# Removing hard water stains from car door

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 15, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152 "2007-08-15T15:40:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![havingflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dfb087/32.png) [@havingflies](https://community.cartalk.com/u/havingflies)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/1 "2007-08-15T15:40:00Z")

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I lent my car to a friend and it sat in the driveway and got hit by her sprinklers daily for 2 weeks. Now I cannot get the hard water spots off the car paint. I tried Turtle wax restorative car polish and it didn’t work. Any suggestions

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**Author:** ![lprocter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lprocter/32/40_2.png) [@lprocter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lprocter)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/2 "2007-08-15T16:42:34Z")

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I’m assuming you tried washing it with a decent car wash and a brush or mitt?

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**Author:** ![lprocter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lprocter/32/40_2.png) [@lprocter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lprocter)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/3 "2007-08-15T16:43:45Z")

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Oh, maybe try vinegar mixed with water. Check on a hidden place first, I’m not sure if vinegar will damage the paint. Probably not, but just be sure.

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/4 "2007-08-15T17:00:55Z")

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The marks from hard water yield easily to acidic solutions. ?Scrubbing with vinegar is the usual method. Vinegar will not damage the paint.

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**Author:** ![havingflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dfb087/32.png) [@havingflies](https://community.cartalk.com/u/havingflies)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/5 "2007-08-16T23:56:30Z")

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Thanks so much… I was thinking of trying that. Same goes for the windows??

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**Author:** ![havingflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dfb087/32.png) [@havingflies](https://community.cartalk.com/u/havingflies)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/6 "2007-08-16T23:57:18Z")

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Thank you. others suggested same. I will give it a try right now. Appreciate the help

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**Author:** ![grampy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a9adbd/32.png) [@grampy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/grampy)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/7 "2007-08-17T00:28:32Z")

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WD-40

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2007, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/removing-hard-water-stains-from-car-door/3152/8 "2007-08-17T02:10:54Z")

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Yes, same for the windows.