Water stains are not only unsightly, but over time they can create a film of grime on your windows that will reduce the visibility of the glass. When not cleaned, the hard water’s mineral deposits will etch the glass itself, which will necessitate window replacement.
But you can clean hard water stains on your windows. Here’s about how to do so.
What Is Hard Water?
Know your enemy first. Hard water contains trace amounts of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. While some areas process the water by removing these minerals, known as water softening, not all districts have the means or the time to do so, which leaves water for consumption hard. It then finds its way into houses’ faucets and sprinklers, which can leave residue on windows when the water hits them.
Dealing with the source comes next. If it comes from the sprinkler, for example, reposition it so the spray of its water doesn’t hit the windows. More importantly, if the stains come from above, such as from a water leak, you should trace it before anything else as it could spell much bigger trouble than just leaving stains on your windows.
A Step-by-Step Procedure to Remove Hard Water Stains
- Mix equal parts of water and vinegar, and then soak a towel in the mixture.
- Press this towel onto the hard water spot for a minute; don’t rub it. This lets the acidity of the vinegar “soften” the stain.
- After a minute or two, wipe it off until the spot is gone. You may have to do this several times.
- Dry the window, and then polish it with a window spray.
You can also try using a solution of white wine to do the same thing.
At Renewal by Andersen® of Wyoming, we offer windows with passive protection from hard water stains. We coat our glass surfaces with a titanium dioxide layer, which reduces these spots by up to 99% when activated by sunlight. And we can do this with all our windows – from custom windows to bigger units like a bay window. For more information on how this technology works, call us today at (307) 650-4073, or fill out our contact form. We serve Casper, Laramie, Cheyenne and nearby areas.
