Need Help! How do you get rid of water spots?

[cyber415]

I've been trying to get rid of these water spots for a couple of weeks - with no luck. They are all over the truck.


Here's what I have tried so far:
- Regular car soap wash
- Windex
- 70% Alcohol
- ONR Car wash: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG9FK2M?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

None of these have been able to remove those water spots.

I have this Bar Keeper's Friend Soft Cleanser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JGZ1XSP?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

But I have not used it yet because of this video:

It says don't use BKP because it scratches the stainless steel. In a subsequent video, he had to repolish the steel to get it back to normal:

Any advice on what to do to get rid of these water spots without harming the steel?

-- UPDATE -- SOLVED
I'm back! From your advice - I tried a couple of things and finally found a way to get rid of the water spots.

• White vinegar & Microfiber cloth - Did not work
• Bar Keepers Friend Spray foam cleaner & Microfiber cloth - Did not work
• CitriSurf 77 & Microfiber cloth - Did not work
  
  
• Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser& Microfiber cloth -This worked!
  • I just softly rubbed it around with the microfiber, not much effort was needed to remove those water spots
  • After application with microfiber, I wiped off area with another microfiber
  • Then sprayed with Windex and wiped off with another microfiber

No scratching, looks great.

--

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[agordon117]

"Barkeeper's Friend MORE" (spray bottle) is the stuff you can use that does not have a cutting agent in it and will not cause scratches.

 

[agordon117]

Side note, I just watched that guy's video... there's zero chance that the liquid BKF caused that much scratching. I have some tough areas on my truck where I used it, and you couldn't even tell the difference between where I used the spray or the liquid. He's lying. He probably used green or red scotchbrite with his liquid BKF and doesn't want to admit it.

 

[agordon117]

Sorry for the triple post, but I want to make sure people already following along see the post.

This guy really is not smart. What happened here is the tesla tech told him "use maroon and then blue scotchbrite pads with this process".

You should never need to do that part of the process unless you have caused scratches to your truck, or have some other issue that will not come out with normal methods. Just using the soft polishing pad plus spray BKF should be a very quick way to get rid of most issues.

Okay, well, this guy found these and assumed this must be what the tech was talking about.

However, there is more than one kind of blue scotchbrite. I believe this is the stuff the tech meant. EDIT: Seems to not be correct. Maroon alone is a fine enough finish to match or be better than factory finish. In any case, the above blue non scratch pad would do nothing to the finish of the truck in any context, and is not a part of the refinishing process.

Granted the names in the below image on mcmaster do not match the names that 3m applies to scotchbrite, the colors do match what I believe is supposed to be used.



I'm gonna try the process tomorrow or this weekend. I have a few bad spots on my truck that look terrible. Two of my doors completely don't match the rest of the truck, as if they were not finished to the same level as the other panels. It makes the less shiny doors look like a completely different color than the more shiny doors when in a parking lot.

I also have fingerprints on both edges of all 4 doors that were present upon delivery, and absolutely will not come out. My best guess is someone carried the door(s) while it was off of the truck, and had something on their hands that etched the steel. Service doesn't believe me when I tell them that I have tried glass cleaner, alcohol, bkf spray, bkf liquid, citrisurf 77, and acetone to remove them. For the sake of their own scheduling I've tried to tell them that they may need to sand the truck, but they would rather plan as though it will take them 2 seconds to do something I've already tried to remove those fingerprints. *shrugs* All of the fingerprints that I've added since delivery come right off, and are a dark gray color. But the ones present at delivery are lighter than the steel. It's super weird.

I'm mostly interested in finding out if the spray bkf plus that soft buffing pad will remove the bronze colored edges on my doors. I don't seem to be making a dent into the discoloration (that was not present at delivery) by hand with a microfiber and BKF spray. But that buffer looks like it will help a lot. That's the biggest issue I've run into while cleaning with BKF is you only have 60 seconds before you're supposed to take it off, and doing any sort of real scrubbing in that amount of time restricts you to a super small area at a time, and it still feels like you don't get much scrubbing done at all. But with the buffing pad on the orbital polisher it should make really quick work of large sections of steel at a time.

 

[Mini2nut]

It’s pretty obvious that the CC in the video is a not mechanically inclined. He should not be allowed to touch power tools.

Your suggestion mirrors mine. Liquid BKF and blue ScotchBrite pads should easily remove stubborn water spots.

Whenever my non-FS Cybertruck arrives I plan on performing the following:

-Remove all traces of iron fallout with Iron-X
-With hose in hand scrub down one panel at a time with BKF and blue ScotchBrite pad
-Dry truck and let it sit in the sun for the remainder of the day
-Follow instructions and apply ProtectaClear resin

Enjoy my Cybertruck for many years until a re-coat is required.

 

[Cyber_P]

I've been trying to get rid of these water spots for a couple of weeks - with no luck. They are all over the truck.


Here's what I have tried so far:
- Regular car soap wash
- Windex
- 70% Alcohol
- ONR Car wash: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG9FK2M?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

None of these have been able to remove those water spots.

I have this Bar Keeper's Friend Soft Cleanser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JGZ1XSP?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

But I have not used it yet because of this video:

It says don't use BKP because it scratches the stainless steel. In a subsequent video, he had to repolish the steel to get it back to normal:

Any advice on what to do to get rid of these water spots without harming the steel?

--

White vinegar and elbow grease. Wife learned this from a fridge company a few years back. Can't believe noone has tried it. I'll make a post later.

But use white vinegar and a microfiber cloth and then finish with a spray of alcohol and a fresh microfiber.

Got almost all of my spots out. Some weird drip marks and areas but I'm wrapping tomorrow so oh well!

 

[CyberGus]

However, there is more than one kind of blue scotchbrite

"...apply a mild, citric acid cleaner with a sponge or microfiber cloth to evenly saturate the entire area of the stainless-steel panel. Tesla recommends CitriSurf® 77 or equivalent.
CAUTION
Do NOT use anything other than the blue Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scour Pad to remove the cleaner. Doing so may scratch the vehicle’s surface."

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Publ...UID-E37F1326-EB87-4D02-9007-7034DB54C604.html

 

[CyberGus]

I'm mostly interested in finding out if the spray bkf plus that soft buffing pad will remove the bronze colored edges on my doors.

I had a bronze-ish "spot" right in the center of the frunk. I've eliminated it with BKF and the Blue scrubber, working gently and with repeated applications.

 

[agordon117]

I had a bronze-ish "spot" right in the center of the frunk. I've eliminated it with BKF and the Blue scrubber, working gently and with repeated applications.

yeah that "should" work but I tried 10 or so applications and the bronze spot didn't go away. I believe the soft buffing pad plus spray bkf (or citrisurf, it's pretty equivalent and I have used both) will make quick work of it though.

"...apply a mild, citric acid cleaner with a sponge or microfiber cloth to evenly saturate the entire area of the stainless-steel panel. Tesla recommends CitriSurf® 77 or equivalent.
CAUTION
Do NOT use anything other than the blue Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scour Pad to remove the cleaner. Doing so may scratch the vehicle’s surface."

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Publ...UID-E37F1326-EB87-4D02-9007-7034DB54C604.html

This is true, unless you have scratches, or other issues that no cleaner will remove (like the fingerprints that I have). If you are trying to refinish a panel like the person in that video, you need the abrasive kind of blue scotchbrite as the finishing pass over the maroon that he used. Not the non-scratch scouring pad. But this is why I put the disclaimer in my post, that you should not need to use the process that the video suggested beyond the soft pad plus spray bkf.

I was just pointing out that to use maroon scotchbrite (very coarse) and then a blue non scratch pad as the finishing step, is nonsensical. So the video must have been wrong about which blue scotchbrite to use in the context of refinishing.

 

[edc]

Sup! I figured it out. I too had a ton of water spots because I washed the car during a sunny day.

BK foam DID not work. I didn't want to use the more abrasive cleanser so I tried the softest polishing pad (black) and car polish and it removed everything without scratching.

 

[kewellxi]

I purchased a product called heavy duty water spot remover by chemical guys, but I am afraid to use it on my truck, so now it’s unopened.

My method is go to a touchless car wash, then wipe the water immediately with a few micro-fiber cloth. Looks good.

 

[cgladue]

I've been trying to get rid of these water spots for a couple of weeks - with no luck. They are all over the truck.


Here's what I have tried so far:
- Regular car soap wash
- Windex
- 70% Alcohol
- ONR Car wash: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG9FK2M?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

None of these have been able to remove those water spots.

I have this Bar Keeper's Friend Soft Cleanser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JGZ1XSP?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

But I have not used it yet because of this video:

It says don't use BKP because it scratches the stainless steel. In a subsequent video, he had to repolish the steel to get it back to normal:

Any advice on what to do to get rid of these water spots without harming the steel?

do you wash your truck in the direct sun ? do you towel dry it after you are done washing ?

 

[Cold.Truth]

My solution? Glad you asked. I don't wash my Cybertruck so I get no water spots. I let the dirt hide everything. I heard a comment that the CT looks like a tank. Well, tanks are only clean when they roll out of the factory and I've never seen a tank crew washing their tank. (I do appreciate the time & effort put into the "keep her clean" alternative solutions, though!) [asbestos suit = "on"]

 

[Cyber_P]

"...apply a mild, citric acid cleaner with a sponge or microfiber cloth to evenly saturate the entire area of the stainless-steel panel. Tesla recommends CitriSurf® 77 or equivalent.
CAUTION
Do NOT use anything other than the blue Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scour Pad to remove the cleaner. Doing so may scratch the vehicle’s surface."

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Publ...UID-E37F1326-EB87-4D02-9007-7034DB54C604.html

The citric acid stuff left a film and made fingerprints worse! And streaking. Bottle of isopropyl and a microfiber and you're golden on the road. Seriously.

Not my issue though! Just dropped off for wrapping.

 

[CyberGus]

The citric acid stuff left a film and made fingerprints worse! And streaking. Bottle of isopropyl and a microfiber and you're golden on the road. Seriously.

Not my issue though! Just dropped off for wrapping.

Acidic cleaners are not for daily use, I'm using them for spots/stains. I copiously hosed down the panel to neutralize and remove such chemicals.

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