What Is Soft Water?

In order to understand why, it is important to understand how water works.

The soft-hard scale refers to the calcium and magnesium ions in the water. It is the mineral content that gets dried onto your vehicle after you wash it. So it is actually the hard water that you need to worry about.

Will Having Soft Water Eliminate Water Spots?

Having soft water is definitely better than having hard water but I would still take other measures to avoid water spots. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to avoid having water spots.

How To Avoid Water Spots

Water Deionizer

Many detailers will use a water deionizer. This is a machine that removes minerals from your water. It is similar to a water softener. These machines range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Just like everything else in life you get what you pay for. If you buy an expensive one you will have better results.



Using a water deionizer is the best way to prevent water spots. The minerals in your water can’t dry if they aren’t in your water.

Dry The Vehicle

The cheapest thing you can do to avoid water spots is to dry your vehicle as you wash it. You don’t want the water to dry onto the car. You may need to work one panel at a time. I prefer to wash using a waffle weave towel. This is a microfiber towel that has a waffle pattern which helps absorb water.



Drying your vehicle picks up the minerals before they dry onto the paint when the water dries. This option is free, but it can be a hassle, constantly running around drying the car.

Avoid The Sun

Because you want to avoid your wash water drying on your vehicle it is best to avoid the the sun when drying your car. This means washing your car in a garage or somewhere in the shade. If you keep your car outdoors I reccomend washing your car in the morning before it gets to hot or in the evening.



The best way to avoid water spots is going to be using multiple of the methods above. Obviously the more precautions you take the safer you’ll be from water spots.

However, don’t be afraid to experiment with it. If you buy a water deionizer and it does the trick great. Now you know you don’t have to be so worried about the water drying. If it doesn’t do the trick now you know you need to try something else.