- Hard water is a type of water that has a lot of minerals in it. These minerals are usually calcium (in the form of calcium sulfate, limestone or chalk) and magnesium (in the form of dolomite). The minerals found in hard water depend on the water source and can vary with geographic region. Hard water is not harmful and can be 'softened' by removing these minerals through a chemical process and a water softener.
- When wet glasses dry, the only thing that evaporates away is the water-- the minerals are left behind. So, water spot are dried minerals from the hard water and are usually found when glasses are left to air dry. The harder the water, the more minerals there are and the more severe the water spots can be.
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Some dishwashing agents can help reduce spots in hard water.Softening your water can help you reduce the severity of water spots on your glasses but may not entirely eliminate them. If you can not soften your water, the trick to avoiding spots is to dry them without allowing slow evaporation. You can also purchase agents to put in your dishwasher that help the water sheet off the glasses more completely, which leaves less water on them to evaporate and leave behind spots. Alternatively, giving your glasses a good wiping down with a towel after they are washed will eliminate spots completely.
