My daddy was a journeyman auto body repairman for over 40 years. He always used steal wool to get rid of water spots on auto glass. Thanks for the demo.
THE FINE STEEL WOOL TRICK WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!!! My windows look INCREDIBLY clear now!! I stumbled upon this video because I just purcahsed a really nice looking like new/certified used truck.... one problem though.... After I got it from the dealership's detailer post purchase at night, the windows had serious water stains on them I didn't notice until the next morning the severity of. I tried vinegar and lemon solutions from videos I watched and neither of the worked. Came back today to searcxh for more videos and stumbled upon yours. Thanks for the demonstration and comparison!
Thanks for the extra confirmation on the steel wool! I tried the vinegar thing too that turned out worthless. Just ordered some #0000 myself to handle this same issue with a 2019 Accord I just picked up :)
I have literally cleaned thousands of cars in my lifetime and I can tell you if you use the steel wool with soap and water and then come back with a polisher with a polishing compound that glass will come out looking brand new. We used to do all of the used cars this way when I worked at a dealership
There’s a coating you can have applied to a shower screen than means it will never spot. It fills the microscopic holes in the glass that catch the water. Worth the money if you want to stop cleaning. Won’t work on a car windscreen unfortunately!
Absolutely adore the way this video is made! No sales pitch or biased promotion. Brilliant comparison, I just got indoors after spending 40 mins trying to scrub using kitchen towels and vineager as suggested in some other DIY video with barely any difference. I'm confident steel wool is going to be the magic I seek :)
Nice demo! The main problem with steel wool is it can leave very fine particles over the car that can rust and stain the paint. You can use it safely only if you going to pressure wash the car right after. But any product to remove hard water stain will be corrosive too, so a good wash after the procedure is always mandatory. By the way, paint polishing paste compound sometimes helps and is safe to be used in small areas without washing the hole car.
@@inlovewithhumans you're missing his point, when you are scrubbing glass with steel wool, particles of it fly off in the air and can land on other parts of the car, then they rust.
The steel wool def works. I had terrible hard water spots on my window from the sprinkler to where it was making it hard for me to see. I tried several things, the vinegar recipe, stuff off Amazon and then I saw this video. We completely got rid of them with the steel wool.
I learned many years ago as a detailer to use #0000 steel wool and bar keepers friend. Following the process wash the area with high volume/moderate pressure water then wash the whole vehicle.
Thank you! Thanks for doing a demo with things around the house and not selling stuff. Also the comparison was great 👍🏻 Tried it on my side view mirror. I had an old multi-pack of steel wool pads and didn’t know if I was using super fine so I was super gentle, but it worked great! I’ll get some super fine steel wool and go to town on my windows. I tried a lot of stuff and nothing worked. Thanks again!
thank you! I'm 66, female, and getting ready for a 5-hour trip in december (partially after dark, in the pacific northwest...i.e. rain!). i have new wiper blades, but my windshield never seems super-clean, no matter what i do. I'm definitely going to try this! 👍👏🙂
For Heavy Hard Water Spots, use some buffing compound with the steel wool instead of lubricating with soapy water. Then go over 1 more time lubricating the steel wool with some polish. The compound adds that little bit extra to quickly get off the hard water off. Of coarse there are professional products and tools, but this technique is for keeping in line with this video topic of cleaning glass with DIY techniques
@jeffparker8087 3m or and name brand should do, but start light with a polish and work up to heavier grits if needs. Don't push too hard as the wool can scratch thr glass
I used steel wool first than wash it down before using rain-x or other similar water repellant solution. U can wash it down with your preferred cleaning solution be it detergent, dishwashing liquid, windshield cleaners, etc., then drying the windshield well before applying the water repellant solution. It always works wonders.
I've used scour pads similar to Scotch Brite SB350 or SB74 with Stoner Invisible Glass. Much like your reaction, I can feel it coming clean, with less and less friction with each wipe.
This is good to know. I’m told extra-fine steel wool on a buffer wheel will make quick work of thems winders. I used white stinky vinegar in the old glass water kettle the other day…Almost instantly zapped the calcium deposits. Muriatic acid is your friend and enemy for a quick fight against water stains. Once the calcium etches in, it’s a battle and a half. So keep up on your water stain removal, don’t let it sit for years.
Well done video. 👍 I had the same problem with SEVERE water stains. I too chose steel wool, but only after applying a light paste of 1/1 baking soda & water (left to dry) and then spritzing it with white cider vinegar. I used the steel wool to scrub after letting the vinegar do its job for a few minutes... about ten minutes of scrubbing and a few minutes hitting missed spots. My glass was SPOTLESS. One of these days I will Tech-up and record my work too. 😁
Thanks for sharing! I actually did a follow-up video where I tested even more techniques, and found an even better way that may be useful to you in the future: ruclips.net/video/1Oe7XiDOZCw/видео.html
This video really helped me out. I got a 97 Silverado recently and the back window has so much hard water stains I could not see through it at night. Thank you!
Wow, the 0000 steel wool and soapy water really worked. It took about 7 minutes on side windows 12 minutes on windshield and 10 on back of my Tundra window. I waxed my windows them after I finished on one side and rain x or the other side to see which will hold up the best. Thank you writer for sharing this great idea. Keep Living Keep Giving
Thank you for doing these test. I was going to try them and didn’t know which was better. I have been using steel wool in my chrome kitchen faucets and any real chrome item. They work great without leaving any scratches. Now I know I can use it on my cars windshield and windows takes the guessing away. Great job!
I have a car buffer pad I use with some steel wool embedded into a microfiber rag that I run over the windows. (With the buffer on a wet window). Works like a champ to clean the windows. As for the inside, I’m never happy…. Tried all sorts of things…
I've used steel wool to clean glass for years, but I don't use water. I wipe the glass with a shop rag as I'm scrubbing it to make sure I've gotten all of the hard water deposits. For tree sap and road tar I use a 50/50 solution of undiluted simple green and rubbing alcohol.
Never thought of using steel wool #0000. My windshield situation was a bad batch of windshield cleaner (1 gal from WallyWorld) which left a nasty bluish color water stain which dried up for quite sometime on the very rightside, top, and leftside where the wipers don’t make contact. I’ve used window cleaner, vinegar, soap, & ammonia, none of it worked. So after watching this video, I bought a pack of #0000 steel wool. Used a soapy microfiber towel and cleaned the windshield, rinsed and started the Miyagi method with some elbow greased. I scrubbed it 3x using 3 steel wool for 10-15 minutes each time. Holy schnitzel! It friggin got the majority of the bluish water stain off. It’s way much clearer now than before. Thanks for sharing👍🏼
I’ve been using 50/50 vinegar and water on glass for several years, inside and outside my house. Simple water spots, like from a sprinkler, come right off, and won't harm paint. For thicker deposits, I’ve used vinegar full strength. You can use regular vinegar or cleaning vinegar, they’re virtually the same for cleaning. I’ve even used this on my cars paint without any issue, lets see the same with steel wool. 😂
I've tried vinegar in my shower diluted and pure, different brands of vinegar and everything but no results... 🙌 I've let it soak for a long time too and immediate use but still nothing ... I've only had result with steel wool grade 000 but even then it's hard to remove water stains... makes me want to give up. I've tried about everything, only power tools I haven't tried yet 😂
I too used vinegar for dried water spots on car windshield and paint with great success because those are dried up minerals residues from water with virtually no scrubbing because the paint can’t handle that. On the other hand, shower is mineral in water plus soap scums. Glass are quite tolerable to scrubbing. I found melamine sponge are fastest. The key is not to clean the shower once a year. Do it every month or every other month would required much less time in total compared to once a year. The longer it stay on, the thought it takes to remove.
Comparison was great. Presentation awesome. Not overly wordy or in-your-face excitable. Bloopers at the end were a nice touch. Too funny. I definitely subscribed. Can't wait to see what other videos you have. Nice job.
Hi Helen - I'm glad that was an easy fix for your husband. Depending on the specific mineral content of the deposits, this can be a great solution. I've tried razor blades in the past, and they did not touch these spots at all. Thanks for watching!
Tip. Don't throw away dehumidifier water. Use it as a final rinse to "sheet" off your prior rinse. Allow to air dry - no need to wipe. Stunning results.
Nice video. Really well laid-out experiment and presentation! I was expecting the Magic Eraser to do as well as steel wool, but now we know that's not the case.
I was surprised about that as well. The lemon did about what I expected, but I was surprised that the Magic Eraser did so poorly. Perhaps with some vinegar or CLR cleaner instead of soapy water + Magic Eraser... but I doubt it would be faster/easier than steel wool.
@@AmplifyDIY Despite having removed all grease with glass cleaner, for some reason known only to himself he used soapy water with the magic eraser. The soap was a lubricant preventing the magic eraser from gripping the deposits.
I bought a used Rav 4 with the worst water spotted windows I've seen, they must have been on there for months. I tried a few things without success then got a bottle of "Barkeeper's Friend" and it worked perfectly! That stuff is awesome!
Diamond Magic is the best stuff I have ever used. It is ground up industrial grade diamonds in a paste that you put on a damp cloth and keep the window wet. Be careful because of course diamonds are harder than glass, but it won't make your car rust.
Best way to clean glass is good old school Vinegar -$2 for 4L bottle (try it, might save you from getting super fine steel particles on your car). I've never seen this super fine steel wool before. Thanks for introducing me to this method but I am still too afraid of scratching my glass.
Hi David - vinegar works, but takes such a long time (and I hate the smell). You could always try the steel wool on a very very small section of the lower part of your windshield (below where you see through it, over the area where it is sealed to the body with urethane, etc) to see how well it works or if it mars your glass at all. Thanks for watching!
@@AmplifyDIY I will be buying the #0000 steel wool on my next amazon purchase and trying it out on a small piece of windshield, forgot to mention that.. once again thanks for this info!
The only thing that has ever worked and very well was a product called plastix a plastic wax by maguires applied with a scotchbright pad rinsed and looked like new works perfect on mirrors too !!!!
Plain glass, without shading on it can be cleaned with a special razor blade, It looks like a squeege. Have not used on a car but it works great on my house windows.
A company called Stoner makes a “water spot remover” for glass! And before anybody says I do not work for the company!!!! I myself tried different methods and then was turned on to this product by someone else! Their tire shine works very good too!
Hey bud, they make a glass polishing compound called cerium oxide. Use with an orbital buffer and a foam pad. I have multiple classic cars with original windshields and wanted to keep them so I learned how the professionals do it. I think you can buy a premixed cerium oxide paste but I mix it myself. Hope that helps you in the future.
It doesn't help. The purpose of this video was to learn how to clean with items you already have at home. Not many people have orbital buffers. And if they did the question is how are they going to polish glass and not mess up the rubber molding and paint around said glass. But hey thanks for playing.
Thanks for the tip! Not sure who peed in this guy's 👆 cheerios but if it gets the glass clean on my 12yo car I'll get one. Considering I don't currently have: lemons, clr, bar keepers friend, magic erasers, or 0000 steel wool at home, his point is moot.
You got me thinking... hard water deposits in a shower stall, possibly from a shower nozzle, usually come off with some Lime-A-Way that's formulated to eat away at just that very substance. Back of bottle says it is safe on shower doors. Shower doors are made of glass. That can't be any or much diff from car glass.
We've had great luck getting hard water stains off windows using Bar Keepers Friend (soft cleanser). I would love to see you try it in comparison to the steel wool.
@@AmplifyDIY Definitely suggest a followup. Why use abrasion when you can use chemicals to quickly dissolve the deposits? I also wonder if CLR or vinegar would work as well. There might be enough decent options for a showdown!
Nothing works better than Bon-Ami cleanser. I've been using it for over 40 years (including in my body shop). It's what Waterford has recommended for their crystal for decades.
hard water spots is dissolved by either an acid or a base.... those look like base hard water spots as the lemon juice failed... try a bit of ammonia on that glass.... and that quad ought steel wool is a neat trick!
Thanks! I used the steel wool 0000 and the water spots are almost gone on my 26 yr old car it looks amazing. I am going do do this least once or twice a year on all my cars. And then Rainx them after.
If you have any type of tent on your side windows, it will be on the inside, and any type of abrasive medium will scratch the heck out of the film used to tint the window. So never use any sort of abrasive on the inside of any window. While acids dissolve minerals, which is what is left behind by water, lemon juice is a weak acid. Cleaning vinegar is a stronger acid and does a better job. But both need time to work and that is the problem most people have with them. The need to keep the window damp long enough for them to work while keeping them off the paint. Stronger acids are available and work a lot faster but will also immediately damage the paint if it gets on it. What I have found is that if you mix equal parts of cleaning vinegar and distilled water in a small bucket and then wet a Mister Clean Eraser pad and use it to scrub the window, you can get the hard water spots off the window without getting the mixture on the paint. You may have to scrub the window more than once to get it all off. Then to keep your window clean you can make your own glass cleaner using everyday stuff you have at home. Just use the following recipe: One cup of rubbing alcohol One cup of distilled water One tablespoon of vinegar Fill a spray bottle and use as a glass cleaner. Store in a cool cabinet away from any heat source, as the alcohol will make this mixture flammable. Benefits are: 1. evaporates quickly, so you don't end up with spots 2. inexpensive 3. no harsh chemicals or fumes 4. similar to what is found in many commercial glass cleaners
Excellent video presentation format. I don’t have any patients for pretentious RUclips fluff videos and I abhor the extensive use of umhs and ahs. With that said, you’re the quintessential example that others should be utilizing, but I don’t think they will! Thank you much, a subscriber for, now.
Lightly brush on or use a shop towel a general purpose toilet bowl cleaner, rinse off and use a window cleaner. When you move along at a normal pace, I have never encountered any problems. Works perfectly.
Any particular brand/type of toilet bowl cleaner you recommend? I'd imagine the kind that comes in a gel form would be easiest to work with... I'll have to try this. Thanks!
Thank you! Can't wait to try. This is exactly my situation and I'm relieved there is a solution. The body of the car was also full of severe lime deposits and that came clean using Maniac Line water spot remover. However on the glass the problem remained. I'll get some steel wool and give it a try! Thank you!
I came across a product that is amazing for this type of hard water deposit removal. The product is called "Bar Keepers Friend" and it can be found where you would look for kitchen cleansers. Use a damp sponge and Bar Keepers and you will have complete stain removal. Cheers, dz
I've been using the steel wool for years after a co worker told me about it and as you said it works the best, Just make sure you use the oooo grade ,Easily found in a home depot.
I'm glad it worked for you, but baking soda is a base. Vinegar is a weak acid. The 2 together just cancel each other. It was likely effective due to the slightly abrasive nature of the paste - just like the steel wool. www.apartmenttherapy.com/vinegar-baking-soda-cleaning-mixture-myth-36880375
You’d probably get all the water spots off with 0000 steel wool and a little more time. I might use a leaf blower to get rid of any steel wool particles before rinsing and using glass cleaner. Start at the top and blow everything down (including the car door). Great video! 👍👍
Vinegar and water is the best , tryed it on my year old pickup at the time -it - was awful with water spots , the vinegar and water removed all the water spots four years later . after so many years I gave up and my wife told me half and half - half water and half vinegar . I used the 0000 steel wool - it did take some of it off . Believe me - try it the vinegar solution - not too say you may have too do it a couple of times - but my truck was really bad bad .....Home remedy WORKS ....
I'll give it a shot. What about using vinegar solution *with* steel wool (instead of soapy water, as I demonstrated here?) Think that would be even faster?
@@AmplifyDIY never thought about the steel wool also , but I;ll stick too the cleaning Vinegar , can buy it already mixed up at Dollar Tree stores and just about any other stores out there too.
Try vinegar and newspaper. Vinegar is acidic (acetic acid) - stronger than lemon juice (citric acid) and should dissolve the calcium. Newspaper ink cleans and the paper absorbs the liquid. Tried it on my glass shower seems ok. Unsure about car windows though.
as a tip i have done a better job by adding to the steel wool + soapy water its to add bar keeper friend cleanser + `polish it works wonder. i took out pretty much 96% of them in a 2011 land rover sport
This is how a video should be done. Informative, helpful, no sales pitch. Thank you so much for the information. Very very helpful.
My daddy was a journeyman auto body repairman for over 40 years. He always used steal wool to get rid of water spots on auto glass. Thanks for the demo.
Good to hear pros use this method too!
In construction, professional window washers on glass would use steel wool. Very soapy water to keep it slick. It doesn’t scratch the glass.
I been cleaning windows with steel wool for over 30 years works great
I used newspaper and oooo steel wool
Me too ,but without soapy water, just the steel wool.
THE FINE STEEL WOOL TRICK WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!!! My windows look INCREDIBLY clear now!! I stumbled upon this video because I just purcahsed a really nice looking like new/certified used truck.... one problem though.... After I got it from the dealership's detailer post purchase at night, the windows had serious water stains on them I didn't notice until the next morning the severity of. I tried vinegar and lemon solutions from videos I watched and neither of the worked. Came back today to searcxh for more videos and stumbled upon yours. Thanks for the demonstration and comparison!
Thanks for the extra confirmation on the steel wool! I tried the vinegar thing too that turned out worthless. Just ordered some #0000 myself to handle this same issue with a 2019 Accord I just picked up :)
I'm only 30 seconds in and I feel like I could listen to this guy all day long.
I have literally cleaned thousands of cars in my lifetime and I can tell you if you use the steel wool with soap and water and then come back with a polisher with a polishing compound that glass will come out looking brand new. We used to do all of the used cars this way when I worked at a dealership
You mean polishing compound not cutting compound correct? Something like a light polishing after heavy cutting compound?
For the first time in my 47 years of existence, I am actually excited to clean the glass walls in the shower. Thank you for making this video!
Glad I could help!
There’s a coating you can have applied to a shower screen than means it will never spot. It fills the microscopic holes in the glass that catch the water. Worth the money if you want to stop cleaning. Won’t work on a car windscreen unfortunately!
@@Sujowiwhat's the name of the coating please?
Your reply is exactly how I felt, well not exactly I’m 73 and this helped me a lot
I'm just excited as you are
I have been trying to find a solution for this problem on my suburban for YEARS. Thank you!!!!
Absolutely adore the way this video is made! No sales pitch or biased promotion. Brilliant comparison, I just got indoors after spending 40 mins trying to scrub using kitchen towels and vineager as suggested in some other DIY video with barely any difference. I'm confident steel wool is going to be the magic I seek :)
Glad it was helpful!
I used a fine steel wool and a watered down gritty white toothpaste to clean mine last year and it worked very well.
Nice demo! The main problem with steel wool is it can leave very fine particles over the car that can rust and stain the paint. You can use it safely only if you going to pressure wash the car right after.
But any product to remove hard water stain will be corrosive too, so a good wash after the procedure is always mandatory.
By the way, paint polishing paste compound sometimes helps and is safe to be used in small areas without washing the hole car.
On glass ? No it doesn’t!
It's only for glass that they are using steel wool.
@@inlovewithhumans you're missing his point, when you are scrubbing glass with steel wool, particles of it fly off in the air and can land on other parts of the car, then they rust.
That's cool, but remove that fine dust below on paint and such. I'm in off to HD
Steel wool will scratch the glass coating. When the sun hits it, it will look like a thin spider web
The steel wool def works. I had terrible hard water spots on my window from the sprinkler to where it was making it hard for me to see. I tried several things, the vinegar recipe, stuff off Amazon and then I saw this video. We completely got rid of them with the steel wool.
Awesome, Ray!
I learned many years ago as a detailer to use #0000 steel wool and bar keepers friend. Following the process wash the area with high volume/moderate pressure water then wash the whole vehicle.
Agreed, bar keepers friend works great!
The bloopers are hilarious!! Nice touch. When you have fun creating videos, it is more fun of course.
Thank you! Thanks for doing a demo with things around the house and not selling stuff. Also the comparison was great 👍🏻
Tried it on my side view mirror. I had an old multi-pack of steel wool pads and didn’t know if I was using super fine so I was super gentle, but it worked great! I’ll get some super fine steel wool and go to town on my windows. I tried a lot of stuff and nothing worked. Thanks again!
Glad it worked for you, Dr. Stacey!
Thanks for your comparisons. I was going to try the magic eraser, now I'll get the steel wool. Your video was quite helpful.
You sir, deserve more likes. This was something I had been looking for a long long time!
thank you! I'm 66, female, and getting ready for a 5-hour trip in december (partially after dark, in the pacific northwest...i.e. rain!). i have new wiper blades, but my windshield never seems super-clean, no matter what i do. I'm definitely going to try this! 👍👏🙂
Did it work
For Heavy Hard Water Spots, use some buffing compound with the steel wool instead of lubricating with soapy water.
Then go over 1 more time lubricating the steel wool with some polish.
The compound adds that little bit extra to quickly get off the hard water off.
Of coarse there are professional products and tools, but this technique is for keeping in line with this video topic of cleaning glass with DIY techniques
I had not thought about using a buffing/polish compound with the steel wool. I'll add that to the list of follow-up ideas. Thanks!
I wonder if i use white vinegar with a sponge would do the trick?
@@wesamalfayez2322 I just tried white vinegar and it didn't work. Going to try the steel wool today.
What's a good buffing compound to use?
@jeffparker8087 3m or and name brand should do, but start light with a polish and work up to heavier grits if needs. Don't push too hard as the wool can scratch thr glass
The Steel Wool was spot on (play on words). I did it today and it worked perfectly. Thank you very much. Great job.
I used steel wool first than wash it down before using rain-x or other similar water repellant solution. U can wash it down with your preferred cleaning solution be it detergent, dishwashing liquid, windshield cleaners, etc., then drying the windshield well before applying the water repellant solution. It always works wonders.
I've used scour pads similar to Scotch Brite SB350 or SB74 with Stoner Invisible Glass. Much like your reaction, I can feel it coming clean, with less and less friction with each wipe.
This is good to know. I’m told extra-fine steel wool on a buffer wheel will make quick work of thems winders. I used white stinky vinegar in the old glass water kettle the other day…Almost instantly zapped the calcium deposits. Muriatic acid is your friend and enemy for a quick fight against water stains. Once the calcium etches in, it’s a battle and a half. So keep up on your water stain removal, don’t let it sit for years.
Well done video. 👍
I had the same problem with SEVERE water stains. I too chose steel wool, but only after applying a light paste of 1/1 baking soda & water (left to dry) and then spritzing it with white cider vinegar. I used the steel wool to scrub after letting the vinegar do its job for a few minutes... about ten minutes of scrubbing and a few minutes hitting missed spots. My glass was SPOTLESS. One of these days I will Tech-up and record my work too. 😁
Thanks for sharing! I actually did a follow-up video where I tested even more techniques, and found an even better way that may be useful to you in the future: ruclips.net/video/1Oe7XiDOZCw/видео.html
Neat and tidy, good to get the bits and pieces off the window
Thank you! I am going to try the steel wool on our truck windows! Now I have to learn how to get the stains off the truck’s paint. 👏
Feedback?
This video really helped me out. I got a 97 Silverado recently and the back window has so much hard water stains I could not see through it at night. Thank you!
Right on!
I tried steel wool.
No luck. Glass is now hazy and much much worse driving at night.
Thanks !
baking sode + vinegar will do wonders on windshild
Wow, the 0000 steel wool and soapy water really worked. It took about 7 minutes on side windows 12 minutes on windshield and 10 on back of my Tundra window. I waxed my windows them after I finished on one side and rain x or the other side to see which will hold up the best. Thank you writer for sharing this great idea. Keep Living Keep Giving
I'm glad it worked so well for you!
I use paste wax and leave for 5 mins and wipe off & never had to worry about any water spots ,I know not the regular house hold item but it works best
I use fine cut polish with a pad on a drill. Usually Maguires. Works like a charm.
Thank you for doing these test. I was going to try them and didn’t know which was better. I have been using steel wool in my chrome kitchen faucets and any real chrome item. They work great without leaving any scratches. Now I know I can use it on my cars windshield and windows takes the guessing away. Great job!
In my follow-up video, I found an even better solution: ruclips.net/video/1Oe7XiDOZCw/видео.html
I have a car buffer pad I use with some steel wool embedded into a microfiber rag that I run over the windows. (With the buffer on a wet window). Works like a champ to clean the windows. As for the inside, I’m never happy…. Tried all sorts of things…
I've used steel wool to clean glass for years, but I don't use water. I wipe the glass with a shop rag as I'm scrubbing it to make sure I've gotten all of the hard water deposits. For tree sap and road tar I use a 50/50 solution of undiluted simple green and rubbing alcohol.
Great video! Quickly to the point and no shameless product promotions 👍👍
Thank you. First real solution I've seen. Excellent.
Glad it helped, Alex!
Never thought of using steel wool #0000. My windshield situation was a bad batch of windshield cleaner (1 gal from WallyWorld) which left a nasty bluish color water stain which dried up for quite sometime on the very rightside, top, and leftside where the wipers don’t make contact. I’ve used window cleaner, vinegar, soap, & ammonia, none of it worked. So after watching this video, I bought a pack of #0000 steel wool. Used a soapy microfiber towel and cleaned the windshield, rinsed and started the Miyagi method with some elbow greased. I scrubbed it 3x using 3 steel wool for 10-15 minutes each time. Holy schnitzel! It friggin got the majority of the bluish water stain off. It’s way much clearer now than before. Thanks for sharing👍🏼
Hey, that's awesome Ricky! I'm really glad it helped get that WallyWorld stain out of your life. :) Thanks for watching!
Clear coat buffing compound work really well too!!!
Yeah, cutting / buffing compound is great for this - especially if you have a DA buffer.
I’ve been using 50/50 vinegar and water on glass for several years, inside and outside my house. Simple water spots, like from a sprinkler, come right off, and won't harm paint. For thicker deposits, I’ve used vinegar full strength. You can use regular vinegar or cleaning vinegar, they’re virtually the same for cleaning.
I’ve even used this on my cars paint without any issue, lets see the same with steel wool. 😂
I've tried vinegar in my shower diluted and pure, different brands of vinegar and everything but no results... 🙌 I've let it soak for a long time too and immediate use but still nothing ... I've only had result with steel wool grade 000 but even then it's hard to remove water stains... makes me want to give up. I've tried about everything, only power tools I haven't tried yet 😂
@@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0 try using razor blades
I too used vinegar for dried water spots on car windshield and paint with great success because those are dried up minerals residues from water with virtually no scrubbing because the paint can’t handle that.
On the other hand, shower is mineral in water plus soap scums. Glass are quite tolerable to scrubbing. I found melamine sponge are fastest. The key is not to clean the shower once a year. Do it every month or every other month would required much less time in total compared to once a year. The longer it stay on, the thought it takes to remove.
Vinegar would be the easiest and best way to clean it. Why did he not use it.
@@faiolapat I don't think you watched it and read the comment here...
Excellent idea! Thank you and I'll be doing this with steel wool today.
Comparison was great. Presentation awesome. Not overly wordy or in-your-face excitable. Bloopers at the end were a nice touch. Too funny. I definitely subscribed. Can't wait to see what other videos you have. Nice job.
Awesome, thank you S!
I am a professional house cleaner and if u use it dry not wet it s a lot faster comes out beautiful and doesn’t scratch ! Great viseo
My husband just tried using nothing but a razor blade. Water spots came off easily and the process is just as quick as any of these methods.
Hi Helen - I'm glad that was an easy fix for your husband. Depending on the specific mineral content of the deposits, this can be a great solution. I've tried razor blades in the past, and they did not touch these spots at all. Thanks for watching!
Vinegar worked on my car windows like a charm just regular scrubbing🤯
Glad that worked for you!
Tip. Don't throw away dehumidifier water. Use it as a final rinse to "sheet" off your prior rinse. Allow to air dry - no need to wipe. Stunning results.
Nice video. Really well laid-out experiment and presentation! I was expecting the Magic Eraser to do as well as steel wool, but now we know that's not the case.
I was surprised about that as well. The lemon did about what I expected, but I was surprised that the Magic Eraser did so poorly. Perhaps with some vinegar or CLR cleaner instead of soapy water + Magic Eraser... but I doubt it would be faster/easier than steel wool.
@@AmplifyDIY Despite having removed all grease with glass cleaner, for some reason known only to himself he used soapy water with the magic eraser. The soap was a lubricant preventing the magic eraser from gripping the deposits.
I bought a used Rav 4 with the worst water spotted windows I've seen, they must have been on there for months. I tried a few things without success then got a bottle of "Barkeeper's Friend" and it worked perfectly! That stuff is awesome!
That's on my list to try - thanks for sharing!
@@AmplifyDIY My pleasure!
Diamond Magic is the best stuff I have ever used. It is ground up industrial grade diamonds in a paste that you put on a damp cloth and keep the window wet. Be careful because of course diamonds are harder than glass, but it won't make your car rust.
I will try to use the super fine steel wool to remove the hard water on bathroom glass walls. Thank you for sharing this idea,
Good luck, Joan!
Thank you! I have already subscribed and wanted to see more videos like this, especially cleaning stubborn stains. 🙏
THATS how you do a video! I've been struggling with this, well done and instant new subcriber!
Best way to clean glass is good old school Vinegar -$2 for 4L bottle (try it, might save you from getting super fine steel particles on your car). I've never seen this super fine steel wool before. Thanks for introducing me to this method but I am still too afraid of scratching my glass.
Hi David - vinegar works, but takes such a long time (and I hate the smell). You could always try the steel wool on a very very small section of the lower part of your windshield (below where you see through it, over the area where it is sealed to the body with urethane, etc) to see how well it works or if it mars your glass at all. Thanks for watching!
@@AmplifyDIY I will be buying the #0000 steel wool on my next amazon purchase and trying it out on a small piece of windshield, forgot to mention that.. once again thanks for this info!
Hey thanks for this info! It really has been scary trying to drive on the freeway at night!
The only thing that has ever worked and very well was a product called plastix a plastic wax by maguires applied with a scotchbright pad rinsed and looked like new works perfect on mirrors too !!!!
I'll have to give that a try - thanks!
Great video. Definitely will save alot of car owners a ton of money from unnecessary purchases or even detail work at the shop.
This is a great video with good pans and editing, information, and audio is perfect. Liked amd subscribed
Plain glass, without shading on it can be cleaned with a special razor blade, It looks like a squeege. Have not used on a car but it works great on my house windows.
This is the kind of guy that can spend all day cleaning your windows
A company called Stoner makes a “water spot remover” for glass!
And before anybody says I do not work for the company!!!!
I myself tried different methods and then was turned on to this product by someone else!
Their tire shine works very good too!
Hey bud, they make a glass polishing compound called cerium oxide. Use with an orbital buffer and a foam pad. I have multiple classic cars with original windshields and wanted to keep them so I learned how the professionals do it. I think you can buy a premixed cerium oxide paste but I mix it myself. Hope that helps you in the future.
Thank you for the tip, Stephan! I do have a random-orbit polisher. I'll have to see if I can find some cerium oxide paste to try. Thanks!
It doesn't help. The purpose of this video was to learn how to clean with items you already have at home. Not many people have orbital buffers. And if they did the question is how are they going to polish glass and not mess up the rubber molding and paint around said glass. But hey thanks for playing.
Thanks for the tip! Not sure who peed in this guy's 👆 cheerios but if it gets the glass clean on my 12yo car I'll get one. Considering I don't currently have: lemons, clr, bar keepers friend, magic erasers, or 0000 steel wool at home, his point is moot.
This comment is better than this video, and probally better than most others on this subject! Thanks for this info.
Just use swirl remover polish. Perfectly clear glass
You got me thinking... hard water deposits in a shower stall, possibly from a shower nozzle, usually come off with some Lime-A-Way that's formulated to eat away at just that very substance.
Back of bottle says it is safe on shower doors. Shower doors are made of glass. That can't be any or much diff from car glass.
Cheers - I just ordered 0000 steel wool thank you
We've had great luck getting hard water stains off windows using Bar Keepers Friend (soft cleanser). I would love to see you try it in comparison to the steel wool.
Great tip! I may need to do a follow-up…
@@AmplifyDIY Definitely suggest a followup. Why use abrasion when you can use chemicals to quickly dissolve the deposits? I also wonder if CLR or vinegar would work as well. There might be enough decent options for a showdown!
@@JB-fh1bb Vinegar doesn't work. I have the same glass damage from sprinkler water. And to think we drink that same water!
I use both ...bar keepers friend did nothing alone
@@Moon..Shadow used polish and it comes right off, either buffing compound type or even flitz metal polish type
If you’ve got a random orbit polisher or sander try slapping some of the steel wool on the Velcro and you’ll get a better cut in less time
Nothing works better than Bon-Ami cleanser. I've been using it for over 40 years (including in my body shop). It's what Waterford has recommended for their crystal for decades.
I've added this to the list of techniques to try in a follow-up video. Thanks, MrPhilbert!
hard water spots is dissolved by either an acid or a base.... those look like base hard water spots as the lemon juice failed... try a bit of ammonia on that glass.... and that quad ought steel wool is a neat trick!
Thanks! I used the steel wool 0000 and the water spots are almost gone on my 26 yr old car it looks amazing. I am going do do this least once or twice a year on all my cars. And then Rainx them after.
Glad it helped! You may also find the addition of some Barkeeper's Friend helpful: ruclips.net/video/1Oe7XiDOZCw/видео.html
windex + magic eraser is my goto combo for windows
Man What a video ❤ , your way of representation is so good and voice is so soothing ..
Also, thank you detailed comparison..
God bless you.
My pleasure 😊
I will try this, otherwise I'm going to need to replace the windscreen. Thanks for demonstrating it.
Looking for something helpful for a long time... thanks
Glad to hear that, Fayyaz!
If you have any type of tent on your side windows, it will be on the inside, and any type of abrasive medium will scratch the heck out of the film used to tint the window. So never use any sort of abrasive on the inside of any window.
While acids dissolve minerals, which is what is left behind by water, lemon juice is a weak acid. Cleaning vinegar is a stronger acid and does a better job. But both need time to work and that is the problem most people have with them. The need to keep the window damp long enough for them to work while keeping them off the paint. Stronger acids are available and work a lot faster but will also immediately damage the paint if it gets on it.
What I have found is that if you mix equal parts of cleaning vinegar and distilled water in a small bucket and then wet a Mister Clean Eraser pad and use it to scrub the window, you can get the hard water spots off the window without getting the mixture on the paint. You may have to scrub the window more than once to get it all off.
Then to keep your window clean you can make your own glass cleaner using everyday stuff you have at home.
Just use the following recipe:
One cup of rubbing alcohol
One cup of distilled water
One tablespoon of vinegar
Fill a spray bottle and use as a glass cleaner. Store in a cool cabinet away from any heat source, as the alcohol will make this mixture flammable.
Benefits are:
1. evaporates quickly, so you don't end up with spots
2. inexpensive
3. no harsh chemicals or fumes
4. similar to what is found in many commercial glass cleaners
Excellent video presentation format. I don’t have any patients for pretentious RUclips fluff videos and I abhor the extensive use of umhs and ahs. With that said, you’re the quintessential example that others should be utilizing, but I don’t think they will! Thank you much, a subscriber for, now.
Thank you, Super Specialty! I'll do my best to keep producing succinct and informative content. Thanks for watching!
Lightly brush on or use a shop towel a general purpose toilet bowl cleaner, rinse off and use a window cleaner. When you move along at a normal pace, I have never encountered any problems. Works perfectly.
Any particular brand/type of toilet bowl cleaner you recommend? I'd imagine the kind that comes in a gel form would be easiest to work with... I'll have to try this. Thanks!
@@AmplifyDIY I'm in Mexico and use Harpic brand. I forget the brand I used in the US. That's why I immagine any general purpose one will work.
Thank you! Can't wait to try. This is exactly my situation and I'm relieved there is a solution. The body of the car was also full of severe lime deposits and that came clean using Maniac Line water spot remover. However on the glass the problem remained. I'll get some steel wool and give it a try! Thank you!
Best of luck, Kim! I hope it goes well!
The best way I've found is a powdered product called Bar keepers friend
Wow my windows have little grains in them I simply accepted it now im going to scrub them off thank you
Try steel wool and vinegar, I use vinegar to clean water stains from toilets, baths and basins.
I came across a product that is amazing for this type of hard water deposit removal. The product is called "Bar Keepers Friend" and it can be found where you would look for kitchen cleansers. Use a damp sponge and Bar Keepers and you will have complete stain removal. Cheers, dz
I've been using the steel wool for years after a co worker told me about it and as you said it works the best, Just make sure you use the oooo grade ,Easily found in a home depot.
I have had GREAT SUCCESS with Vinegar and Baking Soda as a paste ... it worked instantly. On glass and body
I'm glad it worked for you, but baking soda is a base. Vinegar is a weak acid. The 2 together just cancel each other. It was likely effective due to the slightly abrasive nature of the paste - just like the steel wool. www.apartmenttherapy.com/vinegar-baking-soda-cleaning-mixture-myth-36880375
I use "Nu Finish" car polish. Since it's not a wax, it doesn't leave any wax residue.
Bloopers were hilarious haha! Great tips man!
Glad you enjoyed!
I just mix up water and dishwasher spot free rinse . Spray on wipe off also works on water spots on car surface.
Best is Cerium oxide, it actually is a glass polishing compound and will also get rid of minor scratches
Where on earth do you buy that?
You’d probably get all the water spots off with 0000 steel wool and a little more time. I might use a leaf blower to get rid of any steel wool particles before rinsing and using glass cleaner. Start at the top and blow everything down (including the car door). Great video! 👍👍
Great tip. Thanks!
Magnet could be fun
Vinegar and water is the best , tryed it on my year old pickup at the time -it - was awful with water spots , the vinegar and water removed all the water spots four years later . after so many years I gave up and my wife told me half and half - half water and half vinegar . I used the 0000 steel wool - it did take some of it off . Believe me - try it the vinegar solution - not too say you may have too do it a couple of times - but my truck was really bad bad .....Home remedy WORKS ....
I'll give it a shot. What about using vinegar solution *with* steel wool (instead of soapy water, as I demonstrated here?) Think that would be even faster?
@@AmplifyDIY never thought about the steel wool also , but I;ll stick too the cleaning Vinegar , can buy it already mixed up at Dollar Tree stores and just about any other stores out there too.
Vinegar did nothing for me. Mixed 50/50. Do I need a scrubber
Claybar with some carnauba wax or some polisher works as well
Try anti-calcaire products, sometimes it cleans without scrubbing.
I used glass cleaner and a clay bar, worked really well
Hey William - I had not considered trying a clay bar! I'll have to add that to my list of things to test next time. Thanks for watching!
Try vinegar and newspaper. Vinegar is acidic (acetic acid) - stronger than lemon juice (citric acid) and should dissolve the calcium. Newspaper ink cleans and the paper absorbs the liquid.
Tried it on my glass shower seems ok. Unsure about car windows though.
as a tip i have done a better job by adding to the steel wool + soapy water its to add bar keeper friend cleanser + `polish it works wonder. i took out pretty much 96% of them in a 2011 land rover sport
I tested Barkeeper's Friend in a follow-up video based on some other viewer suggestions, and you are right: That stuff is magic! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the info I bought a used Dodge Durango with horrible water spots
Bar keepers friend works great.
I use Lime Away on the house windows. No scrubbing at all.
Interesting. I tried Lime-A-Way for a follow-up video (still working on editing it)... and it did not perform as well as I expected.
Tried it out and it worked perfectly. Thank you
Awesome!
Use T Cut works a treat
Thank you, i will try that on my 20 years old car.