinla


If after 2-3 attempts with #83 DACP and the G100 (set to speed 5) does not remove the etching, then it may be very deep and require a rotary buffer. But if you have used the G100 for years, perhaps you are ready to step up to the rotary buffer? If not, then Yes, I would take to a professional in your area.

Tim

[davisinla]

Originally posted by 2hotford
But if you have used the G100 for years, perhaps you are ready to step up to the rotary buffer?
Tim

I've thought about it. I would need to get some decent training. And obviously the hood of my car would not be the place to practice!