Hard water stains
+37
My daughter and I own a cleaning service. We have several clients that have hard water stains. The stains are particularly bad on the shower doors. We have tried CLR and other cleaners but nothing works. We would love to hear your suggestions as we want to leave our clients with sparkling clean rooms in the whole house.
25 answers
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Try soaking a towel in a CLR or vinegar solution and hanging it on the shower door on the inside while you clean the rest of the house. That should loosen the hard water deposits enough so you can scrub them off. The problem with vertical surfaces like this is that the cleaner runs off too fast to work.
![Darla]()
Darla
on Apr 23, 2015
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@Darla suggestion is what I would have said too. Once the glass is clean, then use RainX (for automotive windows) spray, follow directions, once treated water will bead up and easy to squeegee & keep clean.
![Vicki]()
Vicki
on Apr 23, 2015
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If the stains have been there awhile, it is not a quick fix! I clean a school and we have some windows that are victims of poorly adjusted sprinklers! What I do for the hard water stains is just plain ole white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray it on and let it sit for a bit. It isn't something you can spray and walk away, because you have to keep it wet for a few minutes. Then take a soft scrub pad and gently scrub in a circular motion. When you feel the hard water deposits start to lift, wipe the surface, spray and scrub again. Working in small areas is best. It takes awhile, but it works.
![EdiLeck]()
EdiLeck
on Apr 23, 2015
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I own my own cleaning business as well. When I come across hard water stains I use the stuff in a blue gallon jug call calcium lime rust remover. works like a charm. it is not the same as CLR.
![Loretta]()
Loretta
on Apr 24, 2015
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make a paste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and scrub with a sponge or plastic scrubby. I did this with my bathtub and surround and it looks brand new. Also used it on a shower door in another bathroom and that also looks brand new. None of the commercial products I have ever used worked! Vinegar never worked either. After I dried everything I used turtle wax and buffed it. Now the water/soap runs right off! Amazing stuff!!
![Beth Truax Zwicky]()
Beth Truax Zwicky
on Apr 24, 2015
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Take some Blue Dawn dish detergent and some vinegar. In a spray bottle mix 50/50. Spray on and leave for 15 to 30 minutes. Wash off and there you go. Works like a charm for taking off stains on laundry too, or cleaning the tub surround with the same problem as the shower doors.
![Murray McGinn]()
Murray McGinn
on Apr 24, 2015
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this is going to sound crazy but, the black label bottle of Lysol toilet bowl cleaner works on the bathtub and shower doors. I used to live in a city that had really hard water and this product worked really well; especially on hard water, soap scum that has been left for quite a while.
![Linda H]()
Linda H
on Apr 24, 2015
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When I had my cleaning business I used Lysol toilet cleaner...be careful to use gloves and not get any on the door frames just the glass...the dawn and vinegar solution can be used after to keep it up regularly
![Sherrill Szumik]()
Sherrill Szumik
on Apr 24, 2015
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There's a product called "The Works". It has hydrochloric acid which eats calcium and lime. But be sure to have good ventilation or wear a chem mask to be safe. If there is excellent ventilation use muriatic acid. With either if these products, make sure it doesn't touch the metal fixtures in any way. They will discolor.
![Christine Agostini]()
Christine Agostini
on Apr 24, 2015
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I have used sheetrock sanding sheets to get hard water stains out of the toilet for years now, its quick and easy, no chemicals needed and it's soft enough not to scratch.
![Saralyn]()
Saralyn
on Apr 24, 2015
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my sweetie and I also have hard water, and it leaves marks on everything while it is stubborn as can be - I get it. we use the Works, which believe it or not usually, works :), although sometimes i'll use watered down bleach, or, I think the best solution: white vinegar. That stuff works for everything :)
![Aleshabillie]()
Aleshabillie
on Apr 24, 2015
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Start with straight Vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the Vinegar in your tub and shower and wait a few minutes before wiping clean. You can also try removing hard water stains with a paste made from baking soda and vinegar. Smear the paste over the surface of the stain and let sit for 15 minutes. One other thing that just might make your jobs easier... In my home, I clean everything, except wood, with vinegar. the acid in the Vinegar, kills germs, removes stains, & sanitizes all in one swoop. Vinegar on windows/glass does not streak & the smell? it goes away after a few minutes.
![Capernius]()
Capernius
on Apr 24, 2015
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windex works pretty good
![Janice cox]()
Janice cox
on Apr 24, 2015
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Hi I live in new zealand and there is a company call wet and forget who have for sale what they call tiger's paw I have a feeling it is very fine sand paper and it is only to be used one way so I guess would not damage the glass good luck maybe you could branch out and off the cleaner once you have found one for sale good luck
![Vic990054]()
Vic990054
on Apr 24, 2015
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Clean it with WD40 sounds crazy but it works
![Mary Shannon]()
Mary Shannon
on Apr 24, 2015
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I would like to thank everyone for helping me out with this frustrating cleaning problem. I am going to try many of your suggestions and will post which one (s) did the trick! Have a blessed day!
![Kimberly O'Hara]()
Kimberly O'Hara
on Apr 25, 2015
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I also have a cleaning businesses. When all else fails we use The Works. We bid large apartment complexes and clean several apartments a day. Use use it in showers, toilets and metal. We use a sprayer and spray it on and let it set, because they ask for a cleaning deposit on everything people have quit cleaning. Check the metal before you spray, or spray it on a rag and wipe it off and rinse. We clean 2 to 3 rentals a day a piece. It is the fastest way to clean it.
![Sherrie]()
Sherrie
on Apr 25, 2015
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Most of the time we can get them clean. But here is the problem, once it has been damaged the water builds up very quickly getting hard again. I have a house I also clean every other week. After I got off the hard water I use the Works and put it in the cleaning cloth and just wipe it down. It comes right off. All the have to do once it's clean is dry it. And it will keep hard water out. I have only had one not come clean in the 25 years I have been doing this.
![Sherrie]()
Sherrie
on Apr 25, 2015
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You might recommend to your customers that they not use bar soap. The products used in the soaps make the hard water spots and soap scum worse. We switched to liquid body soap and haven't had any problems since (and we have VERY hard water with lots of minerals in our area).
![Paula Draper]()
Paula Draper
on Apr 25, 2015
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Use a well-soaked SOS pad on my exterior windows to remove mineral build-up Then I rinse well with some vinegar water, and then polish with my wonder cloth and plain water. Saves a lot of elbow grease and mess.
![Marion Nesbitt]()
Marion Nesbitt
on Apr 26, 2015
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One word - coke!
![Alisa]()
Alisa
on Apr 28, 2015
- See 3 previous
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for mineral deposits on almost any surface, use vinegar.... for iron deposits, you can try vinegar... I do not have iron stain problems, so I don't know if vinegar will work or not....I always use straight vinegar.... then again, I make my own(5 gallons at a time) so I do not have to worry about cost.
![Capernius]()
Capernius
on Apr 29, 2015
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Like I said, use cautiously and protect any metal, but muriatic acid does not ruin finishes. In fact, it only reacts and destroys naturally occurring minerals and deposits. If there is a finish with no deposits it will literally sit on it like water and have no reaction at all. Be sure to rinse well with water. I suggest applying this chemical using gloves with only a rag saturated with it to control exactly where it goes. But definitely do not allow contact with metals (also naturally occurring resources). I assume you are professionals who can handle and control more aggressive cleaning and removal systems
![Christine Agostini]()
Christine Agostini
on Apr 29, 2015
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Once it is clean put some Rainx or Turtle Wax on the doors to keep the water runniing off.
![Pat Zagami]()
Pat Zagami
on May 04, 2015
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I tried everything to get the water stains off the doors in my house when I bought it and the only thing that worked (mind you, I didn't try "The Works" )was BarKeepers Friend. Squirted it on, smeared it in and waited for 10 minuted then used and scrubby/sponge in a circular motion and voila! It also worked on a fiber glass enclosure I had that I thought was beyond saving.
![TrishaBee]()
TrishaBee
on May 04, 2015
Darla
on Apr 23, 2015
Vicki
on Apr 23, 2015
EdiLeck
on Apr 23, 2015
Loretta
on Apr 24, 2015
Beth Truax Zwicky
on Apr 24, 2015
Murray McGinn
on Apr 24, 2015
Linda H
on Apr 24, 2015
Sherrill Szumik
on Apr 24, 2015
Saralyn
on Apr 24, 2015
Aleshabillie
on Apr 24, 2015
Capernius
on Apr 24, 2015
Janice cox
on Apr 24, 2015
Vic990054
on Apr 24, 2015
Mary Shannon
on Apr 24, 2015
Kimberly O'Hara
on Apr 25, 2015
Sherrie
on Apr 25, 2015
Paula Draper
on Apr 25, 2015
Marion Nesbitt
on Apr 26, 2015
Alisa
on Apr 28, 2015
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