# How to fix a waxing error? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [July 6, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756 "2016-07-06T03:11:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HondaGuy70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@HondaGuy70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/HondaGuy70)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/1 "2016-07-06T03:11:23Z")
I washed my car, and then used a water-absorbing towel to dry off. I let it dry a bit more in the sun. Then I pulled it out of the sun to cool for two hours to cool down the body before waxing. Finally, I gave it a real nice waxing. When I pulled back into the sun, I noticed there are several visible water marks on the car’s body from the minerals in the hose water that had dried. I unknowingly waxed right over them. Tried gently rubbing, but they don’t come out. Re-waxing over the top of it didn’t help. So it appears now the water marks are temporarily protected under the wax? Any fix for this waxing mistake? ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/2 "2016-07-06T03:15:25Z")
What kind of wax did you use? ---
**Author:** ![HondaGuy70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@HondaGuy70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/HondaGuy70)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/3 "2016-07-06T03:16:17Z")
Mother’s Brazilian Carnauba. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/4 "2016-07-06T03:18:16Z")
Almost any polishing (cleaning) compound will cut through that and remove the water spots. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/5 "2016-07-06T03:43:40Z")
Be careful with the term “polishing compound”. It’s used to denote a micron-level abrasive used to final-finish new paint as well as often used for car waxes. “Compound” denotes the abrasive type. My suggestion would be to get a cleanser that removes wax (any parts store will have one), remove the wax and clean the spots, and start over. I’d avoid anything at all abrasive. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/6 "2016-07-06T04:16:06Z")
I’ve never used it, but I see that Rust-Oleum has a wax and tar remover for cars, so I guess you could use that to remove the wax, use a clay bar to remove the water spots, and wax again. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/7 "2016-07-06T04:36:27Z")
In the paint and body section at AutoZone, they have a wax stripper. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/8 "2016-07-06T04:46:34Z")
Clay kit by mcguire might work. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/9 "2016-07-06T05:49:03Z")
Is the water spot one you can see or one you can feel?? If you can feel it, it is a mineral deposit that will come off with a little white vinegar mixed half and half with water and a little car wash soap. Wash on, work it with a sponge and rinse. If its the type you can only see, it has etched the paint. Polishing compound will usually get it out. Really bad ones may actually need a little rubbing compound first, then polishing, then clearcoat polish and wax. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/10 "2016-07-06T06:13:39Z")
Excellent point as usual, Mustangman. +1 ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/11 "2016-07-06T06:25:51Z")
If it doesn’t bother you much, just leave it alone and deal with it at the next wax job. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 8:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/12 "2016-07-06T08:11:51Z")
Vinegar removes wax. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/13 "2016-07-06T17:40:28Z")
Yes, vinegar does remove wax, very effectively! Oddly enough, so does dish soap. That’s why car wash soaps are different. Washing with Dish soap is a great first step before a re-wax or a re-paint. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-fix-a-waxing-error/93756/14 "2016-07-06T18:27:19Z")
Depends on the dish soap. I used Ivory liquid for years and it never removed my wax. Dish soaps with citrus additives, “lemon scent” soaps, will remove the wax, however.