How to Remove Hard Water Stains

Hard water stains on glass or in the toilet can be frustrating, but they’re not as difficult to remove as many people think! The biggest issue is that most household cleaners don’t work on hard water stains. Bleach, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and store-bought glass and toilet bowl cleaners just don’t cut it. For quality results, you need to think outside the box.

The key ingredient is Bar Keepers Friend, along with a few other tools to help you get the job done. Here are our pro tips on how to remove hard water stains in your bathroom or kitchen.

How to Remove Hard Water Stains from Glass

The Forked Spoon offers a complete guide to removing hard water stains from glass shower doors. Here are the succinct instructions.

First, gather your supplies:

• White vinegar
• Bedsheet or towel
• Spray bottle
• Face mask
• Gloves
• Bar Keepers Friend (the powdered kind)
• 0000 super fine steel wool
• Glass cleaner

Then, follow these steps:

1. If the glass is heavily stained, give yourself a head start by soaking the surface with vinegar. If the surface is horizontal, lay a vinegar-soaked towel on it. If you’re cleaning your shower door, drape a vinegar-soaked bedsheet over the side that faces the shower, pressing as much of the sheet as possible against the glass.
2. Let the glass “soak,” spraying the towel or sheet with more vinegar as it dries out. After 30 minutes, remove the towel or sheet and rinse with water.
3. Don your face mask and gloves. Pour about one-quarter cup of Bar Keepers Friend into a bowl and slowly add water to form a paste.
4. Dip your gloved hand into the paste and rub it over a section of the glass. Then, scrub with super fine steel wool. This requires some elbow grease, so consider enlisting the help of another person to make the job go faster.
5. Rinse thoroughly to reveal the results. If spots remain, apply more paste and keep scrubbing.
6. When the hard water stains are gone, finish the job with glass cleaner on the outside of the shower door.

How to Remove Hard Water Stains From a Toilet

The Forked Spoon also has advice about removing hard water stains from the toilet. You’ll find the process is quite simple with the right supplies.

First, gather what you need:

• Fine-grit drywall sanding screens
• Bar Keepers Friend (the powdered kind)
• Latex gloves

Then, get to work:

1. Cut out one or two small square pieces from the drywall sanding screens and set them aside.
2. Put on your gloves and sprinkle some Bar Keepers Friend into the toilet bowl.
3. Gently but firmly scrub the hard water stains with a drywall sanding screen using small circular motions. Avoid pressing too hard so you don’t damage the porcelain.
4. Flush the toilet to reveal the results!

Arrange Household Cleaning with Molly Maid

Those hard water stains are no match for your ingenuity and elbow grease! For help tackling other parts of your home, request assistance from Molly Maid. Our insured, licensed, and experienced team can complete your household chores when you simply don’t have the time, energy, or physical ability to handle them yourself.

Let us get the rest of your kitchen and bathroom looking sparkling clean! Contact your local Molly Maid to request a free in-home estimate for house cleaning services near you.