Of all the things that leave stains behind — mascara, a good merlot, and fresh green grass, to name a few — you wouldn’t think water belongs on the list. The stuff is transparent, tasteless, and odor-free. So why does it sometimes leave spots on clean dishes, scum on shower walls, and stains on toilets and sinks? If you deal with this issue, you’re likely among the 85% of U.S. households that have what’s called hard water, per Puracy.

It may sound like an oxymoron, but hard water is indeed a real thing. According to Puracy, as water moves from its source to the faucets in your house, it picks up traces of underground minerals along the way, such as magnesium and calcium. The longer water interacts with these minerals, the more it will absorb and the harder and it will be. When the water evaporates, deposits get left behind. Fortunately, there are ways to fight these pesky stains. One hack may surprise you.

If your shower glass is looking foggy, the solution is right in front of you

Unless you’re incredibly diligent about squeegeeing off your shower doors, you’ve probably noticed water stains that build up over time, giving the glass a foggy appearance. The same goes for your tub, sink, and toilet. To fix this, there’s no need to head to the cleaning aisle of your grocery store or make a smelly DIY concoction of vinegar, water, baking soda, and whatever else you have handy. That’s because you more than likely already own the best cleaning hack for water stains out there: shaving cream! 

According to One Good Thing, all you need to do is apply a thin layer of shaving cream to water stains and let it sit there for about 15 minutes before wiping it off. But that’s not all: Shaving cream also helps combat fog, so you can use the same trick on your bathroom mirror. No more using your hand to clear away that post-shower steam. Apparently, it also works on your car windshield. Who knew?

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