What takes hard-water spots off?

[Psychlone]

Ok...here's the scenario.
I park at a store waay back in the back of the lot so that I can admire my truck all the way there and all the way back to it (aside from the obvious 'don't want anything to hit it' reasons)
While I'm in the store (about 2 hours) the sprinkler systems turned on and sprayed water down the driver's side (backed into a corner, lawn and flowers/etc. down that same side and behind my truck)

Ok, so the water is harder than anything I've ever seen. I live in a small town, and our water hardness is medium (about 174ppm total dissolved solids - yep, I actually test water cause I wanna see what I'm drinking!)
There must have been some contamination or something wrong with the water at this place, 'cause these spots can't be removed with:

1) Soap and water
2) Detergent and water
3) Turtle Wax Clear-Coat Polish (and swirl remover w/ automatic buffer)
4) Good 'ol Rubbing Compound (by hand & with auto buffer)
5) Meguire's Clay Bar (with detailing *and* cleaner wax)
6) LIME AWAY (yep...out of frustration, I actually used Lime Away, which actually helped quite a bit, but not enough, and I certainly don't dare use more without some sort of consensus on if it's safe or not!
7) Turtle wax ICE (on this last round I actually used an automatic buffer)

THEY'RE STILL THERE!!!!!! (yep...I went over my ENTIRE truck 9 times...the passenger side is a mirror...the driver's side is like a mirror WITH SPOTS ON IT!!!! Arrrrrggggggggggg!

Ok, just short of Muriatic acid, what can I get these spots off with? I'm just about to go use some distilled vinegar on my windshield...it's so hard to see through because of the water spots, I'm going NUTZZ!!

Ideas? (I mean besides a shooting rampage in the manager's office at the store)

Thanks for any input!

Psychlone

[Psychlone]

Update:
Distilled Vinegar doesn't work.
91% Rubbing Alcohol doesn't work.
MORE Lime Away doesn't work.

Is there something that I'm missing? Maybe a WIRE BRUSH and some 100grit sandpaper?

!!!

Psychlone

**UPDATE #3**

Pure 100% Ammonia doesn't work
Baking Soda doesn't work
Brillo Pad doesn't work with *any* of the above

(keep in mind that I'm still talking about the glass...the paint is next - after I find out what removes water spots from glass, and only if it's safe on paint!)

Psychlone

[sudden urge]

I always had success using a cleaner wax, not a polish. Cleaner wax has a very mild abrasive in it. Not to be used on glass though.

[SOCALTITANKC4X4LE]

Go to a Detail Supply store. They will sell you what you need. Or have your Truck detailed.

[37L1]

This site might offer some solutions:

http://autopia.org/forum/

[HudsonValleyTitan]

If rubbing compound didn't work, then you're SOL. Take it to a local body shop and ask them for advise.

[killcatzforfun]

rain-x maybe ? lol and isnt sprinkler water reclaimed or pond water ????

[Carbeaux]

Originally Posted by killcatzforfun

rain-x maybe ? lol and isnt sprinkler water reclaimed or pond water ????

Not always or even most of the time. Most often around here it's tap water. Just like you'd get from the faucet in your kitchen. The kind of water you speak of requires special permits IIRC. Some of the golf courses around here do use that type though.

On topic. I can't believe lime away nor vinegar do the trick. Around here all our water is pretty hard. Either of those would knock it out.

[Papa_D]

I feel for ya man. If that were my truck, I would get myself a Porter Cable some proper pads and some Menzerna heavy cut and Menzerna final polish and go to it. All this can be had at Properautocare.com. If those guys don't know it, then it probably wasn't worth knowing so give them a call on their toll free number and they will hook you up. Good luck man.

[bigtit]

Sorry to tell you but i read in a magazine that some water spots are perminent and actualy etch the surface. It said some hard water contains alot of crap and when the water evaporates it concentrates and eventualy etches the glass or surface its on. It was in a Motor magizine that gets sent to the auto shop i work at. Hopefull this is not your case but it sounds like your stuck with the spots.

[Psychlone]

Thanks for all the advice...got some research to do apparently!

I also know water spots to destroy paint...it evaporates and whatever is leftover gets permanently attached to the surface.

I've tried like Hell to get this off...it's amazing to me because I use the same water to wash my truck EVERY time I wash it (and some would say it's obsessive!) - but somethings different this time.

I'm going to go to a local glass place tomorrow and see what they recommend...I'm sure they've seen it and have something special that will tear it off the glass.
As for the paint, it's not too bad, and I don't dare buff it too much because the paint on these Titans is soooo thin.
But, my buddies have a paint shop, and I'm sure they can recommend something that'll work.
Once I find out what works, I'll post back in this thread just so anyone else that runs into a freak occurrence like this one can know the answer!

Again, thanks for all the replies Brothers!!!

Psychlone

[Nissan Mike]

I use a boat produce called "Ducky" to remove hard water spots from my boat when they have baked in the sun on the Colorado river,and have always had good results.It is available at any marine shop.But I don't know with the arsenal you have already tried,maybe this won't even work.http://www.duckyproducts.com/water_spot_remover.php

It may be time for a high end detail shop to acid wash it and polish it out,
I have seen this in rare cases be very successful

[Fox Delta]

cut a lemon in half and pour salt on the lemon then lightly rub over the water spots - add salt and squeeze lemon as needed to make it kinda of like a paste -- use light pressure and lots of movement.

I used my car wash gel directly on wet terry towel to get the water spots off my truck - the car wash has conditioners/softeners in it...

[jsethmor]

1st off been a long time lurker on TT. Secondly and most important is your question. I would use Turtle wax's Extreme (cleaner wax) on your paint spots, and on the glass I would use Bar Keepers Friend, it's like comet but without the bleach. Use it only on the glass. You can get it at any major grocery store. It is in a can shaped just like comet but it has a goldish label on it. I used it on my classic cars windows so it's safe just follow the directions.

[boya544]

Originally Posted by Psychlone

Thanks for all the advice...got some research to do apparently!

I also know water spots to destroy paint...it evaporates and whatever is leftover gets permanently attached to the surface.

I've tried like Hell to get this off...it's amazing to me because I use the same water to wash my truck EVERY time I wash it (and some would say it's obsessive!) - but somethings different this time.

I'm going to go to a local glass place tomorrow and see what they recommend...I'm sure they've seen it and have something special that will tear it off the glass.
As for the paint, it's not too bad, and I don't dare buff it too much because the paint on these Titans is soooo thin.
But, my buddies have a paint shop, and I'm sure they can recommend something that'll work.
Once I find out what works, I'll post back in this thread just so anyone else that runs into a freak occurrence like this one can know the answer!

Again, thanks for all the replies Brothers!!!

Psychlone

Since the sprinklers were in a commercial area.Maybe the watering system uses recycled or reclaimed water which has a very high mineral content. I know that is the case around here in So. Cali.You dont want to be around the sprinklers at the parks or some industrial areas.