3 Tricks of the Trade to Remove Pool Stains

Here’s 3 tricks of the trade to remove pool stains from Pool Troopers on how to handle even the toughest stains in your pool. A stained pool can ruin your whole backyard appearance. Tough-to-remove pool stains sometimes need a bit more than just brushing. Pool stains usually fall into these categories: organic, metal, and mineral stains, and each requires a different method to clean and remove. But, help is on the way! 

Removing organic pool stains

You’ll need to use a little elbow grease to remove organic stains. Luckily, no matter whether you’re trying to remove algae or leaf stains from your pool, all you need to do is follow this simple method to remove most organic stains:

• Shock your pool.
• Apply granular chlorine.
• Allow time for the chemicals to absorb.
• Scrub the area that is stained.

However, for the more effective organic stain removal, try this:

• Balance your pool’s alkalinity and pH levels (pH should be between 7.4-7.6, and alkalinity between 100-150).
• Balancing these numbers will make the chlorine you add much more effective.
• Use a minimum of 2 pounds of calcium hypochlorite pool shock in order to super shock the water.
• You should use one bag per 5-gallon bucket. Slowly mix the shock into the water bucket.
• Shock at night to prevent chemical depletion from the sunlight.
• Leave for a few hours so the shock can circulate.
• Put 1-2 cups of granular chlorine on the organic stain.
• Scrub the granular chlorine well.
• Use a soft tile grout scrubber, if the brush doesn’t work.
• Continue scrubbing the granular chlorine in the area of the stain until it’s gone.
• For especially hard organic pool stains, you can use an enzyme treatment—found at any pool store—to help break down organic substances too stubborn for chlorine alone.

Removing metal pool stains

Metal pool stains are a bit tougher. You can only use certain chemicals because chlorine just won’t work.

How to remove iron pool stains:

Ascorbic acid is very efficient for removing iron stains, and you can find it in most stain and scale products. Citric acid is similar to ascorbic acid, but it is more successful at treating copper metal stains. If you aren’t sure what kind of metal it is, you can take a water sample to a pool store to test it, or buy a test kit.

For the most successful metal stain removal, follow these steps:

• Use a metal reducer (such as Metal-Free or Metal Klear) to deactivate excess metals.
• Pour a 1/2 pound of ascorbic acid into 10,000 gallons of water.
• For hard stains, sprinkle citric or ascorbic acid directly to the spot.
• Scrub the stain.
• Let the filter run for at least one hour.
• Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 until the stain is removed.
• In the end, pour a metal eliminator pack into your skimmer basket.  

Removing mineral pool stains

Like waterline stains, these stains are scaly white deposits that usually appear just above the waterline. They’re usually the result of excess calcium in the water.

There are three ways to remove these stains:

• Make a 50/50 vinegar-water mix and use it to remove the stain.
• Apply a baking soda and vinegar solution and scrub.
• Apply a salt and lime juice mixture and scrub.