New stain and Tile Question

[First Pool Judith]

STAIN ON STEPS: I have a brand new spot that came up on the stairs tight after the bug guy was here and he put down some checmichals on the lawn. Any ideas? It is light brown. I don't see any others.

TILE QUESTION: What's the best way to clean tile? Some of my tile seems to be developing a whitish line around the tile. What is this - calcium?

PICS attached

 

[onBalance]

Yes, the white lines around the tile grout is calcium leaching out. Really can't stop that from happening.
Dilute acid 50/50 with water in a plastic squeeze bottom and squirt onto the tile grout to perhaps remove the brown. Be careful to not add too much acid at one time. And check the pH afterwards, and adjust if needed.
The spot in the plaster might be from within the plaster and might not be able to be removed, but you could also try the acid also on that spot.

 

[First Pool Judith]

Thank you for your reply. You mean Muriatic acid and water? Also, the tile grout is the color brown so I wouldn't want that to change. so the Muriactic acid and water will remove the calcium leaching?

 

[onBalance]

My mistake about the grout color. Sorry.

Yes, use "muriatic acid" and tap water. The acid may remove some of the calcium, but it will probably return again in time.

 

[First Pool Judith]

what do you think about doing this procedure? Pumice stone and hydrochloric acid? Will the hydrochloric acid mess up my pool chemistry?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3UcRrmN29U

Also, just for fun - check this out. They use glass beads, then vacuum them up from the bottom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G5IkugAMu8

 

[onBalance]

Yes, the acid will lower pH and alkalinity.
The Pumice stone may work.
But your situation is a little different, and I am doubtful that the glass bead program would be effective. The glass beads program works well on common and uniform calcium scaling on various surfaces.