How to Identify and Remove Pool Stains

A gorgeous, spotless pool is worth a thousand words – particularly on a scorching, sunny day after a long winter. Your pool is fresh; the sun is shining; the barbeque is ready to be served.

 Everything is perfect for your first pool party of the season until you mark that stubborn stain underneath the liner that makes you think the whole thing again. Such a spoiler, isn’t it? 

Having a dirty pool is awful. But a stained pool? Gross! How can you even expect that? You clean your pool regularly, balance the water, and keep the disinfectant level sound. You should not see any blemishes on your pool floor and walls.

If only that were true. The reality is, you can be super-watchful about your pool cleaning and maintenance, and your pool can still lead to stains. But do not let these unpleasant pool spots and stains ruin your backyard moments. 

The good news is that all you require is an ideal pool stain remover. What is better is, you can follow some simple steps to get rid of your stains in a flash and enjoy having a splash! The key is understanding what caused the stains in the first place!

What are the root causes of Pool Stains?

Before you select and use the appropriate pool stain remover, you must find out what stained your pool. Several conditions end up in tainting your pool like acidic water and metal objects left in the pool—also external materials like leaves, branches, or algae-formation. 

However, the most common pool stains are usually found in two categories:

  • Organic: Leaves, branches, berries, and other organic waste can leave marks if they’re allowed to stay and left too long on your swimming pool’s surface. 
  • Metal: Many kinds of metal objects can unintentionally be introduced in your pool. Chances are your primary water source is a well, or you have damaged copper pipes in your water supply. Corroded metal parts and tools can also cause stains in your pool. 

Identify your Pool Stains

Now that you have determined the type of stain your pool has; you can choose which kind of pool stain remover to apply. The quickest way to figure that out is by the color of the stain. 

Greenish – Brown Stains

These are most probably organic stains formed by leaves or plant materials.

Reddish – Blue Stains

These are much possibly from brightly pigmented berries. In case you have a berry tree or bushes close to your swimming pool, they are probably culprits.

Blueish- Greenish Black stains

These stains are likely caused by copper surfaces, which can be found in well water. If you have a corroded copper piping in your water system, it can also result in stains.

Greenish- brownish Red Stains

This stain color combination is a sign of iron in the water. In case you fill up your pool with well water, there are higher chances that it contains iron.

 Or possibly you have iron anywhere in your pool spot, such as a fence. If it rusts, and the rust by any means makes its way inside your pool (while raining, for instance), your pool will end up with stains of these shades.  

 Test the Stain’s Cause

Probably, you’ve got a good knowledge of what caused your pool to stain. Now you’ll need to test your assumption and validate the source of the problem.

Stain Test 1 (Organic)

If you doubt an organic stain, you should try applying a little amount of chlorine directly to the surface. If it’s really organic, it should go off quickly.

Stain Test 2 (Metallic)

Chlorine has little or no reaction on metal surfaces, which is why pool ladders or other accessories are made of metal.

If you doubt a metal stain, you should apply some Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid) to the stain. If it removes or slightly lightens using the powder, the stain is undoubtedly caused by metal.

How to get rid of Pool Stains?

Discovering the stains and their source of cause is only half the battle. The next major concern is eradicating them.

Let’s dive in to know how to get rid of both organic and metal pool stains for good.

Getting rid of Organic Pool Stains

As per the identification test, Chlorine is your best friend against organic pool stains. But since the quantity you use for normal sanitization isn’t sufficient to take out stains, you’ll need to super-chlorinate the water. For that case, Calcium Hypochlorite pool shock is the best solution. Sprinkle it right over an organic stain, and it vanishes instantly. 

Step by Step –  Organic stain removal process

Check and balance the pool water

For testing, you can use the test strips or a liquid test kit to make sure the alkalinity is in the range of 100 -150 ppm, where 125ppm being perfect, and the pH should be between 7.4-7.6, where 7.5 being ideal.

The Pool shocks

If you’ve only one little stain, a regular dosage of shock will prevent the problem. But if you’ve numerous or heavy stains, to get them off with only one round of shocking, you need to use three times the regular dosage. This way, you need to add 3 pounds of Calcium Hypochlorite shock every  10,000 gallons of water.

Brushing your pool

Once you’re done with the pool shock, next, use a firm pool brush to scrub the stains off carefully.

Run the pump

Let the shock flow all over the swimming pool for a minimum of 8 hours or all night.

Repeat brushing your pool

Throughout these 8 hours, or the following day, cleanse the stains again.

Ensure the pool stains are gone

Are the stains finally gone? Awesome, your job is done! In case they are still noticeable, repeat the procedure. 

Note: Keep in mind to always shock your pool at sunset or night, for excellent results. 

Getting rid of Metal Pool stains

Metal pool stains can be a little tricky to get rid of, but definitely not impossible.

Step by Step – Metal stain removal process

Let’s delve into how to get rid of stubborn metal pool stains easily.

Check the water for metals:  It’s a great idea to locate the kind of metal that has stained your swimming pool. It would be helpful to find out the exact type of pool stain remover you need to have.  Few home testing kits can check for metals. 

Find a metal pool stain remover: Search for one that will target the kind of metal that has caused stains to your pool. United Chemicals Pool Stain treat is the perfect solution and has the power to eliminate stains from any type of swimming pool.

Ensure to follow the guidelines: Every pool stain remover works in its way, so it is recommended to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to guarantee the best results.

How to prevent future pool stain formation?

Once you are done getting rid of those stains, you’ll have to prevent them from coming again. Your pool will look nicer and will save the extra energy of removing them.

  1. To keep organic pool stains from forming, maintain the accurate level of sanitizer (i.e., chlorine) inside the pool all the time.
  2. The best you can do is keep the pool dirt-free. This may include cropping trees or bushes across your pool, investing in a good quality automatic pool cleaner.
  3. To prevent metal pool stains from coming back, make sure to keep your pool water balanced using a first-class water chemical test kit.
  4. An excellent way to keep metal particles from settling down on your pool surfaces is by using a metal sequestrant. This chemical binds with the metal pieces making it easy to be removed by a pool filter.
  5. Check for corroded copper in your pool regularly and replace them when compulsory.

Pool Stains are preventable and treatable!

Spotting a stain in your swimming pool can be daunting at first. But once you identify and find the cause and source of the stain, you can quickly treat it. Afterwards, it’s just a matter of avoiding future stains.

However, it is always a great idea to store plenty of pool shock and the metal pool stain remover handy, on the off chance. The above-mentioned products are exclusively prepared to identify and solve a wide range of pool stains, no matter the cause. Following these instructions, you’ll be able to remove pool stains effortlessly. 

Above all, a shining, clean pool actually is worth a thousand words, and a peaceful summer, is precious!

Happy pool diving!

About Michael John

My Name is Micheal John

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