hm..damp microfiber tends to help.. I think I finally just used a damp microfiber that I meguir's quick waxed the car with...but they are stubborn..i'll have to check mine again, but I notice they don't really like to come off.

 

Water spots are a pain. I always clean the engine compartment and trunk when I wash her. Microfiber is your friend.



Joe

 

The area around the trunk is designed to channel water away that runs down your back window and when you open the trunk. Whenever I wash my car, after blowing off excess water, I start a wipe down with microfiber towels by opening the trunk, letting water run down the channel on both sides, then I wipe down starting from the upper part of the trunk lid, all the way around to the area between the tail lights.

Hood area also has water channels, mostly the cowl area behind the weather stripping. What is very effective in the engine bay is Windex, the non-ammonia kind, which will get most water spots and any oily residue that's on exposed parts. Stubborn water spots usually can be removed with detailling spray, the same stuff you use on the finish. If you have a really stubborn stain on a metal part, or on any polished, satin or billit finish, there are polishes available that will take care of this in a snap. Lowes or Home Depot have stainless steel polish, and Meguirs (sp) has a metal polish. Both work great.

Watch out for dried coolant. It leaves a bright white spot or spots wherever it touches, some very tiny.

 

Thank you all very much. Donnysan-that is some sweet BAMA shine to be proud of!

 

you just sold me on the black BT caps..was on the fence what color/chrome/satin finish to go with.

 

I know this is an old post but to get rid of water spots you can use white vinegar added to water, the smell isn't great but it will remove water spots. To kee the water spots from forming, when washing you can put a little in your soap/water bucket. We have VERY hard water where I live and this helps greatly!

 

That's good to know! I too have very hard water, which always leaves water spots on the car when washing. I always spend so much time after washing, to go back over everything to remove those spots. I'll definitely try the white vinegar added to the soap next time.

 

But only if the water spots have not etched into the paint. If hard water etching is apparent, you may need to wetsand the water spot etchings, and follow that up with compounding and polishing. But that is the extreme solution. Try to remove them first with a machine DA polisher and a medium cut compound.