How to Clean Hard Water Spots Off Windows

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Unsightly water spots on windows often ruin the appearance of an otherwise clean and organized living area. Hard water spots not only spoil the look of your glass window, but also deteriorate the quality of vision and daylight that can be enjoyed through your glass window. There are ways to get around this problem.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

  • Soft cotton cloth or old t-shirt
  • Glass polish or homemade glass cleaning solution

Step1
Buy a glass polish. Ensure that the polish is safe on the glass surface and does not damage it on application. Learn more about ‘Crystal Clear,’ a glass cleaning agent designed to eliminate water spots, haze and clouding on your glass window.
Step2
Learn more about the chemicals responsible for water spots on glass windows. Hard water containing traces of calcium, lime and iron is the culprit of your water spots. The longer they stay on your glass window, the more difficult they are to remove. Deal with water spots as soon as you notice them.
Step3
Learn do-it-yourself techniques to remove water stains/spots off your windows. For instance, make a solution of 2 parts distilled white vinegar and 1 part water. Purchase formula polish such as ‘Eagle One Glass Polish’ or ‘RainX Glass Polish’, and use a #00 or finer synthetic steel wool or an old cotton t-shirt to polish. The vinegar solution works well for newly formed or mild hard water spots. Vinegar is a mild acid and is less likely to damage your glass window.
Step4
Replace the glass window with new glass if everything fails. This is often the best option. You can choose to replace with thicker glass panels for more durable interiors. This may not be the best solution if you have stained color glass window, as these are expensive to replace and restoration is a more economical way to go.

Tips & Warnings

  • Do not rub vigorously. Apply and polish gently.
  • Avoid using hard water while cleaning glass windows. This way you can stay clear of the hard water spots in the first place.
  • Replace windows that are heavily pitted, scratched or etched. Restoration may not get you the desired results.
  • Hire a professional to restore spots off the stained windows, as the techniques used to remove spots require superior skills and careful methods.
  • Do not use polish containing stronger acids as they can damage your glass surface. Learn more about the chemicals present in polish before using it on the surface.

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on 10/2/2007 you can also use corn starch and water to clean water spots off windows. Just mix water and enough corn starch to "cloud" the water. Then wipe on with clean cloth, let dry and buff off with clean towel

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eHow Article:  How to Clean Hard Water Spots Off Windows

eHow Home & Garden Editor

eHow Home & Garden Editor

Category: Home & Garden

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