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How to Remove Hard Water Stains From Glass

Dry water hard stains of soap or shampoo on glass in the car.
JackStar88/Shutterstock.com

It may seem ironic that water can leave stains behind, given that it’s such a key part of washing and cleaning. But it does, especially on glass. Whether it’s your car windows, mirrors, shower doors, or glassware, hard water stains can get left behind on any glass surface, even if you’re careful about drying them properly after cleaning.

Seeing your once crystal clear glassware and windows turn foggy and spotted is extremely frustrating. Fortunately, there are a couple of simple cleaning methods that can help get rid of those hard water stains.

Best of all, each trick involves cleaning glass with natural ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator.

Bioclean Hard Water Stain Remover

You can also try a hard water stain remover like this one.

The first method involves vinegar and distilled water. (Vinegar is already known for its cleaning properties, after all.) Mix together a solution that is half vinegar and half distilled water– be sure the water is distilled or this trick won’t work properly– in a spray bottle and spritz the mixture onto the glass surface, ensuring that it’s well-coated. Leave the mixture on for a few minutes and then wipe the glass clean with a sponge or soft cloth.

If this method doesn’t work for you or you don’t have vinegar or distilled water on hand, grab some baking soda instead. Make a paste with either baking soda and water, baking soda and vinegar, or baking soda and lemon, and gently scrub the glass with it.

A single lemon alone may do the trick as well. Simply cut the lemon in half and rub it onto the hard water stains.

The acidity in either the vinegar or lemon is the key to breaking down the minerals in hard water that leave the stains behind. So if your store bought glass cleaner isn’t cutting it, be sure to give one of these methods a try.

Meghan Herlihy Meghan Herlihy
Meghan Herlihy is a full-time writer for LifeSavvy and How-To Geek and has written across a wide variety of topics, genres, and formats, including radio talk shows, local sports journalism, and creative original fiction. She received her bachelor's degree in communications from Ithaca College and a master's in writing from Johns Hopkins University. When she's not writing, you're most likely to find her reading a book, petting every dog within eyesight, and indulging in her love of travel. Read Full Bio »
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