Car Detailing Tips: How to Remove Hard Water Stains

Hard water stains are the worst to try and get rid of and once they’ve been exposed to the sun, forget about it! They can seem impossible to get rid of without professional car detailing, but sometimes you need to do something to minimize the damage while you’re waiting for your next payday. We’re here to help! These few tips and tricks can help you remove hard water stains or at least minimize the damage while you wait for your next auto detailing appointment.

How do you get hard water stains?

Let’s talk about how these pesky little stains come to be. Hard water stains form any time your car comes into contact with water and the water is left to dry on the surface of the vehicle. Any of the following situations can lead to hard water stains:

• Not covering your car when it rains

• Forgetting to dry your car off once the rain stops

• Failing to dry your car off after you wash it

• Parking near an automated sprinkling system There are many more occasions where hard water can form, as well. Any time water is left to dry on your vehicle, you run the risk of getting hard water stains. To prevent this from happening, keep a microfiber cloth in your glovebox, and always be sure to thoroughly dry the surface of your vehicle when wet. There are also waxes that you can apply after you wash the vehicle that can help prevent hard water stains. This does not mean you’re guaranteed to never get them, however; always be sure to still dry your car thoroughly when wet.

Tips to remove hard water stains at home

Handling car detailing on your own can be tricky and risky; please do thorough research and view multiple tutorials before attempting to do it at home. Before attempting DIY car detailing, you should purchase the following:

• microfiber cloths

• hard water spot remover

• high-quality detailing spray

• car detailing detergent designed specifically for your vehicle’s paint

• car detailing detergent designed specifically for your vehicle’s fabric

• high-quality car wax

• bucket for water

Be sure to not apply hard water remover directly to the surface of your vehicle; instead, use a microfiber cloth, working it into a lather on the area with the hard water stain. Once that’s complete, apply the car detailing spray to the area treated with stain remover. After you’ve applied both the car detailing spray and hard water stain remover, you should wash your vehicle thoroughly. Dry off your vehicle thoroughly with your microfiber cloth and then apply wax to protect your vehicle further.

Why use wax?

We know what you’re thinking: Why bother with wax? Can’t I just skip that step and let the professionals handle it? You must apply wax to your vehicle and here’s why: waxing can help to prevent scratches, keep future hard water spots from forming, and help protect your paint from fading. You should never leave off the step of applying wax to your vehicle after car detailing.

Hard water stains can be almost impossible to get rid of without the help of a professional auto detailer. If you’re waiting for your next paycheck to come through to book car detailing services, you want to try and minimize as much damage as possible. We still recommend getting professional detailing services after this method as it is a treatment, but not a cure.