water spots on my 1991 228 windshield

[dinoman]

i bought a grady that had been docked on the water for years water spots on windshield will not come out with traditional cleaners can i buff them out any ideas

 

[SeanC]

At that age I would think that the spots are etched into the glass. I have tried buffing. Also used bronze wool. (Don’t use steel wool. You will end up with rust spots everywhere) Slight improvement but once it’s etched there’s not much you can do. There are glass polishing compounds. I haven’t tried them but they could work.

 

[Fishtales]

Could try white vinegar. Get the concentrated version not the stuff at grocery stores. Mix 25/75 vinegar to water to start. Pick a cloudy cool day. Wear gloves and spray on a micro fiber towel and work in. You may have to increase the mix percentage 50/50 if not working. Be careful with the stuff don't get on metal or bottom paint. Avoid spraying for this reason. Not sure it will work on real old spots but should remove a lot.

 

[seasick]

If mineral deposits are left on the glass for long periods and exposed to sunlight, the minerals will etch into the glass and bond to it. That type of staining may be impossible to remove. There are commercially available spot removers but they probably won't work on etched in spots. You might try searching for glass polishing services. Maybe that might work

Here is one I found but I have no experience with it

Pro Glass Polishing Kit

Avoid costly windshield replacementby removing scratches, haze

www.eastwood.com

 

[DennisG01]

If you get the industrial vinegar (it's about 30% compared to 4% for regular vinegar), you can saturate a rag with it and lay it on the window. Ideally, out of the sun. It'll be hit or miss as to whether or not it work depending on how long the window has been like this. Same with compounding - it'll be hit or miss. It should, at least, get a little better.

On the other hand, older boats like yours have flat glass and a local glass company can make new, tempered glass for you. Windshields are pretty easy to disassemble/reassemble.

 

[Coastboater]

Not quite a boat windshield, but I used a glass polishing compound on my wife’s windshield after she decided that scotchbrite was the best method to remove caked on bugs bless her heart..
I bought a recommended polish and used my Flex polisher with a finishing foam pad. It took probably 6 times to get the micro scratches abraded enough to not notice them. YMMV.

 

[Feels Reel]

Had a bad water spot issue on rear window on a Dodge truck I purchased. Tried everything, all the tricks. Finally ordered a product off amazon. It was from the chemical guys, heavy duty water spot remover. Several applications and used a buffer pad. Removed almost 80% of the stains. Only recommendation is to apply when glass is cool and in the shade or inside.

 

[Denko]

I had great results with cerium oxide on a wool buffer pad, but my windshield was off the boat.