Pool Tile Cleaning & Calcium/Scale Removal

The Problem with Calcium Buildup

If you have white, crusty deposits along your waterline tiles or rough patches on your pool surfaces, you're dealing with calcium scale. This buildup happens when calcium in your water precipitates out and bonds to pool surfaces. It's extremely common in Southern California because our water is naturally high in minerals.

Calcium scale doesn't just look bad. It creates a rough surface that's uncomfortable to touch and can snag swimsuits. It harbors algae and bacteria in its porous texture. It makes your pool look old and poorly maintained even if you're doing everything else right. And once it forms, it doesn't come off with normal brushing or chemical treatment.

Many pool owners try to remove calcium themselves using pumice stones, acids, or abrasive tools. But DIY attempts often damage tiles, scratch surfaces, or remove only surface scale while leaving deeper deposits. Professional tile cleaning and calcium removal requires specialized equipment, proper chemicals, and experience to do it safely and effectively. We've been restoring pool tiles in Alhambra since 2024, and we know how to remove even the worst calcium buildup without damaging your pool.

Our Tile Cleaning Process

We use professional methods and equipment to clean tiles and remove calcium scale safely and completely. Here's what we do:

• Inspection and Assessment: We examine your tiles to determine the type of buildup, the severity of scaling, and the condition of the grout and tile surface. This tells us which cleaning method will work best for your specific situation.
• Water Level Adjustment: For waterline tile cleaning, we may lower your water level to expose all affected tiles and make our work easier and more effective.
• Media Blasting: For heavy calcium deposits, we use specialized media blasting equipment. This uses fine glass beads, baking soda, or other media propelled at high pressure to remove scale without damaging tile surfaces. It's safe, effective, and leaves tiles looking like new.
• Chemical Treatment: For lighter scaling or areas where media blasting isn't appropriate, we use professional-grade calcium removers. These chemicals dissolve scale while protecting tile glazing and grout.
• Manual Scrubbing: We hand-scrub tiles and grout lines to remove any remaining residue and ensure a completely clean finish. We use appropriate tools that clean effectively without scratching or damaging surfaces.
• Rinse and Balance: We thoroughly rinse all treated areas to remove chemical residues, then adjust your water chemistry to help prevent future calcium buildup.
• Preventive Recommendations: We'll advise you on how to prevent scale from forming again, including water chemistry targets and maintenance practices that minimize calcium deposits.

The entire process typically takes 4 to 8 hours depending on the size of your pool and the severity of scaling. Your pool will be usable again within 24 hours after we complete the work and your water chemistry stabilizes. If your pool also needs deep cleaning or algae treatment, we can combine services for comprehensive restoration.

Types of Pool Stains We Remove

In addition to calcium scale, we remove other types of staining and buildup that affect pool appearance and water quality:

Metal stains from iron, copper, or manganese in your water create brown, green, or purple discoloration on pool surfaces. These often come from well water or corroded metal equipment. We use specialized stain removers and sequestering agents to lift metal stains without damaging your pool finish.

Organic stains from leaves, algae, or other plant matter leave brown or green spots on pool surfaces. These respond to aggressive brushing combined with oxidizing chemicals that break down the organic material. We often see these stains in pools with nearby trees or in corners where circulation is poor.

Waterline buildup from oils, sunscreen, and body oils creates a dark ring around your pool at the water level. This isn't calcium but rather organic residue that clings to tiles. We remove it using specialized degreasers and thorough scrubbing that leaves tiles looking spotless.

Why Calcium Forms and How to Prevent It

Understanding why calcium scale forms helps you prevent it from coming back after we clean your tiles. Calcium precipitation happens when your water's pH or alkalinity climbs too high, when water temperature increases, or when your calcium hardness level is above ideal range.

In Alhambra and throughout Southern California, tap water and well water both tend to be high in calcium. Every time you add fresh water to your pool, you're adding more calcium. As water evaporates, the calcium concentration increases. When it reaches saturation levels, it precipitates out and forms scale on your warmest surfaces, which is usually the waterline tiles.

Prevention requires maintaining proper water chemistry. Keep pH between 7.2 and 7.6, keep total alkalinity between 80 and 120 ppm, and monitor calcium hardness levels. If your source water is very hard, you may need to partially drain and refill your pool periodically to dilute calcium concentration. Regular brushing also helps prevent scale from bonding to surfaces.

The easiest way to prevent calcium buildup is with professional weekly service that monitors and balances your water chemistry consistently. Our weekly maintenance program includes regular tile brushing and chemistry management that prevents scale formation before it starts. Most of our weekly service customers never need tile cleaning because we prevent the buildup in the first place.

Before and After Results

The transformation after professional tile cleaning is dramatic. Tiles that looked dull, stained, and aged will shine like new. The color and pattern of your tile will be visible again instead of hidden under white crusty deposits. Your entire pool will look cleaner, brighter, and more inviting.

Clean tiles also make pool maintenance easier. Without rough calcium deposits, algae has nowhere to hide. Brushing is more effective. Water chemistry stays balanced more easily. Your pool simply looks and functions better in every way. Most customers are amazed at the difference and wish they had done it sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions