Hard Water Spot Removal

If you’ve ever tried to get rid of hard water spots, you know how difficult the job is. In the southwest the water is naturally hard due to minerals like calcium, magnesium, or compounds like sulfates and bicarbonates. Makes you want to order bottled water doesn’t it. Here are a few simple ideas to rid your windows of the spots caused by hard water, but the easiest ways to get rid of those spots is to wash them off as soon as you notice them. That isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

We’ll list several items you can mix with water and many are 50% to 50% like water and white vinegar, if the spots have been there for a while, try pure white vinegar, and omit the water. You might want to wear gloves because some of the items might be harsh on your skin.

Use this method by soaking a towel in the mixture and wiping the area down. Keep the towel very wet and soak it on the window if at all possible. Then rinse and hopefully your hard water spots are gone. Use the towel like an eraser on a blackboard, and apply pressure where needed. You can also spray some of the mixtures directly on your window or shower doors.

Other items to mix with water besides vinegar are lemon juice because of its acidic content, and baking soda is another good cleaning agent. Mix the soda into a paste and apply to the window, let it sit for a few seconds, then wipe and rinse clean.

Rubbing alcohol, toothpaste, yes I said toothpaste, powdered dishwashing detergent, and ammonia are all suggestions. Be careful with ammonia, never mix it with other chemicals like bleach because that is dangerous and can cause lung damage.

Some say cola is good for cleaning hard spots off your windows, but that may attract ants. Any type of acid is also dangerous and can cause irreparable damage to your clothing or furnishings. Steel wool may also help and use it to polish the glass and it shouldn’t scratch it.

If all else fails, try using commercial window cleaners. The only other option you may have is to cover those windows with curtains or blinds so you can’t see the hard spots. The final solution may be to replace the glass in the window. If you do that, be sure that water does not hit the window or you’ll have to start all over again.

Stanley Window Care specializes in Orange County window cleaning, and Mission Viejo window cleaning and Orange County hard water stain removal.