Hard water car wash solution?

[dodge man]

So this is a problem I’ve had washing my car at home. We have three vehicles one of which is a Dodge Challenger that is black. It’s the car that wants to spot from hard water. I recently bought a foam cannon and use a wash and then a rinse product that helps, then immediately pull it in my garage and dry it down but still get some water spotting.

I bought a TDS meter and untreated water shows a little over 500. We have a water softener in the house and it tests higher than the unsoftened water. After doing some reading I learned this is normal, the water softener replaces “bad” water hardness with good so I’m convinced it’s working normally. Do to some logistics it’s difficult to wash the car at the house but possible.

I realize this is a problem only a car nut would worry about but I’m looking for something I can hook up in my shop for a rinse of my car that won’t spot. I looked on Amazon and didn’t really find a result I was sure would help. I can keep going to the car wash but they keep jacking up the price. Anybody have a first hand solution with a specific product?

 

[zzvyb6]

Pressure washer with 'spot remover' injection.

 

[MossRoad]

...Anybody have a first hand solution with a specific product?

I'd like to hear about that as well.

We have soft water spigot on the side of our house. That's about the only way I can keep them from spotting. I've tried rinses, etc., but the general consensus amongst my car buddies is to get a soft water spigot.

 

[George2615]

I have the same hard water problem. Also have a water softener but still get water spots.

I have two classic cars and after washing and drying I find I still have to go over the entire car with Maguires quick detailer (or your brand of choice) with microfiber towel to buff out the water spots.

I've seen ads for some kind of finish (possibly ceramic finish) that forces water to run off and not let it bead up and dry as spots but haven't tried it yet.

 

[MossRoad]

There are some interesting videos out there.

Mostly, they tell you to wax your car well in the first place with ceramic coatings and that'll let most of the water run off to begin with. Soft water if available, portable deionizers, and shade.

 

[dodge man]

I have the same hard water problem. Also have a water softener but still get water spots.

I have two classic cars and after washing and drying I find I still have to go over the entire car with Maguires quick detailer (or your brand of choice) with microfiber towel to buff out the water spots.

I've seen ads for some kind of finish (possibly ceramic finish) that forces water to run off and not let it bead up and dry as spots but haven't tried it yet.

I ceramic coated my car recently and bought a ceramic rinse product with my foam cannon. It still wants to spot.

 

[George2615]

I ceramic coated my car recently and bought a ceramic rinse product with my foam cannon. It still wants to spot.
View attachment 874384

Is that ceramic wash and coat just sprayed on? The product I've seen is applied by hand as you would a good wax then residue is wiped off with microfiber towel. I tried a similar product using my foam cannon but then hosed off and still got spots. I think the only way to achieve success is to hand apply ceramic coat finish and wipe off with towel. Hand applied wax is good but allows water to bead then spot.

 

[dodge man]

The ceramic wash and coat is just sprayed on with a foam cannon and then rinsed off. I also used a ceramic wax that I applied with a machine buffer.

 

[mrmikey]

I realize this is a problem only a car nut would worry about.....

I'm not a car nut (just a general nut LOL) and I have the same problem. Only thing I've I've found that prevents the hard water spot staining is that immediately after I've washed it, I have to put it in the garage and use Turtle Wax dry and wax, or similar spray and with a microfibre cloth use the spray and dry it off. My trucks been ceramic coated which didn't do anything as far as water stains was concerned.

 

[George2615]

I just watched a video to use a portable water deionizer that removes minerals in the water along with special low Ph car wash soap. Then rinse and blow dry the remainder of the water off.
Deionizer price is too much for me to spend so I guess I'll keep doing what I have been. Another video says to use the deionizer to rinse the car after washing as it would get expensive replacing the resin if used to wash and rinse.

 

[turbo36]

Expensive, but it really works. Wash, rinse, blow dry - no spots on a black car!

DI Rinse Pro 100 Spot Free Rinse System

Get 4,000 gallons of DI water per cubic foot of resin based on incoming water of 110 ppm TDS. D.I. Rinse Pro 100 System is a fiberglass, professional-grade water treatment tank, capable of being mounted alongside your pressure washer on a trailer or on a dolly. D.I. Rinse Pro 100 System...

dirinse.com

 

[dodge man]

Turbo36 that’s kind of what I had in mind. It’s just more than I’m willing to spend.

 

[sd455dan]

I have the same hard water problem. Also have a water softener but still get water spots.

I have two classic cars and after washing and drying I find I still have to go over the entire car with Maguires quick detailer (or your brand of choice) with microfiber towel to buff out the water spots.

I've seen ads for some kind of finish (possibly ceramic finish) that forces water to run off and not let it bead up and dry as spots but haven't tried it yet.

That is what I do with the new car using the $17 Cerakote ceramic paint sealer. It is pretty hydrophobic after sitting overnight. I have been using a Toro plug in high power leaf blower to dry the car immediately after washing, it works pretty well. But Black is tougher than almost anything else. Not sure if the Cerakote will get rid of hard water spotting, but I do notice most of the water runs right off now and the blower gets most of the rest.

 

[YanmarFever]

How about collecting rain water and rinsing off with that.
Someone told me thats how they wash their car and they collect it off the gutter, into a 275 tote.

 

[steve tym]

I use a 4" x 20" deionizing cartridge to rinse my car. Pretty cost efficient.

 

[dodge man]

How about collecting rain water and rinsing off with that.
Someone told me thats how they wash their car and they collect it off the gutter, into a 275 tote.

I’ve given that some thought. I’ve already got the tote too. I’d have to rig up some kind of pump.

 

[dodge man]

I use a 4" x 20" deionizing cartridge to rinse my car. Pretty cost efficient.

Do you know what brand? How long do they last?

 

[steve tym]

Do you know what brand? How long do they last?

It's a Pentek 4.5 x 20. Capacity of 1850 grains. I also run a water softener cartridge before it. I think the D.I. cartridges are over $100, so you want the water as clean as possible going into it, hence the softener cartridge first.

 

[JPRambo]

Would an under sink RO system with a 275 gallon storage work? They are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Upwards of 50 gallons a day. Just a question in my mind.

 

[dodge man]

I think just about anything would be better, I think it’s just the final rinse I need to be soft water.