Liner has Organic Staining from Non-Use

[melenalynne]

We've drained our pool, and the pool company *said* they can't get the staining out. It's 95 degrees here, so maybe they just didn't want to fool with it.

It's a ring around the pool.

And my steps are brown---from settled leaves for two/three years.

I went out and bleached the steps, and scrubbed with SOS Pads and Awesome, that seemed to help about 50%.

What advice do you have for the liner? My pool is filling now, and so I will probably have to clean after it has water in it.

[paulbest]

Properly cleaning a pool liner requires knowing the cause of the stain. If the stains are green or brown, then they are most likely caused by organic substances, such as algae or other plant matter. Reddish brown colors most likely mean the stain is caused by rust.

Correcting the pool's water chemistry may remove organic stains without the need to remove the liner or do vigorous scrubbing. The pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6, and the chlorine levels should be between 1.5 and 2.5. Calcium hardness levels should be at 200 to 300 parts per million, while alkalinity levels should be at 80 to 100 parts per million. When these levels are off-balance, the pool can be an ideal spot for algae or other organisms to grow. Cleaning the skimmer box and other problem areas with a rag covered in baking soda will not only remove some stains, but increase pH and alkaline levels in the pool.

Stains that cannot be removed through correcting chemical levels in the water should be removed with a bleach solution made from one part bleach and two parts water. Draining the pool and removing the liner is necessary for the solution to be effective. The solution should be applied to the liner and allowed to sit for an hour before rinsing. Additional scrubbing may be required. The process is repeated as needed to remove tough stains.