How to remove this from just above water line

[tstex]

Hello to all,

Our pool is Chlorine based and I keep the CL level btw 3-5PPM. In some places around / above the water line, a dark (mold or mildew) color has formed on both the travertine tile and in the grout. Pics enclosed

I have used wet & forget and it did not do much. After the W&F stayed on over night, I hit it w a power washer w 3200psi on full strength: nada

I chlorinate pool w 12.5% Chlorine. Put 50-50 CL/H2O on tile via windex spray bottle, let set for 15-20 secs, then scrubbed w a tough yellow bristled push brush: nada.

Does anyone else have a suggestion?

thank you very much

 

[PoolGate]

Travertine is porous. I doubt you'll get that out. Consider it character?

Try vinegar perhaps.

 

[PoolGate]

FYI they used a laser to clean the marble on the US capitol.

 

[tstex]

Acids will etch travertine and mostly all line based stones. It might need to be sand/bead blasted. It’s ugly and that’s the character i do not need.

With as much funk that any politician has, it’s no wonder a laser was needed.

 

[PoolGate]

IMO travertine is a very poor choice for around the pool. Perhaps even the worst choice anyone could have made. It is very porous and as such very easy to permanently stain as you are seeing. Travertine usually calls for a 2 stage sealing process and frequent reapplications. That would be near impossible with a wall installation like you have. I think your only choices are to rip it out or live with it.

 

[JamesW]

It looks like efflorescence, which is minerals coming through with water from behind the wall.

Try to keep water from building behind the wall.

Maybe try ascorbic acid, oxalic acid, sulfamic acid, Lactic acid etc.

Try on a test spot at these acids might damage the stone.

 

[JamesW]

CLR® Calcium, Lime, & Rust Remover | Eliminate Hard Water & Stain Build-up)

Quickly dissolves tough calcium and lime deposits as well as surface rust stains from bathtubs, toilet bowls, sinks, glass, chrome, stainless steel and more.

clrbrands.com

 

[JamesW]

Note that any product strong enough to remove the efflorescence will probably etch the stone, so you should test the product on a spare piece of stone to see what effect it has on the stone.

Don't get the product in the pool water.

Products are dangerous, use all necessary precautions.

Custom Building Products Aqua Mix 1 lb. Sulfamic Acid Crystals 050231 - The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

Custom Building Products Aqua Mix 1 Qt. Cement Grout Haze Remover 050162-4 - The Home Depot

An acidic treatment designed to remove cementitious grout haze. Also effective for the removal of most hard water stains, rust stains,efflorescence and lime deposits. Contains no phosphates.

www.homedepot.com

 

[tstex]

Thank you very much guys -really appreciate everyone's feedback and suggestions.

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend, and thanks for all of those for your service to our Country !!

Best,
tstex

 

[tstex]

Here's what I am going to do this weekend.

I am going to hit the dark areas w Wet & Forget...in the late evening after sun is down and stone has cooled off a bit w no direct sunlight. Then let is set for 36-48 hrs [instructions say 24 hrs]. Then I am going to get into pool w a 409 like bottle filled w 50-50 12.5% bleach and water. I am going to spray it onto the darker stained areas, let it sit for a bit [60 secs] and then take the strongest non-metal bristle brush and go at it. For the grout lines, I may attempt with a metal bristle brush that's the size of a tooth brush, but a little narrower. Hopefully this will knock out the majority of the issues. Once the pieces are as clean as they can get, I will seal w Miracle sealant 511 Seal and enhance. I will test first to insure that if there is any residual stains, that this will not darken [enhance[ it too.

If anyone has done something like this and it has either not worked or worked, you prior experience/comments would be greatly appreciated.

thank you very much,
tstex

 

[JamesW]

Thanks for the update.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[W.J.Christy]

I have limestone that goes into the water much like your travertine does. It's white and we now know that it was not a smart choice. Any who, we get stains similar to that on the tile and its usually sunscreen oils and the like, i have found that full strength simple green sprayed directly onto the surface and scrubbed with a non metallic stiff bristle brush helps. There is also the nuclear option of muriatic acid that i have found works too. Caveat emptor, I have cut face natural finish limestone, the acid does not change the appearance of my stone due to the natural finish but does remove the scum. Be very careful using any acid in your situation.

 

[tstex]

I have limestone that goes into the water much like your travertine does. It's white and we now know that it was not a smart choice. Any who, we get stains similar to that on the tile and its usually sunscreen oils and the like, i have found that full strength simple green sprayed directly onto the surface and scrubbed with a non metallic stiff bristle brush helps. There is also the nuclear option of muriatic acid that i have found works too. Caveat emptor, I have cut face natural finish limestone, the acid does not change the appearance of my stone due to the natural finish but does remove the scum. Be very careful using any acid in your situation.

Thank you James and WJ.

WJ, I have underlined a comment you made. When you stated "helps", I am gathering it does not completely remove, but lightens it. Can you pls provide to what % it "helps". It is barely noticeable or other?

Yeah, I am not using acid....it will effectively etch it. I wish we would have known prior or PB would have said something...he was horrible when it came to anything except picking up a check...

Again, appreciate your help !

 

[W.J.Christy]

It was noticeably cleaner, if i had to give a % i would say 50 or better. Keep in mind, my issue appears to be sunscreen oil related. On the waterline tile elsewhere in the pool I could see a black line and it was slimy. I also saw an oil sheen in the areas where the stains appeared and in the skimmers which led me to try a degreaser. I used simple green because its biodegradable and not as toxic as other alternatives.

As always, test an inconspicuous area or left over tile first to see what it does.

I sympathize with the pool builder not providing any insight. When they were putting up the tile and coping I asked about them not taking the waterline tile all the way around instead opting to bring the feature wall stone into the water. Got the "We Always do this, it'll be fine" response. Ill admit, it does look nicer, when its clean....

 

[tstex]

It was noticeably cleaner, if i had to give a % i would say 50 or better. Keep in mind, my issue appears to be sunscreen oil related. On the waterline tile elsewhere in the pool I could see a black line and it was slimy. I also saw an oil sheen in the areas where the stains appeared and in the skimmers which led me to try a degreaser. I used simple green because its biodegradable and not as toxic as other alternatives.

As always, test an inconspicuous area or left over tile first to see what it does.

I sympathize with the pool builder not providing any insight. When they were putting up the tile and coping I asked about them not taking the waterline tile all the way around instead opting to bring the feature wall stone into the water. Got the "We Always do this, it'll be fine" response. Ill admit, it does look nicer, when its clean....

Thanks for clarification. I do not think ours is oil from sunscreen or similar. But with all the freezes we have had over the last 2-3 yrs that have either killed or stunned the palms, my nbor back of me has 5 very tall mexican palms..when the chainsaws start up, I've seen a huge oil sheen on the water...That's both chainsaw oil and probably fume discharge too. I will have to pay more attn to that when they are doing it and try to take more precautionary measures...thanks again

 

[JamesW]

I would try to improve drainage behind the wall to reduce efflorescence or it will keep coming back.

I suspect that only a stronger acid type product will work, but I don't know what will work without risking the surface from etching.

Do you have spare pieces of tile?

 

[tstex]

I would try to improve drainage behind the wall to reduce efflorescence or it will keep coming back.

I suspect that only a stronger acid type product will work, but I don't know what will work without risking the surface from etching.

Do you have spare pieces of tile?

Yes James...I made sure I got extra tile types of every stone we had installed, and from the same lot...I always test on those stones first, but since I keep them inside the garage covered, there's no stain or similar on them...the drainage it pretty good, but hard to do anything that will accommodate tropical storms and low pressure systems that dump 8 to 17 inches of rain in a 2-3 day period...not complaining about the rains

 

[JamesW]

I always test on those stones first, but since I keep them inside the garage covered, there's no stain or similar on them

You can try the acid products to see if the tile gets etched.

 

[tstex]

You can try the acid products to see if the tile gets etched.

That i will indeed try if all else fails. Since both sides of a natural stone can be used, i can still use it later if only one side is marred