What are these spots?
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Teching In
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From: Minnesota
What are these spots? I'm having a heck of a time trying to figure out what these are. I used to dry my vehicles with a leaf blower only, but have since noticed that when the water evaporates from being blown around, it leaves this residue behind. My first thought was hard water, but this water line is fed off my water softener.
I've tried adjusting the softener settings (cranking it way up, way down, recycling) but I always get these spots. Even worse, if I dry, and leave the most minuscule amount of water spread out (like on the windshield) it leaves this white film which I can draw lines in with my fingers. With detail spray and/or glass cleaner for the windows - it comes right off.
Does anyone have any ideas of what this might be?
Water Spots 1
Water Spots 2
I've tried adjusting the softener settings (cranking it way up, way down, recycling) but I always get these spots. Even worse, if I dry, and leave the most minuscule amount of water spread out (like on the windshield) it leaves this white film which I can draw lines in with my fingers. With detail spray and/or glass cleaner for the windows - it comes right off.
Does anyone have any ideas of what this might be?
Water Spots 1
Water Spots 2
Last edited by Bobtorious; Aug 14, 2012 at 01:46 PM. Reason: Forgot pics
TECH Junkie
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From: Rutherford, North Carolina
If it comes off relatively easy with Spray Detail after the car has been washed, I wouldn't worry to much about it really unless it's messing with the clear coat on the car.
I guess other than that, I'm no help since I wouldn't put much thought into it and it being something that can be took care of with some simple Spray Detail.
I guess other than that, I'm no help since I wouldn't put much thought into it and it being something that can be took care of with some simple Spray Detail.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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From: Minnesota
If it comes off relatively easy with Spray Detail after the car has been washed, I wouldn't worry to much about it really unless it's messing with the clear coat on the car.
I guess other than that, I'm no help since I wouldn't put much thought into it and it being something that can be took care of with some simple Spray Detail.
I guess other than that, I'm no help since I wouldn't put much thought into it and it being something that can be took care of with some simple Spray Detail.
TECH Junkie
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From: Rutherford, North Carolina
Thread Starter
Teching In
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From: Minnesota
I've tried that as well. I wash in my garage, final rinse it and pool rinse it. I was using Adams Car Shampoo and tried switching to Meguiars Gold Class with no luck, thinking it might be the shampoo. This is driving me nuts.
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I bet because you pool rinse, some of your car soap/detergent gets trapped under the spoiler and isnt getting properly washed out before the car dries. During the drying its probably seeping out from the seams under the spoiler and leaving those spots. Maybe try pressure washing real well on the spoiler along the seams to flush out any detergent. Just speculating though.
My bet is it's from the water. I have hard water as well (on a water softener) and get those spots too. I feel it's from the excessive amount of minerals in the water.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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From: Minnesota
I bet because you pool rinse, some of your car soap/detergent gets trapped under the spoiler and isnt getting properly washed out before the car dries. During the drying its probably seeping out from the seams under the spoiler and leaving those spots. Maybe try pressure washing real well on the spoiler along the seams to flush out any detergent. Just speculating though.
If this is the case, I may have to get a spotless water finisher, which aren't cheap!
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A water softener removes Calcium hardness from the water. However, in the ion exchange process the softener replaces the calcium in the water with sodium which comes from the salt. What you are seeing are sodium spots.
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Teching In
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From: Minnesota
Sounds like I'm going to have to get a DI system. Thanks for the help!
Doing this as soon as you blow the car off, using some detail spray will be a lot cheaper than one of the filtration systems. You guys might know of a cheaper one, but the ones I have seen were 3-600 bucks for the lowest end ones. With a nice one being around $1500!!
They do make those conditioners that you can add to your wash bucket, but I have no experience with them. Doesn't seem to work to me as it's the rinse water that is leaving the mineral deposits.
Make sure your blowing out all the lights, mirrors, and cracks. They will just run out later leaving a run line. Then dry with the detail spray like I said.
I doubt you have to worry about this since you said you do it in the garage but the paint being cool to the touch and out of the sun light is also a biggy.
Last edited by My6speedZ; Aug 17, 2012 at 10:14 AM.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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From: Minnesota
Just dry the car with a quality microfiber.
Doing this as soon as you blow the car off, using some detail spray will be a lot cheaper than one of the filtration systems. You guys might know of a cheaper one, but the ones I have seen were 3-600 bucks for the lowest end ones. With a nice one being around $1500!!
They do make those conditioners that you can add to your wash bucket, but I have no experience with them. Doesn't seem to work to me as it's the rinsIe water that is leaving the mineral deposits.
Make sure your blowing out all the lights, mirrors, and cracks. They will just run out later leaving a run line. Then dry with the detail spray like I said.
I doubt you have to worry about this since you said you do it in the garage but the paint being cool to the touch and out of the sun light is also a biggy.
Doing this as soon as you blow the car off, using some detail spray will be a lot cheaper than one of the filtration systems. You guys might know of a cheaper one, but the ones I have seen were 3-600 bucks for the lowest end ones. With a nice one being around $1500!!
They do make those conditioners that you can add to your wash bucket, but I have no experience with them. Doesn't seem to work to me as it's the rinsIe water that is leaving the mineral deposits.
Make sure your blowing out all the lights, mirrors, and cracks. They will just run out later leaving a run line. Then dry with the detail spray like I said.
I doubt you have to worry about this since you said you do it in the garage but the paint being cool to the touch and out of the sun light is also a biggy.
I get terrible water spots from city water. I've learned that quickly dry the car after rinsing prevents them completely. I use a California Water Blade then a waffle weave towel. The water blades can be risky but I was mine with the soap water and periodically check it for contaminants while using it. That gets 98% of the water off. The towel gets the rest. I'll bet letting the water evaporate off is what's causing the problem.
