Top tip for getting rid of calcium deposits off glass

Bigcat

Bigcat

Forum Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Messages
74
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Hi guys

I've had terrible calcium deposits on my windows ever since I bought my car 5 years ago. I've tried everything to get it off:

Vinegar, CLR, oven cleaner, cut & polish, bathroom cleaner etc etc.

After trawling the internet for a solution i found this stuff:

purple_metal_polish.jpg


https://www.calcustom.com.au/california-custom-catalogue/purple-metal-polish

It's the only thing I've found that works. Here's how i finally shifted that muck:

1. You'll need a bottle of polish, lots of paper towel, a bottle of windex and some masking tape. Get your drill and fit a small sheepskin buffing pad from Repco etc. Don't even think about trying to buff it by hand, unless you've got a spare week.

2. Keep your doors closed. Mask off your windows to prevent too much polish getting on your paint and rubber strips.

3. Set your drill to run at a fairly low speed or you'll be splattering you and your car with purpleness.

4. Either run some lines of polish in an S shape over your window or apply direct to the pad. Blip the throttle on your drill to spread the polish around the window without splattering.

5. Buff the window for about 2 minutes in a slow moving fashion without pushing too hard. Don't rush or the calcium won't come off.

6. Spray the window with windex and use the paper towel to clean off the excess polish. Don't try and buff out the excess with a cloth or you'll be there all day spreading it around as it'll be like a thick greasy film.

7. Redo steps 4 to 6 if your first pass didn't get it all off. My windows took 3 attempts! This method of buff/clean/buff/clean seemed to be more effective that just lathering it on without the clean in between, I think this is because the polish has diminishing abrasives so buffing too long in one pass won't be as effective.

8. When you're done remove masking tape and finish cleaning your window surrounds with windex. The polish is quite greasy and so you'll need to keep using clean paper towels to prevent spreading polish over and over again.

9. If you get it on your paint don't worry. Just spray with windex and wipe it off GENTLY. It won't leave a mark

10. When you've done all your windows I suggest spraying your car with CT18 truck cleaner and giving it a good wash as there'll be heaps of little splatters everywhere.

11. This stuff also works great on headlight cataracts if you suffer from those.


Happy buffing!

By the way, I am in no way connected to California Customs. Just some guy who's chuffed his windows don't look like s#$t any more :)
 
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^ & ^^

Thanks, fellas.

My car windows are all fine ... BUT I have a house full of windows (and shower screens) that are all pretty daggy.
 
Yes, seen a friends glass permanently etched by calcium in tap water!
I found that Phosphoric acid instantly dissolved away all calcium marks on my glass. I bought it by the litre at the hardware store. I used it to also descale my kettle and shower screens at home, it was instant and reasonably safe.
RainX is a good solution to preventing scale marks on any glass, it lasts for years so I have found.
 
I'll try this next time! I found coke works as well
 
My wife spend a ****load on Enjo products.
But for any glass, the Marble Paste and bathroom glove is a 100% winner.
You need very little paste and DO NOT use it on painted surfaces. Its literally marble.
 
Hey guy! This is my first post and I realise this is an old thread but I just wanted to let you's know this easy tip for perfect automotive glass every time. I run my own car detailing business and this is what we use. The product is call "Ali King" it's an aluminium cleaner and can be bought from any commercial cleaning supplies shop. Dilute it 50/50 with water in a heavy duty spray bottle. Wet the car down and spray on liberly one window at a time. Rub it around by hand with a glove on and pressure clean off, or even hose off. That's it! In some cases you may need to do it twice for really bad build up but not often. Do this to all external windows keeping the car wet and hosing residue off regularly. I would also recommend using a mask as it's pretty potent stuff. When the car is dry give the Windows a coat of ordinary car wax to help prevent build up again. THIS WILL NOT HARM YOUR PAINT.

[ADMINISTRATOR EDIT]

THIS STUFF IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS (SEE POSTS BELOW, AND MSDS - MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET).

DO NOT USE UNLESS QUALIFIED TO DO SO!

NOTE: @Kevin

@Ratbag

[END EDIT]
 
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Roebbks said:
My wife a ****load on Enjo products.
But for any glass, the Marble Paste and bathroom glove is a 100% winner.
You need very little paste and DO NOT use it on painted surfaces. Its literally marble.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob, I'm going to give that a try and see if I can get the windows looking clean.
 
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Mossy said:
Hey guy! This is my first post and I realise this is an old thread but I just wanted to let you's know this easy tip for perfect automotive glass every time. I run my own car detailing business and this is what we use. The product is call "Ali King" it's an aluminium cleaner and can be bought from any commercial cleaning supplies shop.
Click to expand...
Jesus.. I'm not sure I'd be going anywhere near that stuff
SDS: https://www.autosmartaustralia.com.au/pdf/cleaners/aluminium-cleaners/Ali_King_-_SDS10811_-_AUS.pdf

HF acid is not to be toyed with. Note " H310 Fatal in contact with skin." - The stuff migrates into your deep tissue and bones if you have skin contact, and you may not feel the pain for hours.

"Skin Contact It is important to remove the substance from the skin immediately. Take off immediately all contaminated clothing. Care should be taken to avoid contact with contaminants when removing contaminated clothing. First aid personnel should wear appropriate protective equipment during any rescue. Rinse immediately with plenty of water. Continue to rinse for at least 10 minutes. Apply Calcium Gluconate Gel over the affected areas. Get medical attention immediately. Effects may be delayed. Chemical burns must be treated by a physician. Show this Safety Data Sheet to the medical personnel. Wash contaminated clothing before reuse."

..etc
 
WARNING ON ORIGINAL POST.

THIS STUFF IS FATAL IF YOU GET IT ON YOUR SKIN, ETC.

FROM MSDS:

Ali King Hazard statements

H301 Toxic if swallowed.
H310 Fatal in contact with skin.
H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
H332 Harmful if inhaled.

Precautionary statements

P262 Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing.
P280 Wear protective gloves/ protective clothing/ eye protection/ face protection.
P308+P313 IF exposed or concerned: Get medical advice/ attention.
P320 Specific treatment is urgent (see medical advice on this label).
P403+P233 Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
P501 Dispose of contents/ container in accordance with national regulations.

Supplemental label information For professional users only.
Contains: PHOSPHORIC ACID ...%, HYDROFLUORIC ACID ...%, 2-BUTOXYETHANOL
 
Rust converter also contains Phosphoric Acid - I've been using it to repair some rebar rust in my swimming pool walls. Yes you have to be very careful.
 
Kevin said:
Rust converter also contains Phosphoric Acid - I've been using it to repair some rebar rust in my swimming pool walls. Yes you have to be very careful.
Click to expand...
Mate & I bought a tilt trailer for transporting our golf cart to & from the golf course. The checker plate floor was bit rusty top & bottom, so instead of painting on the Rust Converter with a brush we sprayed it on and let it sit before washing it off. We let it dry and then repainted it.
Thinking back to that day, I do seem to remember feeling a bit of tingling on my arms a few times, washed them off with the hose.
As per usual we didn't RTFM. :shake: Club Me.gif
 
Yep, it does tingle a bit but in the dilution in Rust Converter not too dangerous. I suspect that Coke has, or did have, more.
I use Cabot Deck Cleaner to remove Fe, Iron, staining from the car`s paintwork. That contains Oxalic acid. Haven`t tried it for calcium though. It is not particularly dangerous if used sensibly and carefully.
Back to HF, noble metals, eg Gold, Silver, Lead etc are soluble in HF. Uranium hexafluoride is a salt from which U3O8 is extracted.
NOT to be played with.
 
I too use oxalic acid for various things - cleaning rust stains off the Gal trailer, staining off of gelcoat and also on mag wheels.

HF is a whole 'nother level of dangerous.
 
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