Best way to remove water spots from chrome?

Eldorado2k

Eldorado2k

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Hey guys, yesterday I detailed a Dodge truck and after I was done I noticed there were some water spots on some areas of the running boards. It wasn't until the customer picked up the truck that I found out he had only purchased it 6 days ago and now I feel bad because I can't help but think I may have been at fault for them..

I used Meguiars Super Degreaser to clean the tires and may have let the rinse water sit too long afterwards. They're not crazy noticable but it still bugged me when I was done.

I didn't take close up pictures of them, but here's a couple pics of the truck/running boards to give an idea of the surface they're on. What would be a quik fix to remove them?

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I have an old bottle of Mothers Chrome Polish, but IMO it's never been good for anything, so I haven't given it much of a thought.
 
Magic Eraser might also worth considering. Did a good job cleaning up the chrome bumper on my Tacoma. Of course you may want to do a small test spot just in case.
 
Something to keep in mind is a lot of the "chrome" pieces on modern vehicles is actually plastic, so be careful using aggressive methods. I know on my wife's Hyundai there is "chrome" running below the doors, but it's actually plastic. Water spots can be an issue and I use that 3M product and they are gone instantly.
 
Or you could try ammonia free glass cleaners. They do work well on chrome wheels. Probably the gentlest route I could think of.
 
BrutalNoodle said:
Magic Eraser might also worth considering. Did a good job cleaning up the chrome bumper on my Tacoma. Of course you may want to do a small test spot just in case.
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That's something I hadn't thought of. I might give that a try.



custmsprty said:
Something to keep in mind is a lot of the "chrome" pieces on modern vehicles is actually plastic, so be careful using aggressive methods. I know on my wife's Hyundai there is "chrome" running below the doors, but it's actually plastic. Water spots can be an issue and I use that 3M product and they are gone instantly.
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I'd bet my life the steps on that Dodge are made of metal. They might be aluminum, but they're not plastic.



nothingface5384 said:
Spray wax takes them off..
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Yea but I'm looking for a permanent fix.



BrutalNoodle said:
Or you could try ammonia free glass cleaners. They do work well on chrome wheels. Probably the gentlest route I could think of.
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I tried D120 glass cleaner yesterday and it didn't take them off.
 
I wasn't specifically referring to those steps on the Dodge, but you also can't tell much from the pictures.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Hey guys, yesterday I detailed a Dodge truck and after I was done I noticed there were some water spots on some areas of the running boards. It wasn't until the customer picked up the truck that I found out he had only purchased it 6 days ago and now I feel bad because I can't help but think I may have been at fault for them..

I used Meguiars Super Degreaser to clean the tires and may have let the rinse water sit too long afterwards. They're not crazy noticable but it still bugged me when I was done.

I didn't take close up pictures of them, but here's a couple pics of the truck/running boards to give an idea of the surface they're on. What would be a quik fix to remove them?

View attachment 40222

View attachment 40223
Click to expand...
I personally find that the spots are not your fault,if you can't remove them with simple glass cleaner the day of detailing then more than likely spots were already on the finish.some chrome running boards are sensitive then others,try the least aggressive method by hand with a terry cloth and some fine polish.If no go you might want to get some fine steelwool and try with glass cleaner .
 
I mentioned steelwool before,you have to distinguish what is chrome or plastic chrome for that advice on steelwool.
 
The free way is using a lemon... it actually works... look it up... No chemicals needed, just a lemon...
 
Did you try vinegar? I've had good luck using it to remove water stains.
 
If you need a metal polish locally, you always have the option to pick up some Meguiar's DUB metal polish. It works pretty well.
 
The Guz said:
If you need a metal polish locally, you always have the option to pick up some Meguiar's DUB metal polish. It works pretty well.
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And that's supposed to be safe for all metal finishes right? I'd like to get some of that.
 
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