Pool Tile Cleaning & Calcium/Scale Removal

Remove Ugly Calcium Buildup

That white crusty line on your pool tile is calcium scale, and it makes even the nicest pool look neglected. This buildup forms when minerals in your water deposit on surfaces at the waterline. It's extremely hard and can't be removed with normal cleaning methods. Regular brushing and scrubbing barely touch it.

Calcium scale is especially common in San Rafael because our water is hard, meaning it has high mineral content. Combined with pool chemicals and evaporation, these minerals concentrate and cement themselves onto your tile. Over time, the buildup gets thicker and more stubborn.

Professional tile cleaning removes all that buildup and makes your pool look new again. We use specialized techniques and professional-grade equipment to safely remove scale without damaging your tile or grout. The difference is dramatic and immediate.

How We Clean Pool Tile

We offer several tile cleaning methods depending on the severity of the buildup and the type of tile you have:

• Glass bead blasting uses fine glass beads to gently remove scale without scratching tile surfaces. This method works on all tile types and is our most popular option.
• Pumice stone cleaning involves carefully rubbing away deposits with special pumice tools. This works well for moderate buildup and is gentler than blasting.
• Chemical treatment uses professional-strength acids to dissolve calcium. This is effective but requires careful application to avoid damaging tile or affecting water chemistry.
• Pressure washing with specialized nozzles can remove lighter scale and is often combined with other methods for best results.

Most residential pools take three to five hours to complete, depending on size and how much scale has accumulated. We protect your pool deck and surrounding areas during the work, and we clean up thoroughly when finished.

Why Calcium Scale Forms

Understanding why scale forms helps you prevent it in the future. Calcium scale happens when your water has too much calcium hardness, high pH, or high alkalinity. When these factors combine, calcium falls out of solution and deposits on surfaces. The waterline is most affected because that's where water, air, and sunlight interact.

San Rafael's municipal water supply naturally contains significant calcium and other minerals. Every time you add fresh water to your pool, you're adding more minerals. As water evaporates, the minerals stay behind and concentrate. This is why scale builds up even in well-maintained pools.

Regular water chemistry maintenance can slow scale formation but can't eliminate it completely in areas with hard water. That's why even pools with weekly professional service eventually need tile cleaning. It's a normal part of pool ownership in this area.

Different Types of Scale and Staining

Not all tile discoloration is calcium scale. White or grayish crusty buildup is usually calcium carbonate, the most common type. This is relatively easy to remove with proper equipment. Pink or reddish buildup is calcium silicate, which is much harder and requires more aggressive treatment.

Some tile staining isn't scale at all but metal staining. Green or brown stains can come from copper or iron in your water. These stains require different treatment than calcium scale. Black or dark staining might be mold or algae growth in the grout lines.

We can identify what type of buildup you have and use the appropriate cleaning method. Sometimes a pool has multiple types of staining that need different approaches. Our experienced technicians know how to handle each situation safely and effectively. Our San Rafael pool care team has cleaned thousands of linear feet of pool tile.

Preventing Future Scale Buildup

After we clean your tile, you'll want to keep it looking good as long as possible. The best prevention is maintaining proper water chemistry. Keep your pH between 7.2 and 7.6, and calcium hardness between 200 and 400 ppm. These levels minimize scale formation.

Using a sequestering agent or scale inhibitor can help. These chemicals work by keeping calcium suspended in the water rather than allowing it to deposit on surfaces. We can recommend appropriate products for your pool and water conditions.

Regular brushing of the waterline helps too. While it won't remove established scale, brushing once or twice a week can slow the buildup process. This is included in our weekly service for customers who want to maximize the time between tile cleanings. For pools with persistent water chemistry issues, our filter maintenance service ensures your filtration system is working optimally.