Now that October is all but over it’s time to put the finishing touches on outdoor cleaning projects. In most parts of the country the season for outdoor entertaining is wrapping up and Old Man Winter will be here before you know it.
If you haven’t already put your pool to rest for the year, then now is the time to do so. However, before you do, be sure to purge it of any and all stains. If you used your pool all summer, then the stains should be minor, as you should have been completing weekly maintenance. For those of you who neglected your pools during the season, you might be faced with a bigger cleaning project.
Major pool cleaning typically calls for acid wash. The powerful stain remover requires a lot of labor to be effective. In order to clean your pool properly with acid wash you have to drain it first. Doing so will allow the acid wash to remove extensive algae stains from plastered pools. The acid strips a tiny layer of plaster from the pool and exposes fresh plaster underneath. In the process you will rid your pool of algae, mineral stains, chlorine stains and dirt. The downside to using acid wash is that it is extremely powerful, so you don’t want to employ it very often, as it will accelerate the need to re-plaster your pool sooner rather than later.
If you plan to tackle an acid washing project yourself it is critical that you take proper precautions. Acid is highly volatile and can cause serious damage if it comes into contact with your eyes or skin. You will need to wear protective clothing and a breathing apparatus during the acid wash. If you don’t have these materials at home, then consider renting them from a cleaning supply store. Finally, you will need to formulate a plan as to where you will pump the residual run off. The water from an acid washed pool must be pumped to a storm drain in order to protect the environment.