A swimming pool in the summer is divine and makes swimming therapeutic; however, a dirty one makes for a very unwanted experience especially if you are having friends around. The number one issue that makes for a dirty swimming pool is copper stains.
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Get rid of copper stains with natural remedies
You can get rid of copper stains on your pool with a few natural and simple remedies, including borax, white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and salt. It’s very important to maintain a proper pH balance in you pool.
So check the water with a test strip before and after you scrub it with a homemade remedy.
What causes copper stains in your pool?
Once copper finds its way to your pool through sulfate blocks, copper-based algaecides, low-quality pool salts, or copper and silver systems, copper staining is likely to appear. Without noticing, these products can add copper ions not visible to the naked eye and if the water pH is in the north of 8.3, staining takes place.
Other causes of copper stains in your pool include:
- Metal and mineral: Hard water contains minerals, which include copper that if left overtime, will leave stained marks on the pool’s surface.
- Corrosion from metallic pool pipes.
- Dropping metallic objects inside the pool can cause rust stains on the surface.
- Pool pH: Not maintaining the right pool pH and chemistry in your water can also cause some stains, including from copper.
What do copper stains look like?
Copper stains in your pool will have a light green or light brown appearance and are likely to mistaken for algae stains, so take note of the following:
1. Blue-green stains show copper is present in the water or pipes that are used to fill the pool.
2. Reddish-brown stains show copper stains have been dosed with chlorine.
Removing copper stains from a pool
Now that you are aware of what causes copper pool stains, it’s time to clean.
You will need:
- Pool water test stripes
- Pool stain remover
- A piece of towel
- Soft-bristled hand brush
- Pool brush
Step 1: Examine your pool’s water chemistry
The first thing to do is to test and know the pH balance of your pool’s water. Use pool test strips to do the testing and adjust the pool’s chemicals accordingly. Sometimes, you may not have to clean after the test because the pool balancer may lighten some stains if they are not so bad.
Also, note that incorrect pH levels may cause the vinyl layer to stain or fade, so it’s necessary to test the water regularly.
Step 2: Choose a cleaning product
Listed below are some household alternatives that you can use to clean the pool at home by yourself.
Borax is safe and natural in pools
Borax is an excellent natural pool stain remover.
- Put borax in a bucket and add a little water to form a paste.
- The amount you use will be determined by how big your pool is or how nasty the stains are.
- Apply the borax paste on the pool surface and scrub.
- Borax also helps with raising your pool’s pH level.
The universal stain remover: Vinegar
Vinegar is also good at getting rid of pool surface mineral stains. The acetic acid in vinegar will dissolve the minerals quickly before your eyes.
- Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
- Dip a scrubber or soft towel in it.
- Scrub the stains and they will automatically transfer to the piece of cloth.
- If you fear that vinegar might interfere with pH levels, you can always test the water after the treatment and make necessary adjustments.
Baking soda for removing copper stains from the pool
Baking soda is a superb mild abrasive cleaner that works well on many stains and most pool surfaces.
- Make a simple paste from water and baking soda.
- Apply the baking soda paste on the pool surface stains, then scrub away.
- Just like borax, baking soda will also increase the alkaline levels of your swimming pool, so measure the pH afterwards.
The classic combo: Lemon juice and salt
Lemon juice works similarly to vinegar to remove stubborn rusty stains on the surface of your swimming pool. Combined with salt, the result is a powerful stain remover. The citric acid in lemons works by dissolving mineral stains, even iron and magnesium. It’s also a natural bleacher and brightener.
- You’ll need a cup of lemon and half a cup of salt.
- Mix both ingredients to make a thick runny paste.
- Apply the mixture on the pool tile and scrap off with your piece of cloth
- If the stains are bad, you can scrub using a soft-bristled brush or scourer
Step 4: Maintenance of the pool
Now that the swimming pool is clean, it’s important to maintain it’s clean appearance. It’s easier to prevent stains in the first place than to get rid of them after the fact. Here are some simple habits will help maintain your pool’s hygiene:
- Make sure the chemistry of your pool water is always balanced.
- Sweep your pool’s deck weekly.
- Vacuum and shock your pool with chlorine regularly.
- Remove dirt such as metals as soon as you notice them.
Frequently asked questions
Are household cleaners safe to use for removing stains from the swimming pool surface?
Household cleaners are safe for cleaning the surface of your pool, as long as the one you use is natural and doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. It’s very important that after every cleaning process, you test the chemistry of your pool and make any adjustments needed to restore pH levels to what is required.
Can you use bleach to clean a swimming pool surface?
Bleach is not safe to use for cleaning vinyl pool liners because it will mess with the water’s pH levels. Secondly, it’s very unsafe for human consumption and when people swim, they swallow a bit of water. Thirdly, it is toxic to you as the cleaner.
Apart from the household natural products, what other products are best for removing stains on your swimming pool’s surface?
In the supermarket or hardware store, you can find commercial products specifically made for cleaning swimming pools, and they work just the same if not better. Household products are cheap and readily available. Try to see which options work for you.
Wrapping up
Removing stains from a swimming pool surface is not an impossible task. You don’t need to hire a professional pool cleaner or use expensive products. If you follow the guidelines of weekly brushing and vacuuming of your pool and regularly do chlorine shock, you will never have pool stain problems. But in case you do, these products will come in handy.
