How to Remove Heavy Calcium Deposits From a Pool Deck
Pool ownership is all about maintaining a fine chemical balance, and calcium hardness levels are just as important as chlorine and acidity. If you've got too little calcium in the pool, you've got "soft water" conditions which may cause corrosion in your pool walls and equipment. But too much calcium, or water that's too "hard," can lead to ugly calcium deposits growing like fungus on every surface in and around your pool. Prevention is the best medicine, but with a bit of elbow grease, you can cure your pool deck of calcium deposits. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Razor or pumice stone
- Muriatic acid
- Water
- Rubber gloves
- Protective goggles
- Sponge
- Wire brush
Instructions
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1
Scrape off as much of the calcium as you can with a razor or by scrubbing with a pumice stone.
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2
Put on your rubber gloves and protective goggles.
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3
Dilute muriatic acid in water at a ratio of 2 parts acid to 1 part water.
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4
Use a sponge to apply muriatic acid solution directly to the calcium deposit.
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5
Scrub the deposit with a wire brush.
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6
Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the calcium deposits are gone. Thicker, older deposits will require more applications to eradicate.
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1
Tips & Warnings
To prevent calcium deposits from building up, test your pool's calcium hardness levels. They should remain between 80 to 150 PPM for a vinyl pool and 150 to 200 PPM for a masonry finish pool.
Test your pool's pH levels and keep them between 7.4 and 7.8 to make it harder for calcium deposits to build up.
Test the muriatic acid solution on a small, inconspicuous area of your decking first to make sure it won't cause damage or discoloration.
Do not handle muriatic acid without adequate ventilation and plenty of water to dilute acid spills.
Do not handle muriatic acid without rubber gloves and eye protection.
References
Resources
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