Cleaning with Isopropyl Alcohol...water wash after?

I do exactly this every 3-4 days, other than I don't use tap water for cleaning... I use distilled for that also. I pick up gallons of distilled on the cheap at Walmart

I live in an area where we have well water. Not only is it well water but it seems to be very high in minerals, great taste and good for you but stains the crap out of all my glass. In most cases I have always used 91% ISO to clean my pieces but now I notice that they stain almost instantaneously if I am not constantly on top of it (cleaning glass daily). Any ideas to help keep it clean? Also, I am noticing that its harder to clean as well - looking for whatever advice I can get. It almost looks like a mix between soap scum and water marks after a few uses.

I use bottled water.

Filtered water like brita cartridges don't stains the glass

Thanks guys - I will try the filtered water - I have one of those Bobbles I can use. Any rec's on removing the water stains?

And Ca5h - I am reading about your mist conditioning, I want to do something for myself - with asthma and chronic bronchitis I need the moisture.

I think I've read something about Vinegar helping with Hard Water stains.

Vinegar removes the hard water stains and clears any kind of residual odor but you got to rinse it with filtered water to keep the benefits.
I'm searching for a product for cleaning glass like t-dub is using, but around there I don't know where to find that.

I still have a lightly blurred water tool, I solved the hard water problem, but not the fast resin build up problem.. I may try the salt technique but I don't want to waste some good alcohol to do that.

A water filter removes things like chlorine, but that isn't what stains glass as much as the minerals. That's why they're called hard water stains, because minerals are hard . If you look at any bottle of water it lists minerals in the ingredients.

I'd imagine there would be LESS staining than your well water, but neither are going to keep it as clean as distilled water. Personally have a ~3-gallon distilled water dispenser in my bedroom with a spout for filling up all my glass with ease. Pretty sure it costs less than a $1 a gallon.

Bottled water is tap. Those stains are from BAD WATER. No one should drink hard water, like shitty city water like where I live.

Yes, we need to rinse with tap. But heres the solution that works. Dont let the stains buildup. Always use a post wash of Dr Bronners liquid soap, shake and rinse then do a quick vinegar wash just shake it around for a minute. rinse remainder out with tap and then do a FINAL RINSE with the good filtered water(not fucking Brita, I mean a real water filter), and dump that out. then you do a final fill with good water to use in it. If you do this every time you clean glass you will never have stains. The problem is they build up in the first place and once they get bad are super fucking stubborn. good luck and happy glass cleaning.

Wells also need to be filtered as it leaches whatever may be deep in the ground. Wells can even harvest some real nasty things like parasites.

You are right and I was wrong - my bad! I am not supposed to drink well water and just noticed the 5-gal my wife got was and is distilled, but the bottled stuff is from one of the gazillion gal/year industrial plants local to where I am.
I am using distilled water in my glassware and clean it at least every couple days at maybe up to 10+ times a day and it is acceptable to me. Clean with 97% and salt. Rinse with well-tap-water. Fill with distilled. Works for me.

Hey friends, I just got this beauty in the mail yesterday and i wanna clean it before using it, I'm just wondering how much salt and alcohol you guys use? Also, does normal salt do the job or does it have to be coarse salt to be effective? thanks


edit: here is the beaut'

i wouldnt bother with salt if theres no staining at all, but i use whatever salt is around, table salt or epsom salt.

Yeah just pour a little of whatever salt you have. If it gets really gummed up with use you may want to use some table and some kosher salt together.

also, that piece looks beautiful!

i've never heard of anyone using vinegar before though, i might give that a shot the next time around.

Vinegar, acetic acid, is a common household solution for removing hard water stains. Its not strong enough to do a whole lot with though . . .

I like to do the typical wash with ISO. Afterwards, I put a tiny dollop of dish washing detergent in (the gel kind). I shake it up and wash the outside of the glass with my hands and suds. I thoroughly rinse afterwards. I've found the detergent really brings back the shine to the glass.

I do a similar thing fluge, but instead of dishwashing detergent, I use sugar soap
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_soap
http://www.selleys.com.au/diy-painting/cleaning-surfaces/sugar-soap

I haven't got any particular reason for using sugar soap, except that it makes my glass look sparkling new