Hard Water Stains
If you're shower glass is spotty or has a film buildup that wont come off with regular cleaning products, it's likely due to hard water drying up on the surface of the glass. These hard water stains are especially noticeable on glass, polished metals, mirrors and other reflective or transparent surfaces.
When the water evaporates, the minerals remain causing a white blemish. You may find that these types of hard water deposits are difficult or even impossible to remove. Read on to learn more about how to remove hard water stains.
Try Vinegar For Hard Water Stains
This first method for removing hard water stains uses a very common household item. Vinegar contains an acid (acetic acid ) which will break down the lime in hard water deposits and make them easier to remove. Apply directly to the surface with a sponge or a rag and leave it sit for several minutes or as long it takes to loosen the lime buildup. Vinegar is also very useful for maintaining glass and other surfaces that have water spots on them as it is mild compared to many cleaning products.
Using CLR On Hard Water Stains
Some water stains are extremely difficult to remove. This is where a professional strength product like CLR comes into play. CLR (named after Calcium Lime Rust) is a strong acid based cleaner that requires special handling instructions. Always read the precautions on the container before use. CLR can tarnish, discolor and even damage certain surfaces so always test in an inconspicuous area first. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation also as the fumes can get strong while reacting with the calcium buildup.
Removing Hard Water Stains
Put on some gloves and mix CLR 50/50 with water. Then apply to the hard water stains and leave sit for several minutes. Use a rag to wipe clean and then thoroughly rinse the area of any remaining CLR. Repeat if necessary.
If you make it through the steps above with little or no success there is one more thing you can try but do this knowing there is risk of damaging a surface in the process. Always test in a inconspicuous area! Scrub a tiny spot, then rinse and dry it. In this way you can see if its going to work or if there is any damage to the glass. You can use straight CLR in combination with a Scotch-Brite non-scratch scrub sponge. Theses are the blue ones, designed not to scratch softer surfaces. Use cleaning force sparingly at first as sometimes it will not take much effort to get the surface completely clean. Also make sure that the sponge does not come into contact with other softer surfaces such as a fiberglass tub, caulk, finished wood or vinyl. When finished, rinse the area thoroughly. CLR can discolor some materials so cove surfaces around / below the work area.
You may need to repeat this process, drying the glass in between so that you can see the actual results. Liquids will make the surfaces look smoother and shinier than they really are.
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