Mineral Stains and Landscape Design

  Mineral stains on glass look like water spots. Except they won't wash off. Not without aggressive measures anyway. We can clean off mineral stains for you. The Labor (and cost) is increased in multiples though. There are varying degrees of difficulty based on the mineral stain buildup. Time and consistent contamination increase the challenge, requiring more and more aggressive chemicals for removal. What causes mineral stains? Minerals in the water that gets on the glass. Rain is pretty pure mineral wise. It's the water from a spicket or sprinkler system that are the culprit. We once cleaned the windows of a home here in Fort Collins with heavy stains. The home owner said she hoses the windows off once a month in the warmer months. Oops. Letting the water from the hose dry on the glass 5 to 8 times a year, year after year, caused heavy mineral staining. The same thing happens when a sprinkler system sprays the windows twice a day, May to September. This is the most common cause. Landscape designers, like Architects, often don't give consideration to the effects their design will have on maintenance of the property. Sprinkler placement should not only be based on good coverage of the lawn and garden, but also the avoidance of windows. Wind should also be taken into account. A sprinkler position may not touch the windows on a clam day, but when there's a breeze, the spray can be pushed on the windows and mineral staining will occur, over just a few weeks even. We all love a lush green lawn, but it's less appreciated through stained windows. So go out there and make that lawn beautiful, and keep those windows crystal clear!