| One of the worst things to contend with when you are | | | | water too to make sure all the soap has been |
| washing your car, especially on hot Summer days is | | | | washed away. Then immediately rinse with deionised |
| water spots. No matter how hard you try it is | | | | water. Due to the fact that the filter has a finite life and |
| sometimes almost impossible to stop water spots | | | | will only be able to exchange ions for a certain volume |
| from appearing as your car dries. If this is a problem | | | | of water, it makes sense to only use the deionised |
| you are suffering from every time you wash your car | | | | water for the final rinse as otherwise you will end up |
| then you will be pleased to know that the cause has | | | | changing filters more regularly than you otherwise |
| been identified. You are using the wrong sort of water! | | | | need to. However, some people have reported getting |
| Now before you go off and say that you are fighting | | | | a better lather from deionised water and so also use it |
| a lost cause because there is no way to change your | | | | for washing as well. It's up to you. |
| water, there is a solution. You need to change to | | | | One good tip is to make sure that you concentrate |
| de-ionised water for the final rinse of your car. | | | | particularly on areas where water tends to |
| What is De-ionisation? Ions are simply impurities that | | | | accumulate and therefore drip for a period of time |
| exist in any normal water supply and come in the form | | | | after rinsing, such as bumpers and door mirrors. |
| of dissolved minerals such as calcium and sodium, | | | | Another tip is to perhaps avoid washing the car on a |
| When the water evaporates the minerals that were | | | | high pollen count day as for some reason pollen gets |
| once dissolved in the water are left behind to leave | | | | attracted to deionised water. |
| unsightly spots on your paintwork. The normal course | | | | Once you have thoroughly rinsed the car with |
| of action is to dry your car with a soft cloth or paper | | | | deionised water simply leave it to dry. You will notice |
| towel so that the water doesn't have time to | | | | not only that there are no water spots but also you |
| evaporate and leave behind the spots. This is | | | | car has an immediate shine to it as well. If you can't |
| sometimes impractical though, especially on a hot day | | | | wait that long, I have heard of people using leaf |
| when the sun will dry parts of your car before you get | | | | blowers to dry their cars. Be careful with this though |
| a chance to get to them. | | | | as the last thing you need to be doing to your |
| The de-ionisation process forces the dissolved ions out | | | | paintwork is blowing dust and debris onto it which may |
| of the water through ion exchange. This involves | | | | cause scratches. |
| exchanging negatively charged ions, called cations for | | | | One final thing to note. During the final rinse you should |
| hydrogen and positively charged ions, called anions for | | | | notice that the deionised water beads very easily and |
| hydroxyl. This is done by passing the water through a | | | | runs off the surface of the paintwork almost like little |
| filter containing resin beads that have a greater affinity | | | | ball of mercury. If you see this then you know the filter |
| for other ions. | | | | is working. As the resin beads inside the filter start to |
| When to use it Normal application is to wash your car | | | | approach saturation the beading will start to diminish. |
| with normal water and thoroughly rinse with normal | | | | That's when you know to buy a new filter. |