Best pumice to clean scale on tile

[changeyez]

I am a new pool owner (old pool, new to me). The tiles are all covered in white scaled and I decided to take a pumice stone to some today. It cleans off quite easily but it went through my cheap $3 pumice stone very quickly. Does anyone have any recommendations for pumice stone brands,etc that will last a while. I understand that they wear away and that's how they clean the scale.

BEFORE

AFTER

Also, should I worry about all of the pumice debris settling to the sides and bottom of the pool? I have a Kreepy Krawly Legend that I let run for about 90 minutes each day. Should I run it longer when I am cleaning the tile?

Thank you.

PS - TF-100 kit on it's way to me now so I can take control of the pool and not rely on my pool guy (even though he's really nice).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

That's about it...lots of cheap pumice stone. Be careful with pumice, it can scratch tile glazing. If the scale is not too bad in some areas you can use diluted muriatic acid to chemically clean it off. That often helps when there's just a white haze on the tile as opposed to a thick scale. And yes, just let your vacuum or cleaner pics up the debris.

 

[changeyez]

That's about it...lots of cheap pumice stone. Be careful with pumice, it can scratch tile glazing. If the scale is not too bad in some areas you can use diluted muriatic acid to chemically clean it off. That often helps when there's just a white haze on the tile as opposed to a thick scale. And yes, just let your vacuum or cleaner pics up the debris.

Thank you. What dilution of muriatic acid should I try? Spray, let sit, and brush?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

1:4 (MA:distilled H2O) is about the strongest I'd ever use in a spray bottle. Wear safety goggles and use a stiff nylon or Tampico brush to work it in. Rinse off with pool water right away.

There are professional versions of acid tile cleaners that are mixtures of hydrochloric and phosphoric acid with thickener agents in them (kind of like toilet bowl cleaner) but you have to be really careful not to let it cling to the plaster surface below the water line or else it can etch/stain plaster. Same method applies with using a stiff brush, scrubbing and immediate rinse off.

 

[gwegan]

dilute what ever you buy down to about 5%.

Spray it on and it will foam -- rinse off . Your PH will fall. Wear chemical gloves and eye protection.

 

[Richard320]

Check for pumice stones at any dollar stores in the area. Down here where I live, I can get the same ones they sell at the hardware store for 1/3 the price.

I use a poor man's manual vacuum to pick up the dust, because I don't own a fancy automatic thing.