All Reasons Why Distilled Water Does Not Leave Water Spots

Everyone who regularly washes a vehicle has noticed water spots on the paint at least once.

There are lots of ways to remove them, but maybe it is better to avoid them altogether.

Is distilled water to way to go to avoid mineral residue on car paint?

Distilled water does not leave spots on vehicles after washing. The water is purified during a distillation process that removes organic materials, salts, and minerals from water. Given that distilled water does not contain minerals, water spots are not able to form.

This article details more about using distilled water to clean your automobile. Read this article to the end to learn more!

Table Of Contents

Does Distilled Water Leave Water Spots?

A freshly washed car looks and smells good; one can mistake it for being brand new even if it wasn’t.

However, the joy can be short-lived if you notice water spots after drying. So what can you do to prevent them?

Distilled water doesn’t leave water spots or stains. The distillation process removes impurities, minerals, and more from the water. The absence of hard water minerals in distilled water means it is unlikely to leave water spots.

The water is ideal for cleaning equipment, surfaces, and upholstery. It doesn’t have the minerals that hard water has: calcium and magnesium.

But what is the problem with mineral-laden water?

Why Should You Wash With Distilled and Not Hard Water?

The minerals in non-distilled water make it difficult to clean your car because they obstruct lather from forming when you use it to wash.

In addition, mineral deposits remain on surfaces after hard water has dried off, leaving chalky marks.

The marks can etch into surfaces and are stubborn to remove. Hence they should be avoided at all costs.

That is why distilled water could be the perfect solution to avoid water stains from forming on surfaces after washing.

Distillation removes minerals and impurities from water.

Therefore, stains don’t remain on the surface after using the purified water to clean surfaces.

Can I Use Distilled Water to Wash My Car?

Distilled water has long been used in medical procedures, laboratories, and cosmetics for various purposes.

Does that mean you can use it to clean your vehicle?

Distilled water can safely be used to clean vehicles. Actually, professional car detailers have been using distilled water for years. Given that distilled water does not contain minerals, it is perfect for cleaning delicate areas that can corrode quickly.

Distilled water lacks minerals; they are eliminated during the distillation process.

Hence, it is ideal for washing your car because the absence of minerals means scum isn’t formed in the water.

Your car shampoo’s cleaning capabilities remain intact, helping you wash your vehicle thoroughly, unlike if you had used hard water to clean.

Therefore, you are less likely to see water spots on your vehicle after cleaning it with distilled water, making it perfect for cleaning your vehicle.

But when do you use it when washing?

When to Use Distilled Water to Clean Your Car

Distilled water is best used when rinsing your vehicle after washing it rather than using it throughout the process.

You can clean your car with regular tap water and do the final rinse with distilled one for a spot-free outcome.

Spending some extra money to purchase it from stores and use it to rinse off dirt and soap from your car doesn’t mean you waste resources.

On the contrary, distilled water saves you unnecessary costs later because you won’t have to deal with water spots that damage your car’s surfaces.

Besides, you only use it in the final car washing step, so you don’t need much of it to prevent water stains from forming.

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Is Distilled Water Better for Washing a Car?

Many car detailers have praised distilled water as the best for washing and detailing vehicles.

And so is deionized water, whose negatively charged ions (magnesium, calcium, and iron) are exchanged with positively charged hydrogen ions using a filter.

Hence, like the distilled one, deionized water is free from impurities, making it ideal for a spot-free vehicle wash.

But which one is better at car cleaning?

Distilled water is better for washing a car than deionized water. Distilled water can be purchased locally and is available in different quantities cheaper than the water filters required for deionizing. Hence, it is better for vehicle cleaning than deionized water because it is readily available.

Distilled water is cheaper than deionized water because it undergoes a simple purification process.

Hard water is boiled, and the resulting water vapor is condensed into a liquid to form distilled water.

The mineral deposits, contaminants, and impurities remain in the vessel that boiled the hard water, so distilled water is free from them.

Also, distilled water is better for vehicle washing than regular tap water.

Vehicle detailers prefer it over hard water for the following reasons:

Distilled water facilitates a spot-free rinsing option for vehicles.
Professional detailers use the water to dilute concentrated cleaning agents or chemicals without adding minerals resulting in a cleaning solution that leaves stains after washing.
It helps save water when used with a wash concentrate, for instance, an optimal no-rinse product, limiting the amount needed for a stain-free rinse.
Distilled water doesn’t have the odors that tap or hard water may have.
The water is better at preparing vehicles for waxing and sealant application than tap water.
Distilled water dries faster after washing a car than non-distilled water but doesn’t leave stains on the surface.

An interesting fact about distilled water; it has cleaning properties.

Therefore, it makes vehicle cleaning much more effortless than if you were to use tap water. But how so?

How Does Distilled Water Aid in Vehicle Cleaning?

Distilled water has a raised pH, making it slightly acidic.

The acidity comes from exposure to air, making carbon dioxide dissolve in it and from a dilute carbonic acid solution.

This solution has cleaning properties mainly due to salts like sodium carbonate (also known as washing soda). It rids vehicles of dirt, grease, and grime, making distilled water the best for cleaning without leaving ugly stains.

But it isn’t without its challenges, and the next paragraph explains more.

The Downside of Using Distilled Water

While distilled water is better for washing your car than hard water, it isn’t readily available.

You can easily access and use tap water without buying it from a physical or online store, but distilled water must be purchased.

Hence, it isn’t readily available when you want to use it, making this a limitation of using distilled water for car cleaning.

Key Takeaways

Distilled water doesn’t leave spots on vehicles after using it to wash them.
You can use distilled water to clean your car because it doesn’t have the minerals that remain as water spots on surfaces.
It is best to use distilled water for the final rinse instead of the whole car cleaning process.
Distilled water doesn’t form scum; it also has its cleaning properties when exposed to air.
Distilled water isn’t readily available like tap water, making it a limitation to rely on it for car cleaning.