Banish Hard Water Stains From Glass Using A Simple DIY Remedy From Your Kitchen

There's nothing like a build up of hard water stains to make an otherwise clean piece of glass look dirty. These chalky white or brown stains are a result of a concentration of minerals in your water. And although these stains are incredibly normal, they can be a real eyesore. Worse, if you leave hard water stains unattended for too long, they can cause permanent damage and leave scratches on the glass. Luckily there are several hacks that remove hard water stains easily, including one that you might not expect: rice water.

Using rice water to remove hard water stains from glass is an excellent opportunity to stack your tasks. On a night where you're already having rice for dinner, you can save the water you rinsed your rice in and use it to clean your glass while the rice cooks. In about 20 minutes you'll have a clean shower door (or other glass surface) and dinner on the table.

Start by submerging a half cup of rice in roughly two cups of water. Stir the rice around with a spoon and wait until the water turns a milky-white shade. At this point, strain your rice and add the milky water to a spray bottle. Feel free to use more or less rice and water, depending on your cleaning needs. This method is just one of a handful of uncommon household uses for rice. It works because the rice water is slightly acidic which helps break down the mineral deposits in hard water.

Since the acid in rice water is so important here, be sure to choose white rice as it has the most amount of starch, which will result in a higher acidity. When you're ready, begin spraying your glass surface with the rice water, then use a sponge to wipe away the stains. After removing your hard water stains, it's a good idea to get familiar with a few tips for preventing hard water stains from building up in the first place.