# Really stubborn watermarks on windows



## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

Hi there,
Has anyone got any experience of removing watermarks on windows. After years of using a jetwash and not drying the windows I have water mark spots all over my windows which I can't get off. Presumably it's limescale and the deposits around each drop that have dried have dried so hard over such a long time.

I presume abrasion or chemical or combination will remove them, but I don't want to damage rubber around windows or paintwork if using chemical say cillit bang limescale remover or scratch the glass if too abrasive.

I've tried autoglym glass polish, neat vinegar with a non scratch kitchen cleaning pad both of which have had no effect at all.

Can anyone help as it's driving me mad as I've spent so long cleaning, polishing and waxing the body which looks great but the windows look terrible.

Many thanks,

Simon


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Bar keepers friend 

I had an issue with a failed sealant in windscreen that dealer applied and I tried everything I had / could think off, included jif - which normally works, but nothing was shifting it. 

Bought some of this - powder version - and worked a treat. Now use it if windscreen has anything on it and it cleans it wonderfully. 

Also heard / read about people using 0000 grade steel wool to shift stubborn marks...


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

If you still have the vinegar, soak a piece of kitchen roll in it and also it on the window. Letting the vinegar soak and dissolve the limescale works nicely and involves no scrubbing.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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## GSD (Feb 6, 2011)

I really wouldn't use steel wool.


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## Mrmojorisin007 (Aug 19, 2016)

In really stuburn cases I've used bathroom calcium cleaner - Viakal works a treat.


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## spyk3d (Nov 25, 2007)

I've had this an used 0000 grade wire wool. Make sure it is 0000 grade wire wool and nothing else as any other grades will put scratches into your glass. You could also try claying the area to see if that will break down some of the staining.


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure where I can get bar keepers friend powder apart from on-line. However, I have just received some 0000 wire wool to try. It is amazingly soft so I don't think it will scratch the glass but will try on a small area first. I think I might use some vinegar as a lubricant with it, and of course will clean the windows first to ensure there is no grit or anything on them which will of course scratch the glass. A clay bar had absolutely no effect at all.


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## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

I'm no


> t sure where I can get bar keepers friend powder apart from on-line


Shops like Home Bargains usually sell it. I've used that mixed into a paste and it did a great job on the windscreen. Also used 0000 wire wool and it's perfecly safe.


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

I'll check out home bargains for it. Just watched a few youtube videos of people using 0000 wire wool on their car windows, even tinted ones. But they use it dry so I might try that first.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Jaguarsimon said:


> Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure where I can get bar keepers friend powder apart from on-line.


"The Range" sell it, if you've one near...


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## Vossman (Aug 5, 2010)

White vinegar, about 50p a bottle from Sainsbury's or any shop, I use it neat on a microfibre and simply wipe away water spots, I do follow it up with my preferred glass cleaner, the vinegar never fails though.


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## big dave 666 (Aug 2, 2014)

Megs marine range water spot remover.....


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

As I originally said I tried neat vinegar with a mild kitchen scourer and it had no effect whatsoever.
I managed to get some bar keepers friend powder from The Range yesterday (I didn't know the store even existed!) so now I have that to try as well as the 0000 wire wool.


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

Just discovered the Range also sell Invisible glass cleaner which I just have to get!


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## spyk3d (Nov 25, 2007)

If its Stoners Invisible Glass its great stuff. Its the only glass cleaner I use now.


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## westerman (Oct 12, 2008)

Wire wool 0000 and clay. Follow up with a really good alcohol based glass cleaner, I use Angelwax Vision . Then get the windows sealed with Rain x or H2go which will help to limit further watermarking is the way I do it.

Harry


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## German Taxi (Nov 6, 2007)

The physical hardness of glass makes it tough to polish - you might need to give cerium oxide compound and felt pads a try. But you will probably need to use a machine polisher to get a decent result.

Have a look here:

*Compound* - http://www.glasspolishshop.com/consumables/polishing-compounds/glass-polishing
*Pads* - http://www.glasspolishshop.com/consumables/polishing-pads/rayon-felt

This combination will remove the likes of wiper blade tracks and the kind of marks you are describing.

It gets messy though; it produces a kind of 'slurry' so there can be a fair bit of splatter. You will want to cover all your window rubbers in cling film or tape and wear eye protection. Also, observe these basic guidelines:

Machine speed slower than that used for correcting paint
Arm speed faster
Check often for heat build up


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

Jaguarsimon said:


> Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure where I can get bar keepers friend powder apart from on-line....


John Lewis stock it.

I've a machine polisher and used some Scholl S20 to good effect on a windscreen that had some sort of "film" on it that pretty much nothing would shift.

Agree with the other suggestion for more "general" cleaning.

Gtechniq G4 is worth a go https://gtechniq.com/products/auto/perfect/exterior/paint/g4-nanotech-glass-polish.

Good Luck.

Andy.


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## Mike J (Jul 5, 2018)

Cut a fresh lemon inhalf and hold it on a patch of spots while watching from the inside.
That should do it if you want a low cost easily available fix.


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## German Taxi (Nov 6, 2007)

A range of specialist glass cleaners here:

https://windowcleancentre.co.uk/cleaning-products/specialist-cleaners/40


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

Thanks for all your replies.
Update: The 0000 wire wool had absolutely no effect whatsoever. I had more luck with the bar keepers friend but had variable results. Some windows are virtually clear but others are not. I think that might have something to do with my technique. It seemed to work better when the cloth was slightly damp and I sprinkled the powder on it, rather than when the cloth was really wet and I put some powder on and kind of made a paste before applying and rubbing, even a few times doing this.

Might see if I can soak some kitchen paper in vinegar and leave it on the glass for a while to see it that will soften it, if the towel doesn't disintegrate.


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## Chris8uck (Apr 27, 2018)

Rainex might help?


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

On closer inspection the bar keepers friend only helped a bit as there are still water marks all over, but not quite as bad. I went over a few times so don't think trying again will remove them all.
The mineral deposits must have hardened very much over a few years which is why I'm struggling so much. I guess the wire wool/bar keepers friend would only work on relatively fresh deposits.
Will have a look at some of the suggestions regarding a product using an electric polisher although I don't have one but the product with a cloth might work.


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

If the water marks are "limescale" deposits than something acidic like vinegar or Barkeepers Friend should, eventually, get rid of them.

By all means give some polish by hand a go. Probably teaching granny to suck eggs but use a "proper" polish because you need a bit of cut to remove the deposits. We all have/had things like Autoglym Super Resin Polish but I'm not sure that will work as it has filling properties as well.

But I doubt it'll do any harm to give it a try.

Maybe something like this:

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/bilt-hamber-cleanser-polish.html

Or have a read here:

ww.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=402119

Keep us posted.

Good luck.

Andy.


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

It is certainly limescale and looks like a shower screen looks after a while if you don't squeegee it every time. But I use cillit bang limescale remover and a nylon kitchen scrubber to get that off. I wonder if I make a paste with the bar keepers friend and leave it on for a while to react with the limescale? It says a minute on the bottle but I tried that and it didn't work so needs longer maybe.


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

Personally I'd keep away from Cillit Bang and a kitchen scrubber on a car. While it might remove the limescale i'm not sure what it might do to paintwork, rubbers etc.

Happy to be educated if others have found it to be OK.

Andy.


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

I wouldn't use cillit bang on it unless someone says it's safe on paint and rubbers. I would be careful not to overspill though.
It's kept undercover and I rarely go out in rain so maybe I should leave it outside and let our lovely acid rain work its magic!


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## Marve (Jul 5, 2013)

I find using bar keepers friend with 0000 steel wool is very successful. BUT you need to consistency of your paste right and work it with the steel wool until the moisture all but disappears and you are basically buffing it with the wool. 

So I tend to do it like this

1) Make up a paste that is not too wet (experience will come into play here, you want to be able to spread it all over the glass nicely, but not so wet it runs and you can never get it dried out by working with your steel wool).

2) Have two "balls" of steel wool. using the first one, work it all over the glass, back and forth, left and right, up and down, round and round. Keep working until the paste starts to really dry out on the glass.

3) Use you second (clean and dry) piece of steel wool to really work the abrasiveness of the bar keepers paste as it drys out, you are basically taking it to the point of buffing the glass here and will have some powder residue build up.

4) Using a clean microfibre, remove any remaining residue and your bits of powder that have accumulated near the edges etc.

5) Stand back, admire your work and then move onto the next window!


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## Jaguarsimon (Jul 6, 2018)

I have at last succeeded in removing the majority of the stains and here's how:
As someone suggested I soaked pieces of kitchen paper in white vinegar and applied to all windows and left for an hour and a half. This didn't dissolve the stains but must have slightly softened them enough for barkeepers friend worked on with a non-scratch kitchen scourer to remove most of it.

There are still some traces left, but it was a noticeable improvement, and so I'm hoping next time a rego of barkeepers friend will clear the windows completely. Hoping not to have to use the paper towels and vinegar again as that was sooooo time consuming.


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