Your Guide To Pool Maintenance
Pebblecrete swimming pools are beautiful and long-lasting, with a unique exposed aggregate surface that makes them much more attractive, compared to conventional concrete pools. But, just like any other type of material, pebblecrete pool surfaces still require regular cleaning to look their best.
If you don’t clean your pool regularly, you may face issues like metal stains and organic stains (usually brown stains on pebblecrete pool), and black stains caused by algae that can be particularly difficult to remove, even with a powerful stain remover. Pool stains are unsightly and can even affect the color of your pool water, so it’s important to keep your pebblecrete pool clean.
So, in this article, we’ll discuss a few of the ways you can clean your pebblecrete pool, remove stains and preserve pebble colours – and also give you some quick tips on how to keep your pool clean, and avoid future stains. Read on, and get all the details you need to know if you’re a pool owner with a Pebblecrete pool!
1. Drain The Pool Completely
If your pool has any significant stains, you probably won’t be able to remove them without draining the water completely. For this reason, it’s usually best to clean your pool completely at the very beginning of the swimming season – or when the weather starts to get cold, and you need to drain your pool anyway.
So, the first step you should take when cleaning a pebblecrete pool is to drain it completely. Follow the proper procedures for your pool, to make sure that all of the water is removed and drained. Depending on your pool, this could take as little as 12 hours or the better part of a day, so be patient – and make sure you’re draining the pool into an area, such as a storm drain or your home’s sewer clean-out.
2. Break Out Your Pool Cleaner Or Liquid Chlorine And Start Scrubbing
You should be able to take care of most minor stains in your pool with just a bit of elbow grease, a garden hose, and some pool cleaner or liquid chlorine detergent. Make sure you wear long pants and sleeves, eye protection, and gloves as well as closed-toe shoes to make sure you protect your skin and face from caustic cleaning agents.
Wet down the area with the hose and then apply your cleaning agent. We recommend using a large, stiff bristled brush to work the cleaning agent into the pebblecrete, and remove it. Repeat this process a few times, and you should be able to remove the bulk of the staining.
3. Use A Pressure Washer For Better Results
Don’t want to spend a lot of time scrubbing? Using a pressure washer is a great way to clean your pool more quickly. You can rent pressure washers at most hardware stores, or pick one up for a relatively low cost. Purchasing a pressure washer is a great idea for most pool owners, as you can also use it to clean the pool deck and metal components, which helps save you quite a bit of time.
Again, make sure to wear proper protective gear when using your pressure washer. Then, just add your detergent, turn on the unit, and spray the pebblecrete surface down. The powerful blast of water will remove surface stains and discoloration, but will not harm the pebblecrete aggregate.
Start working from the walls towards the floor, and use a “turbo nozzle” and algaecide on any particularly bad stains. Then, use clean water to flush away any remaining detergent from your walls, and you’re done! If there are still stains, allow the pool to dry for 24 hours and then repeat the process.
4. Consider Acid Washing For Black Stains Or Significant Stains
If you have serious algae issues due to issues like improper pH levels, the wrong chemical balance or an improper chlorine level, the algae may stain your pebblecrete so deeply that it can’t be removed by scrubbing or power washing.
If this happens, you may want to try acid washing with citric acid or muriatic acid. An acid wash uses a powerful acid which actually “eats away” at the outermost layer of pebblecrete plaster. It penetrates into the porous structure of the pebblecrete, destroying algae that can’t be removed with a simple pressure wash.
To acid wash your pool, simply mix a solution consisting of an equal part of hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid). Then, spray down the sides of the pool with this solution, scrub it for about 30 seconds, and wash it away with clean water to prevent etching. Once you’re done, use soda ash to neutralize the acid, and rinse the entire pool.
Be VERY careful, and wear protective equipment such as gloves and a respirator – hydrochloric acid is EXTREMELY caustic. Always acid wash your pool with at least one other person helping you, and if you do not feel confident in your ability to handle acid safely, do NOT attempt to do this on your own. Hire a professional, like United Pools & Renovations, to acid wash your pool for you.
5. Avoid Future Stains By Keeping Your Pool And Water Clean
The most important thing you can do to prevent future stains to your pool is to test the water regularly, and ensure the proper chemical balance and chlorine level. While some staining is inevitable, proper water maintenance will prevent algae from forming, reduce the risk of metal staining, and keep your pool looking great for years to come.
Get Help With Your Project – Contact United Pools & Renovations!
If you need help with swimming pool repairs, maintenance and pool resurfacing in the Sydney metro area, the team at United Pools & Renovations is here to help. Contact us online today to learn more, or give us a call at 0414 883 859.