Water spots are a little something we encounter all the time in the surface protection world, and whether you know it or not, you do too. Ever wondered what that powdery substance on your car was? The tiny spots of residue build up on the front display windows of your business? The residue making your shower doors powdery?
Those are water spots and they look like this:
They can erode your surface, ruin your paint and create an unsightly, overall image. They are pretty ugly. If you are familiar with water spots, you know that they are often caused by hard water, or rather, water with high mineral content. And as you can imagine, knowing that water is in fact the fluid we use to clean, water spots are pretty annoying to get rid of.
How do you get water spots and why are they damaging?
Water spots are the result of, none other than, water. The source of life and an essential cleaning item! When it comes to surface protection, we need water, so it’s annoying that water can actually cause this much damage. We generally find three types of water spots, and depending on how long they are neglected will determine the type of damage you can expect.
Hard water spots come from a high amount of minerals in your water. These minerals are most often high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. They get left behind after water evaporates and leave a white powdery appearance. When combined with soap and left too long, it can create a harder substance that often leads to mildew or mold. Over 80% of households are estimated to have hard water, and this can lead to problems with your windows, bathrooms, cars and boats, especially after rinsing them off.
When it comes to paint, well it can be a slow, sad ending. When water is left to dry on your surface, let's say the surface of your car, it leaves a powdery substance that looks a lot like a little crater. As this continues to happen the paint slowly forms a sort of cavity, with the water returning to the familiar grooves and eroding the surface over time. The tiny hole gets bigger and bigger until the previously annoying water spots become chipped and damaged paint. We call this etching and the severe damage from it over time can be costly despite it being entirely preventable.
Bonded water spots or bonded minerals come from water that quite literally bonds to your surface. Because of a higher concentration of more harmful minerals, these types of water spots can severely erode the surface. These harsher minerals are usually high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids, often from rain water, and they can result in even worse damage.
These ugly spots erode, lighten, or discolor a surface if left untreated. And that’s why we love WSP!
Why we recommend our water spot remover:
First of all, It works, very, very well. Check out this before and after with WSP:
There are some easy solutions like covering your car or drying the surface after getting it wet. But sometimes, the rainy season comes and doesn’t stop or you just get busy. So it never hurts to have a good removal option available.
Our water spot remover WSP is a super fast and easy to use product. It's a simple wipe on rinse off process and that’s why we love it. And yeah we did say rinse, because this acidic mixture cleans and allows you to use your readily available water without leaving new spots. But here are some key benefits:
Removes tough water spots, scale, mineral build-up and stains. Think of the residue on your shower head, the side of your pool and more. This product removes these spots with ease.
It’s safe to use in the sun! Some chemicals can’t be left to dry in the sun without hurting the surface. Plus, given that WSP works to remove water and the water spot residue, you don’t need to fear a nice warm sun-dry.
Instantly beautifies your surface. Don’t worry about buffing and touching up your surface after using WSP It’s designed to be as easy as wipe on, rinse off and walk away.
Safe on most surfaces! We encourage safely testing any product on your surface before using it. But we know this product works just about everywhere, except on aluminum. While it can be used on some aluminum, test and make sure first!
We like transparency here so we are here to tell you that there are alternatives!
Vinegar. Ah vinegar. We are a team that appreciates the value of a great homemade vinegar solution. It’s a super acid! It can help remove smells and mold, can be a natural pesticide, helps sanitize surfaces and certainly has been used throughout time to remove water spots. Like WSP, it's an acidic mix that can help remove those tough spots. Generally, we find it requires a little more elbow grease, but that’s okay for many vinegar loyalists!
CLR is a faithful household product that can come as a spray or a gel. For CLR fans, we understand that they are quite faithfully in the business of removing Calcium, Lime and Rust.
We tend to find that our product is a great compliment to these if not a great substitute. Unlike a vinegar solution, WSP can get tougher stains and is much easier to use. CLR can cover a lot of ground but it can be a thankless gel and harsher chemical for some.
Whether you are looking for a replacement or partner for your water spot woes, WSP is a great option. It’s fun and easy to use, offers some great benefits and can be a slightly easier chemical on your surfaces.
Plus given it’s ease, we find our customers can get in the routine of removing and preventing spots so much easier rather than waiting for that awful mineral build up!
How to apply our WSP:
Like we said, it’s so easy. Check out this quick video for a visual how-to.
But we want to break it down for you too!
Step 1: Get your supplies:
- 1 bottle of WSP
- A clean microfiber towel or terry cloth (at least 2)
- Water and a wet towel
- Hose or sprayer for rinsing.
And that’s it! We recommend microfiber towels because they are very smooth on surfaces. But feel free to choose your towel of choice.
Step 2: Get your gear and run a test:
We always recommend testing any product on new surfaces. Get a protective mask and gloves and test in an inconspicuous place to make sure the surface works with our product. It’s an acid, so wear protective clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Think of the way you might protect against bleach.
Step 3: Mixing and usage:
Mix a 1:1 solution of WSP to water. For stubborn or tough stains and spots use without diluting!
Step 4: Apply and rinse:
Shake up your bottle of WSP And drip contents onto a microfiber towel until it’s damp (not dripping). Wipe the spotted and stained areas. Rinse!
Step 5: Check for residue and store:
If you see any residue left, wipe that off with a clean towel. Check for perfection and store WSP in a cool dry location for next time.
Where you can use our WSP:
Everywhere! We really think outside of the box when we think of how great our products are. Here are some places you may be thinking of and a few that might surprise you...
Windows: Car windows, house windows, bathroom windows, storefront windows, boat windows and just about any other window. This product is a great solution for a clearer view and easier maintenance. Wipe and rinse with so much more of a guaranteed shine.
Car Paint: This is an easy one to remember. Most people, especially with darker cars, struggle with water spots on their vehicles and experience the harsh effects on their paint. On paint, the effect of water spots can be nasty, so we think this product is great for preventing paint fading, chipping and warping on cars.
Glass shower doors: We are all familiar with the shower door squeegee, that never seems to fully remove water and still doesn’t help with the calcium build up at the edges? Yeah, we think WSP was made to battle with the shower squeegee and win.
Pool scale build up: Pools have some chemicals in them! And even with a tarp sometimes, they just get dirty. It’s not uncommon to see those white powdery lines and stains along the edges. WSP is great for year round pool cleaning and maintenance.
Boats and boat hulls: With boats primarily functioning in water, water spots are common. Whether you are dealing with fresh or saltwater buildup we understand the woes of cleaning off your boat. This product is great for larger objects because of how easily it rinses off the surface and takes the water spots with it.
Faucets, shower heads and drains: As we mentioned before, when combined with soap, hard water minerals that are stuck to your surface can become gross. It can turn into mildew or build up into a harder crust over time. Our WSP Can help eliminate this build up and protect your bathrooms and kitchens.
Tile, sinks and ceramic surfaces: Whether your tile looks a little grimy or your sink has some water stains, a little water spot remover will help eliminate this build up and keep your hard surfaces looking wonderful.
Your hot water pot? Check the bottom of the inside of your kettle. Those white circles are water spots and you don’t have to live with them!
Why WSP should be in your workshop and your tool kit:
It has its own amazing benefits. Our WSP is designed to work in the sun, be easy to apply and remove virtually any hard and soft water spots with our super easy wipe / on rinse off application. It’s made with only a few ingredients, and unlike some other products that might be thicker gels or stronger chemicals, we like to think we hit a sweet spot on this product.
It’s a great compliment to what you already use! If vinegar just isn’t doing it, or you like to use an easier product for smaller problems we think WSP can actually help your other products keep your cleaning routine highly effective.
It works really well and super fast. You can literally watch water roll off your surface with all that scum and mineral build up. In the detailing world, it’s an instantly satisfying process. There’s nothing quite like the sweet combination of minimal effort and fast pay off when you’re cleaning.
We at Undrdog are always happy when we can help keep your life clean, protected and insured for the future.
Thanks for reading our first product spotlight post! Stay tuned for our next blog on applying a ceramic coating! It’s going to be packed with information and tons of useful DIY tips.
