hammersavette

What's up my forum friends, I have an all-black 2016 z06 with ceramic coating. Had to leave it outside when I visited my relatives and it rained and rained hard!!!!!, very hard water. The next week I washed my car and I noticed that my vinyl stripes had water spots. I can't get them out. Can anyone help me because they look really bad, especially under streetlights. HELP PLEASE......

Travlee

i would try a vinegar/water mix. i know vinegar clears the hard water build up out of my keurig

StayinStock

I wouldn't recommend vinegar or anything acidic... you want to use PH neutral products on vinyl. Try this:




Maybe use a clay bar with it lightly. Should help

Travlee

ah... wasnt thinking about the acid properties on vinyl. good call

Gixxerman

Moving you here...

yamabob

You can use a vinegar and distilled water solution on the vinyl . Mix 50/50 , mist, let dwell for 30 seconds and gently wipe with a clean micofiber. You may need to repeat

Vetteman Jack

Don’t have the water spot problem in vinyl stripes, but good to know what may help take them off if it does happen.

C7.R 004

I use a mixture of distilled water and 5-10% rubbing alcohol, with a clean mf towel.
After I dust it.
YMMV

Thrash

Panel prep usually can get spots off after a wash, I use Feynlab's

Kangarew

Rain water is almost never hard water (dissolved solids). It’s much more likely to be stained by acid rain (sulfuric acid). If so, vinegar will only compound the problem. I would first try the clay bar on the stripes using a quality detail spray. If that doesn’t help, then I would try a PH neutral cleaner or soap. If acid rain, your stripes MAY have to be replaced. Either way, let us know how it worked out.

Save the wave and don’t text & drive,

StayinStock

Yeah agreed, anything acidic will dry out the vinyl and lessen its lifespan. Factory vinyl is arguably a little tougher than aftermarket stuff but only just... I tell my customers to treat it the same way they treat installed vinyl stripes/wraps.

yamabob

Total nonsense. A solution of water and vinegar will NOT dry out the vinyl, nor degrade it as it is not soaking in vinyl. As a certified 3M wrapper, I have used a vinegar /water mixture for years .
3M vinyl is made to withstand mild alkali’s and acid’s ( PH range of 3-11). Vinegar-considered a weak acid, is ph based around 2.5 in non diluted form.
As for rain water, acidic rain can dissolve minerals in the air as well as on the surface of the vehicle. Once disolved, they will leave a mineral ring behind. The longer they sit, and get rained on, the more water will accumulate around the deposits and lead to larger deposits which can etch into the paint. It is always best to remove as soon as you can

yamabob

Teaching people rivets while wrapping

StayinStock

That may be true for 3m but being an installer I'm sure you know as well as I do not all vinyl is created equal. That's why I'd rather be safe than sorry which is why we recommend nothing but PH Neutral products.

yamabob

I was 3M certified, but did many many jobs with Avery and MacTac as well. Do what ya want. But when comments are made without experience or knowledge-well.

StayinStock

Im 3m certified too and speaking from experience lol, but I wont argue with you. I agree, do as you please. Best of luck OP, hopefully you resolved your issue.

yamabob

Did ya have fun wrapping that *** end? I did mine at one point. Sure had fun

justplainjim

Serious question: white or cider vinegar or doesn't it matter?

yamabob

Well unless your stripes look tasty , use white

BOM_GTO

I would try some kind of car polish. Some kind of swirl remover. I’ve had first hand experience with bug stains on a c8 stripe. Couldn’t quite get all of it off but it definitely helps.