Hard water stains on windshield

[gtstang462002]

Chemical guys hard water spot remover works well on glass and paint alike. Can't speak to it for film/PPF. It does take a little elbow grease to get it off. I use compound applicator pads and work small areas to remove it following their directions. Best part is Walmart started selling their products.

Side note, most front and rear windows have an anti shatter film built into them at the OEM level. Stops glass shards from going everywhere in the event of an impact. I believe that it is baked in the middle of the glass, but I cannot actually speak to that for a fact.

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[Jaredc]

Chemical guys hard water spot remover works well on glass and paint alike. Can't speak to it for film/PPF. It does take a little elbow grease to get it off. I use compound applicator pads and work small areas to remove it following their directions. Best part is Walmart started selling their products.

Side note, most front and rear windows have an anti shatter film built into them at the OEM level. Stops glass shards from going everywhere in the event of an impact. I believe that it is baked in the middle of the glass, but I cannot actually speak to that for a fact.

Yes, you are correct. Auto windshields have a plastic layer in the glass, but what I have is some sort of plastic film on the outside. It does great for preventing cracking from happening due to rock strikes, but looks terrible due to the hard water stains binding into the film. In my opinion, id rather deal with the insurance company replacing my windshield once a year due to chips and cracks vs dealing with a windshield I can barely see through.

 

[Jaredc]

I did some further searching on film-safe water spot removers. The only product I found was Xpel's.

https://www.xpel.com/shop/xpel-wate...ifQGL6qpwptD7Dn59OEDK_tV9SSI8WL&variant=55849

There are tons of water spot removers. I was specifically looking for statements of PPF and film.

I'm sure many other body panel or glass water spot removers can be used, in limited amounts and periods of time. But it's not the kind of thing most of us would want to experiment with. Some of these items are lightly acidic. Others are extremely acidic.

I ordered that Xpel so I'll post back the results.

 

[Skye]

It'll depend on how far you want to take any of this.

Hopefully, the spot remover will do just that: dissolve and lift any mineral deposits. Long-term you can study PPF-specific cleaners and decontamination soaps, something to use once in a while to keep the film peaked-up.

Good Luck.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

So is there PPF on the rest of the car? I can't imagine the dealer just putting that on your windshield and nowhere else. It doesn't make sense. My first thought was that is was shipping protection film that the dealer forgot to take off. Either way, I would take it in and have the dealer remove it. Or just do it yourself.

As far as a product goes, I've had good luck with this on my PPF. It takes some elbow grease or a polisher.

 

[Jaredc]

It'll depend on how far you want to take any of this.

Hopefully, the spot remover will do just that: dissolve and lift any mineral deposits. Long-term you can study PPF-specific cleaners and decontamination soaps, something to use once in a while to keep the film peaked-up.

Good Luck.

I'm praying it works. If it doesn't, I might either contact the dealership to remove it or just take it off myself. I simply can't drive safely with it how it is.

 

[Jaredc]

So is there PPF on the rest of the car? I can't imagine the dealer just putting that on your windshield and nowhere else. It doesn't make sense. My first thought was that is was shipping protection film that the dealer forgot to take off. Either way, I would take it in and have the dealer remove it. Or just do it yourself.

As far as a product goes, I've had good luck with this on my PPF. It takes some elbow grease or a polisher.

Yes, the film is only on the windshield. In fact, if you tap it with a fingernail, you can feel the texture of the film, kinda rubbery.

 

[Frogdog1]

Like others have said, I would take it to the dealer and demand they remove the film. If they balked, make it worth their time to remove it (be a dick about it and let them know you aren't going away until they do it). It may be time for force to be used.

 

[MAT1955]

@Jaredc ..... sorry to hear that. My next stop would be at the dealer telling him to get that $hit off my windshield or replace it. That's an idiotic move that could endanger you due to many different circumstances. I question the IQ of anyone who would do that.

 

[Jaredc]

@Jaredc ..... sorry to hear that. My next stop would be at the dealer telling him to get that $hit off my windshield or replace it. That's an idiotic move that could endanger you due to many different circumstances. I question the IQ of anyone who would do that.

I wonder how difficult it would be to have it removed myself?

 

[Dxm]

https://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garage-11017-Glass-Polish/dp/B004UQQNZG

I had a pretty deep scratch on my windshield that I leveled off with this product. Took several tries. It really works. I personally recommend this product. It should remove the discoloration in my experience.

In the future, you may want to coat the windshield so that rain water rolls off of it. There are products for that.

 

[Jaredc]

https://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garage-11017-Glass-Polish/dp/B004UQQNZG

I had a pretty deep scratch on my windshield that I leveled off with this product. Took several tries. It really works. I personally recommend this product. It should remove the discoloration in my experience.

In the future, you may want to coat the windshield so that rain water rolls off of it. There are products for that.

I don't think I can apply any of those products over the protective film that the dealership installed. Another poster replied to my original post saying that the film I have on my windshield is rather finicky, requiring extra care and maintenance. I did purchase Xpel which they recommended. Apparently it's a product designed to work on this film. If that fails I'll just drive down to the dealership Monday and get it removed.

 

[MAT1955]

@Jaredc ..... I would have the dealer remove it then they would be liable and they should know how to remove it. I would worry that if left on it would discolor over time. What I haven't heard of makes for too long a list but I haven't heard of a dealer applied windshield film. I have heard of guys in the Yukon applying films as they would lose a windshield a week due to rocks. Most just drive around with cracks all over their windshields - so do the cops. LOL

 

[myvaporblue5.0pony]

Sure glad my dealer followed my instructions for them to not add any thing like this to my car! That being said, the windshield with no film waterspots very easily and they’re a PITA to remove — until I got the following. It works GREAT and just takes a very light spray on a microfiber rag.

https://a.co/d/iMySDXz

I do not have film on my windows but I do have hard water stains on my back window where I tried to hand wash my car at home in the sun. Bad idea. I still have the annoying stains. I may try this product. Is it easy to use & get rid of hard water?

 

[DT-GT]

Easy and works great!

I do not have film on my windows but I do have hard water stains on my back window where I tried to hand wash my car at home in the sun. Bad idea. I still have the annoying stains. I may try this product. Is it easy to use & get rid of hard water?

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