How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Glass

How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Glass – Hard water stains are a big problem in a lot of homes. Hard water stains on windows, glass shower doors and other places can be a pain to get rid of. I think it is because these hard water stains don’t have the same position that normal water stains have. This makes them tough to get rid of. Surprisingly, hard water stains are not just caused by hard water. In fact, the mineral content in hard water does not cause these spots on glass at all. Hard water stains on windows occur when calcium and magnesium (from the hard water) combine with oxygen in the air.

In this article, I will be showing you how to remove hardwater marks from glass.

How Often to Remove Hard Water Stains From Glass

If you know that hard water stains are a problem in your area, additional care should be taken when cleaning glass fixtures as a part of your regular housekeeping routine. Preventing excessive build-up will protect the glass from becoming permanently etched by the minerals. Once etching begins due to the abrasive nature of the minerals, there is no way to restore the glass to its original clarity.

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

• Squeegee
• Microfiber cloths
• Soft-bristled brush
• Old toothbrush
• Small bowl
• Rubber gloves
• Eye protection
• Old towel

Materials

• Distilled white vinegar
• Distilled water
• Lemon juice
• Baking soda
• Table salt
• Commercial hard water stain removers

Instructions

The cleaning methods listed below get progressively more aggressive in tackling hard water stains on glass. If the first method doesn’t remove the stains, try the next one. If you decide to use a commercial hard water stain remover, read and follow the directions carefully. Some cleaners are more powerful than others, so always wear protective gear and store and dispose of the cleaners properly.

Use Distilled White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar is a mild acid (acetic acid) that will help break the bonds the hard water minerals have formed with the glass surface. You can also substitute fresh lemon or lime juice (citric acid) in the cleaning solution.

1. Mix a Cleaning Solution In a spray bottle, combine one part of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice with one part of distilled water. TipFor a stronger cleaning solution, use cleaning vinegar instead of food-grade distilled white vinegar. Cleaning vinegar contains around six percent acetic acid while food-grade contains around five percent acetic acid and 95 percent water. That doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but cleaning vinegar is 20 percent stronger than white distilled vinegar for tackling cleaning chores.
2. Spray on the Solution Place an old towel at the bottom of the glass panel to catch drips. Starting at the top of the glass shower door or window, spray the vinegar and water solution across the top of the glass. Move down methodically in even rows until every part of the glass is wet. Allow the solution to remain on the glass and work for at least 30 minutes.
3. Scrub and Wipe Away the Mineral Deposits Using a soft-bristled brush or microfiber cloth, start at the top of the glass panel and wipe away the mineral deposits. Work in a circular motion and rinse out your brush or cloth often. Use an old toothbrush to get into corners or around the edges of metal trim. While vinegar is non-toxic, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and eye protection to avoid splatters to the eyes.
4. Rinse and Dry Once the hard water stains have been loosened and removed, rinse the glass with fresh water. Starting at the top, use a good quality squeegee like the one from Libman to remove most of the water and finish drying completely with a lint-free microfiber cloth.

Use Distilled White Vinegar and Baking Soda Paste

If vinegar alone did not remove the spots caused by hard water, add baking soda as a gentle abrasive. This paste also works well on water-spotted drinking glasses and other glassware.

1. Spray the Glass With VinegarPlace an old towel at the bottom of the glass to catch drips. Pour some undiluted vinegar into a spray bottle and starting at the top, spray the entire surface of the glass. Let the vinegar work for at least 30 minutes.
2. Create a Cleaning PasteIn a small bowl, mix one part of water with three parts of baking soda to create a thin paste. It is usually best to mix the paste in small batches so the paste is not too watery.
3. Apply the PasteUsing a cloth or scrub brush, apply the paste to the hard water stained areas of the glass. Rub it on in a circular scrubbing motion and always start at the top of the area that needs cleaning and work your way down. If there are only a few stains, dip an old toothbrush into the paste and use it for scrubbing.
4. Spray With Vinegar AgainAfter you have applied the paste and it has dried slightly, spritz the area again with undiluted vinegar. You should see some foaming as the baking soda and vinegar react to each other.
5. Rinse and DryWhen the foaming stops, rinse the glass with clean water and dry with a squeegee or microfiber cloth.

Tips to Keep Hard Water Stains Away Longer

• After showers or when cleaning any type of glass, dry the surfaces completely to prevent hard water spots from forming.
• Use a diluted vinegar solution for weekly cleaning to keep deposits from building up.
• Move sprinklers away from windows to prevent hard water stain splatters.
• Apply water-repellent products to help water sheet off quickly from glass.

Using Liquid Cleaners

1. 1Use an acidic cleaner for best results. Because hard water stains are alkaline, it’s best to remove them with a powerful acid. Look for a cleaning product that contains either phosphoric, sulfuric, or hydrochloric acid, as these acids should be able to effectively break down the stains. Read the directions on the product’s label and apply the acid cleaner to the stained areas as instructed.
   • Acidic cleaning products are toxic, so be sure to take safety precautions when handling them, such as wearing eye protection and gloves, and don’t use them on surfaces that come in contact with food, such as kitchen countertops.
   • Acidic cleaning products work well on enamel and acrylic surfaces but can damage many others, including natural marble, stone, terrazzo, anodized or polished aluminum, and colored grout. To prevent damage, test the product in an inconspicuous area before using it on the entire stained area.
2. Mix salt and water. Combine salt and water and use the mixture to remove the mineral build-up. The salt acts as a scouring powder and can cut through the stain. Apply the mixture to the area and use a clean cloth to rub the stain in a circular motion. Rinse the glass thoroughly when finished to remove all saltwater residue.
3. Use white vinegar. Vinegar is an acid, which helps to loosen mineral deposits, and white vinegar is clear/colorless enough to not cause any staining. It’s also a natural liquid cleaner that isn’t toxic and won’t potentially burn your eyes or lungs like other chemical cleaners.
   • Mix some lemon juice into the vinegar to increase the effectiveness and add a fresh lemon scent. Lemon juice (another an acid) has the same effect on minerals as vinegar.
   • Put your vinegar and lemon juice in a spray bottle and slightly warm them in the microwave, for 20-40 seconds depending on your microwave. A warmed cleaner can be more effective at lifting stains than cold or room temperature cleaner. Just be sure to remove the spray bottle top so that it doesn’t explode in the microwave.
   • Spray the vinegar solution on the glass and let it stand for about 2-3 minutes before wiping it clean with a dry, lint-free cloth or a paper towel.
   • To remove hard water stains from drinking glasses and other small glass items, fill a basin with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water, and allow the items to soak in the solution for several hours before rinsing thoroughly.
4. 4Add a rinsing agent to your dishwasher. A rinsing agent, such as Jet-Dry, will help remove hard water stains from your dishes. Fill up the designated area in your dishwasher with the rinsing agent, add your usual dishwashing detergent, and run the dishwasher for clear and clean glasses.
5. Add ammonia to basic cleaning products. You can try super-charging your regular all-purpose window/glass cleaner with some ammonia in order to cut through hard water stains.
6. Get help from your hardware store. If these commercial products still don’t give you the desired results, you can get even tougher products from your local hardware store. Be careful though, and be sure to follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions since these will be very powerful products.

Method2Using Non-Liquid Cleaners

1. Start with some “elbow grease.” Before getting into expensive or potentially toxic cleaning products, try using these scrubbing techniques first.
   • Use “magic” and “eraser” cleaning pads or other non-scratching scrubbing sponges to safely scrub your glass surfaces. Try to remove as much as you can by scrubbing with one of these moistened sponges.
   • It’s okay to use baking soda as an abrasive, but never use hard-bristle brushes or other abrasive cleaning tools when cleaning glass. These tools can damage the surface of the glass by scratching and/or etching it.
   • Scrubbing works best on smaller hard water deposits, newer stains, and those that are not firmly set in.
2. Brush on some toothpaste. Many home cleaners use toothpaste as an alternative to baking soda.
   • Apply some regular toothpaste to a moist towel and rub it over the stain using circular motions.
   • Wait a few minutes and then rinse off the paste with equal parts water and vinegar to remove all residue.
3. Use commercial paste cleaners. There are several commercial cleaning products for hard water stains that come in a paste formula.
   • The main benefit of using a paste over liquid cleaner is that the paste will not leave its own liquid streaks or water marks.
   • A downside to using paste products, though, is that they can leave behind a foggy haze if not buffed off of the glass. Be sure to follow all the label instructions to avoid this side effect.

Conclusion

Causes involving the fact that hard water doesn’t dissolve calcium carbonate ions easily can state how calcium oxalate stones are reported in similar areas. This is the time when the stone-forming mineral, calcium oxalate, is deposited into the kidney. How to remove water stains from car windows and paint is a natural pesticide that’s more environmentally friendly and less prone to over-use.