Leave it on for just a few seconds before wiping it away with a clean towel and rinsing the panel thoroughly with water.Įxamine the surface and apply it in the remaining troubled spots. Instead, spray the solution into your microfiber tower, then quickly work it into the mineral deposits. The acid is highly corrosive to glass, rubber, and plastic trim, so you don’t want any overspray. You also don’t want to use it on bare metal wheels, as it will quickly corrode aluminum, chrome, and steel.ĭon’t spray directly onto the car. Always spot test in a less visible area first to make sure it’s not too aggressive on your clear coat. Make sure it’s diluted 1 to 4 with distilled water. It will eat through the clear coat and base layer, attacking the metal directly. Hydrofluoric acid is too strong to use in pure form. You want to be using this product in a well-ventilated area with full protection equipment - gloves, eyewear, and a respirator. This usually contains hydrofluoric acid, which is highly corrosive, as it’s intended to clean thick brake dust deposits which are strongly basic.Ī word of warning: As it reacts to the mineral deposits, the acid will neutralize and release toxic gasses right into your face. If nothing else works, it’s time for the big gun - wheel acid.

Work one panel at a time for best results. When you remove all water stains from the body panel, rinse it thoroughly to remove all vinegar and mineral traces as well. If the mineral deposits are too tough, you can add more vinegar to your solution, scrub it in, and leave it sitting a little longer. If there are still water spots, give it another go and see how far you get. Then, wipe it away with a clean microfiber towel. Spray your body panel generously and leave it to sit for a couple of minutes so that it can penetrate deep down and dissolve the mineral deposits. To tone it down, you need to mix with equal parts distilled water and put it in a spray bottle.

With a pH of 2.5, white vinegar is fairly acidic, which can be too aggressive on your clear coat. White vinegar contains natural acetic acid, which will readily dissolve calcium carbonate and other minerals. You wouldn’t believe it, but one of the most effective solutions for hard water stains and mineral deposits is white vinegar.

How to get paint off my car