Even the cleanest of Arizona pools develop hard water deposits that show up as the white line on their tiles, around the perimeter of the pool.
As water evaporates, scaling can occur and calcium deposits cling to the sides of the pool. It shows up as the cloudy white line - and it can be difficult to remove.
There are two types of scale causing a line on the tile that pool owners need to address.
Calcium Carbonate
This type of scale is white, flaky, and thankfully, you can remove the stains. If the dirt and grime is minimal, start by scrubbing at it with a toothbrush and one of these natural cleaners:
Baking soda
Borax
Vinegar
Toothpaste
Dish soap
To determine if the scale you have is calcium carbonate, apply a small amount of muriatic acid on the scale. If it bubbles or foams at contact, then you know you are dealing with calcium carbonate.
Calcium Silicate
Calcium silicate is greyish-white, and is much harder to remove than calcium carbonate because the scale will have been present for much longer.
To determine if the scale you have is calcium silicate, apply a small amount of muriatic acid on the scale. Unlike the previous scale, calcium silicate will have little to no reaction to muriatic acid.
Unfortunately, the only way to effectively remove this type of stubborn stain will require use of chemicals you already use in your pool, and some elbow grease. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and use a tile cleaner and a pumice stone.
Since these types of products are strong chemicals, you should take the needed precautions such as wearing protective gear and glasses.
When To Call a Pool Service Company for Assistance
If you find your efforts to clean the pool tiles are not producing the results you are hoping for, or if you would just rather have someone take care of it for you - then it’s time to call a pool service company like Sunset Pool Care.
Sunset Pool Care uses a mildly abrasive glass bead that removes the white calcium line along with mold, mildew and hard water deposits. Glass Bead Blasting uses a stream of ultra fine, perfectly round glass beads (about the size of a needle tip, 10 microns) to clean the calcium, oil and grit off the tiles and grout. Glass bead blasting is used primarily on Pebble Tec pools. Not only is it aggressive enough to remove the toughest stains/deposits, it’s gentle enough not to damage the tile or grout. It won't affect the balance of the water either.
Call to schedule a Pool Tile Cleaning: 480-682-7986