Side mirrors permanently stained

[Scott2.0]

Anyone else have this problem? The actual mirror part looks like they have water spots on them but they don't wipe off and won't come clean with any window cleaner. Weird. I'll try to get some pics up later.

[Jay B7]

clay bar is the fix all for scratches that are not deeper than the clear coat.

[Scott2.0]

clay bar is the fix all for scratches that are not deeper than the clear coat.

On the glass? I don't think it's scratched. Looks like dried water drops. Maybe something with the heating element?

[tankdeer]

Never tried it but my understanding is that clay can be used on glass too.

[b5s4tt]

triple zero steel whool is what we used at my body shop to polish overspray off glass.

[akasch]

claybar doesn't fix scratches??

[Tusin]

I wonder if people think I am a asshole yet?

I have said it once, and I will say it again. This really is not the best place to ask about detailing/car cleaning. There is a detailing forum here for that, also there are dedicated detailing forums online. I bet ya anything if you go to a place like autopia.org and did a search for water spots, you will find some answers.

No offense to the people here that made suggestions.

Clay Bar does not remove scratches. They will actually produce scratches (more like micro marring). But that is OK, because some good clay will remove all the crap that has stuck to your paint over the past years. GOOD thing. I personally will never clay a car though, without knowing I am about to perform paint correction (polishing via a DA or Rotary). A light colored car, I might.

Clay is generally great to use on glass. But think of it as a cleaning product, not as a scratch filler or anything like that. Some have had good success when using clay to remove hard water spots.

000 steel wool is a HUGE no no. A lot of pros are even border line about 0000 steel wool. But if you are willing to try it, go with a 0000 and some Windex (about the only time I will suggest using Windex lol). I would consider that the most aggressive though.

Have you tried Vinegar yet? That is what I TRY as my first step. Sometimes it works awesome, sometimes it doesn't. I also just picked up some Surf City Garage window cleaner that put my trusty ol' Stoners Invisible Glass to shame. I have yet to try it for water spots though.

If I am having a real hard time with water spots, I will move up to one of my paint correcting rubbing compounds.

And if I am having a really really really hard time with them. I will move to an actual glass polish (Diamondite makes a good kit), and the glass polish disc on my PC. It will remove the hell out of them. I just don't like getting that aggressive unless I have to.

[tankdeer]

Correct that clay doesn't remove scratches, but I read it as a surface contaminate issue. Perhaps I misread. Either way, good advice. For the record, I think everybody is an asshole.

[sinned]

well if you wanna really get technical, NOTHING removes scratches short of a repaint or a new part, everything thereafter produces scratches. the key is that the scratches are small enough to be not detectable by the human eye (i.e. rubbing compound, polishes).

[I'm Aud!]

gotta bring it to the dealer, they will take it out.
i had the same problem, i asked what they used to take it out, recieved no response..
i think its like a special audi window cleaner...

[Scott2.0]

gotta bring it to the dealer, they will take it out.
i had the same problem, i asked what they used to take it out, recieved no response..
i think its like a special audi window cleaner...

sounds like the best answer to me! Thanks to everyone else too. Did they do it for free?

[Quattro]

i think its like a special audi window cleaner...


lol love that

[EuroSpec27]

I have these spots ALL OVER my car. I'm going to clay it this weekend and see if it works. I'll post pics with the results as soon as possible.

[europaisch]

Yo man, I clay my glass once in a while. Recently had those hard water type spots on may car after the dealer had it for the day. I was bummed because I just washed it the night before.

After a wash, they were still there. I clayed it and they were gone. Clay is for removing contaminants on the surface of paint or in this case glass.

Grab some detail spray and clay the mirrors. It's not a big deal, you're not going to scratch them unless you have something in your clay. I bet it works for you.

[jimrobbington]

Anyone else have this problem? The actual mirror part looks like they have water spots on them but they don't wipe off and won't come clean with any window cleaner. Weird. I'll try to get some pics up later.

Had the same thing on my motorcycle. It's basically like a hard water stain. I used something like CLR, bathtub cleaning stuff. removes calcium, lyme and rust. works great, then windex it.

[EuroSpec27]

Had the same thing on my motorcycle. It's basically like a hard water stain. I used something like CLR, bathtub cleaning stuff. removes calcium, lyme and rust. works great, then windex it.

Is that stuff safe to use on paint..?

[jimrobbington]

Haven't used it on paint, but I highly doubt it is corrosive near enough to harm paint

[eMacPaul]

Haven't used it on paint, but I highly doubt it is corrosive near enough to harm paint

The bottle says not to use on cars because it might damage the paint. Nevertheless, I have used it to remove hard water spots from my paint that claying didn't get out.

[jimrobbington]

just don't let it soak

[EuroSpec27]

Well if the clay doesn't work for me that'll be a last resort!

[Shaboink]

DO NOT take ANY of that shit to your paint. It will definitely destroy your clear coat. For glass and mirrors the best thing to get water stains out is to take 1. Bar Keepers Friend (Available at any supermarket), 2.Bottled Drinking Water, and 3. 2 microfiber towels. Sprinkle the bar keepers friend on the towel and mix it with a little water until it becomes paste-like, Then spray your windows with a little bit of the water and work in the Bar Keepers Friend until the water stains go away then wash off with the bottled water. Finally clean it up with another clean microfiber towel and you'll have stain free glass. Try and keep the solution off of the paint because its bad for it.

For paint: Wash your car out of the sun. After drying the car off, while the paint is cool to the touch first try using a detail spray (Personally I found that Adam's Detail Spray works the best, Link: http://www.adamspolishes.com/c-11-detail-spray.aspx) and microfiber to get the water spots out. If that doesn't work, move up to clay and detail spray. If that doesn't work it is deeper than the clear coat, so you are going to have to move up to compounds and polishes which can be found at either www.adamspolishes.com or www.obsessivedetail.com and use a preferably a Model 7424 Porter Cable.

The big picture in all of that: NEVER take CLR or ANYTHING like it to your paint. That is if you like your paint lol .

[EuroSpec27]

Welp, I just clayed my entire car and the spots are still there... Looks like I'll be taking her to a body shop and see if they can buff them out.

[yakky]

Danase and Duragloss both make water spot removers that are safe enough to use on paint. I would try those first. For those people that are all keen to take it to the dealer or a body shop, make sure you do your research, 99% of dealers and 95% of body shops are total hacks. If you want some crack/meth head spinning a wool wheel against your car, knock yourself out. You'll be paying $500 to get the swirls/buffer trails out by a real pro.