Getting rid of rust stains from the pool can be difficult. It’s crucial that you know a few things about the pool surface and the stain. Whether you have a plaster, vinyl or fiberglass pool, understanding how they stain goes a long way in helping you deal with different kinds of stains. Here are a few tips on how to get rust stains off bottom of pool.
How to Get Rust Stains Off Bottom of Pool
This article points out the different methods you can use to maintain your pool and get rid of rust stains. It also highlights some of the most common causes of rust stains in pools.
What Causes Rust Stains in Pools
- Staples, Nails, Screws
- Well Water from on-site Water Wells
- Rusty Water Pipes Bringing Fill Water
- Rebar Tie Wires or Rebar Containing Pool Water
- Parts of Pieces of Non-pool Toys
- Hair Pins of Barrettes
Pool builders recommend first determining the source of the rust before attempting to remove the stain. You want to figure out what’s causing the stain to prevent the problem from recurring and having to retreat the same stains repeatedly.
Methods of Removing Rust Stains
Method 1- the Sock Method
Be sure to wear some protective gear before filling up an old tube sock with a granular acid such as sodium bisulphate or ascorbic acid. Add about a cup of sodium bisulfate to the sock then tie the sock in a knot to contain the acid. Then using a pool pole, position the sock over the stain. Depending on the age and size of the stain, the acid will clear out the stain in about 5-15 minutes. Consider brushing with a steel bristle pool brush during and after.
Vitamin C Tablets
Vitamin C tablets are made of ascorbic acid, which is great for cleaning. Most rust stains will disappear by rubbing a large vitamin C tablet over the stain. Alternatively, put about 20 tablets in a Ziplock bag and hammer them into a powder. Simply sprinkle the powder over rust stains and brush vigorously to get rid of the stain.
The Pipe Method
Place a 1.5 or 2-inch PVC pipe directly over the stain, making sure one end of the pipe is above water. Now you can pour in your acid (whether ascorbic acid or dry ice) or a mild muriatic acid (don’t forget to wear gloves and safety goggles). Hold the pipe over the stain for about 30 seconds then move it in a circular pattern around the stain.
Underwater Sanding
For plaster and pebble pools with an isolated rust spot that’s not coming from the inside out, you can use pneumatic-powered sanders/grinders or sanding blocks to sand down the top plaster coat. You can also use pumice stone and just scrub the surface.
Fiberglass and vinyl pools, on the other hand, are delicate and grinding wheels or stones are too rough. As such, you can use an abrasive rubber to rub off the stains from fiberglass and vinyl pools.
Bottom Line
Whether you own a free form pool, or a straight line pool, it’s important to keep it rust free. These are some of the tips on how to get rust stains off bottom of pool. You can incorporate this into your pool maintenance checklist. The method you choose to deal with a stain depends on the source of the stain. Always start by identifying what’s causing the stain then take action based on your findings.
