Do you get water spots on your Tesla after washing it? This explains some easy ways you can dry your Tesla so you can avoid getting those spots. We’ll also focus on minimizing scratches while drying.
What is a water spot?
A water spot is formed when water is left to dry on your paint or glass rather than wiped off. As water evaporates, it leaves behind dried mineral deposits.
There are two types of water: soft and hard water. Depending on where you live, your water quality can differ by amount and type of minerals. Sometimes, it even depends on the time of year as to what kind of water you have. I have a water filter that reduces the amount of water minerals since I do wash a lot of cars in my shop, but most people won’t have this in their homes. You’ll most likely be stuck with hard water that inevitably leaves behind residue. How to prevent that? By drying.
Drying Options:
1. Blower
Start with a blower of some sort to blow the water from your car. You can use a cordless leaf blower but a corded blower will always have more power. With this approach, you can blow out water from tight spaces like door handles and wheel spokes, and you minimize scratches by not touching your car. I use this to get the majority of the water off, then get the remaining water with a microfiber drying towel.
2. Drying Towel
You can also only use a large microfiber drying towel to dry your car. Drag it across the paint and keep moving until you dry the entire car. Important to keep in mind is to use a clean towel so you don’t scratch your car, and don’t let it drag the ground and pick up debris. Inspect it as you move along to make sure no debris have attached to the fibers. Finish with your wheel spokes and rocker areas as those tend to be the dirtiest.
3. Waterless Wash + Damp Microfiber
Lastly, an additional step you can do is grab a regular waterless wash microfiber, wet it entirely and wring it out, then fold into fourths to maximize your surface area. Spray a couple squirts of waterless wash + wax on the towel and wipe it down. You may see some streaks but it should dissolve within seconds. This extra lubrication will allow you to glide across your car without scratching it, while also leaving behind a shine and UV protection from the wax. Inspect your microfiber as you go to make sure no dirt has gotten trapped in the fibers. Keep unfolding it until you’ve used all sides. Also keep wringing it out as it gets full of water, because you just want it to remain damp, and if it gets too full, it’ll stop soaking up the water.
Pro Tip: Once you’re done, make sure to wash it instead of using it again. I know it’s really tempting because it doesn’t seem that “dirty”, but you can have small debris on the towel that will end up scratching your car if you use it again.