How to Choose the Best Pool Tile Cleaner

What Is the Gross Grime on Your Pool Walls?

Most of the time, your waterline will get gummed up by one of two things—calcium silicate or calcium carbonate. You'll know these build ups by looking in sinks and tubs around your house. The whitish-grey lines, scum, and scaling on stainless steel faucets and around sink drains result from these minerals.

No need to worry though, all water has minerals in it, so it's completely normal to find deposits on your pool walls. 

If you start to notice algae or another kind of build-up, this guide isn't for you. Call a professional immediately.



Let's explore what these deposits actually are in greater depth. 

Calcium Silicate

Calcium silicate results from a chemical reaction that happens in the water when the PH is out of balance. So, if your pool's PH is between 7.4 and 7.6 then you shouldn't worry.

However, if you notice greyish-white stuff along your waterline, then you should start to be concerned. Calcium silicate takes a while to build up. If you have build-up on your pool walls, you will have some in your pipes and filter.



In extreme cases, you'll need to hire cleaning professionals to clean the inner workings of your backyard paradise. 

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate is a common type of build-up that you will encounter, and it rarely requires professional cleaning. You can tell that your build-up is calcium carbonate because it will be white and flaky.

Additionally, calcium carbonate will fizz when you expose it to muriatic acid. Dropping acid on calcium deposits is called the "acid test."

Most of the time, a quick DIY clean with the right materials is enough to control the spread of this mineral deposit. 



A PH imbalance in your pool also causes calcium carbonate build-up, so be sure to check your PH regularly and to follow these cleaning pool tile tips.

What Pool Tile Cleaner Is the Best to Use?

But what if you don't know how to clean pool tiles?



There are a couple of options you can choose from when you're tackling your pool's build-up. Some you can find in your kitchen cupboards; others will come from a specialty shop. 

Household Solutions

Let's start with some more budget-friendly options. Household cleaners can save you a buck or two, but you should mainly use them for light build-up. The problem that many low-cost solutions suffer from is a non-specialized approach.

That said, try any of these light abrasives or acids to scrub or melt your troubles away.

• Vinegar
• Borax
• Toothpaste
• Dish soap
• Baking soda



All of these options are cheap, easily accessible, safe-to-use, and reasonably effective. Attack your troubles with a toothbrush or a similar tool until the deposits are no more. 

Specialized Pool Tile Cleaning Solutions and Hard Abrasives

We'll start with hard abrasives. We recommend one scrubbing solution for hard to tackle jobs.

Get yourself a pumice stone from your local hardware store and a box of gloves. Pumice stones are nature's magic eraser. They will power through tough deposits like nobody's business. 

Next, you need to buy a specialized pool cleaner like our calcium release. Specialized solutions are just that, specialized. Solutions like our calcium release are explicitly designed to remove calcium deposits from your poolside walls. This is the best pool tile cleaner we know of. 

This approach might be a little more expensive, but it's worth it. 

Use the specialty cleaner in conjunction with the pumice stone, and you should make short work of the deposits on your waterline. 



After you clean your pool, wait a few days to refresh your cocktail of pool chemicals. A short delay will help your pool normalize itself before you shock it again with more additives. 

How to Protect Against Build-up

"How to keep pool tiles clean," you ask? Well, the best form of protection against build-up is regular maintenance and proper after-care. We recommend Cal Block, but anything else will most likely work for you. 

Protectants like Cal Block do a couple of things by forming a protective coating over the walls of your pool.

1. The protective layer makes cleaning more manageable in the future because it helps prevent the adhesion of mineral deposits 
2. The protective layer protects your grout and everything around it
3. 
   

Additionally, the protective layer is often chemically safe and environmentally friendly (at least Cal Block is, we can't vouch for other brands).



So, what's the downside? Well, honestly, not much. Cal Block only takes a few minutes to apply, and you're done. So, if you have enough time to make yourself a morning coffee, you have time to protect your pool. 

It's Time to Get Scrubbing!

Grab your cleaner of choice and get to work! 

We advise cleaning in small increments when you're in the pool to make maintenance more manageable. Grab a pumice stone and some cleaner every time you hop in and clean for ten minutes. You might be surprised by the cleaning progress you're able to make if you buckle down just a little bit.

Either way, some cleaning is better than no cleaning, so if even this little bit of maintenance scares you, then maybe it's time to consider hiring out. 

For more pool tile cleaner guides and product advice, reach out to LayorCare Pool & Patio Protection! Also, don't forget to check out our retailers for some great pool cleaning products.