Hard Water Spot Removal

The Crescenta Valley sprinkler problem

Our foothill water is mineral heavy, and sprinkler systems along parkways and front lawns mist street-parked cars almost nightly in summer. Each droplet dries into a small deposit of dissolved minerals, and in this sun that happens fast. Left alone, those minerals etch into your paint and glass over time, and at that point no wash will touch them.

How I remove them

Depending on how far the spots have progressed, I work through three methods: acid-based chemicals that dissolve the minerals and get rinsed immediately, clay bar treatment with plenty of lubrication to pull deposits off the surface, and machine polishing when the spots have begun etching into the clear coat.

Chemical removal is $35. If machine polishing is required, I quote it per area, and I reapply wax protection after polishing so the corrected paint does not sit bare. You will know the price prior to my beginning work, as nobody likes surprises!

One prevention tip I give every customer: if you can't avoid parking near sprinklers, it's crucial to remove water spots before they have time to bake into the surface. A sealant on clean paint also buys you real time, because the minerals sit on the sealant instead of your clear coat.