This is only the second season my pool has been open and I have a brown water ring on the vinyl liner along one side that I can't remove. It's on the side that gets the most sun. I've used pool perfect since the pool was installed and tried to use is directly on the stain to clean with no luck, tried Natural Chemistry Clean & Perfect cleaner, vitamin C tablet (in case it was metal stains), pool shock powder mixed with a little water applied directly, magic eraser, and I'm sure I've tried other items I'm forgetting but nothing seems to work. Does any one have any suggestions on what might work to remove it? Pool was built in Sept 2016, filled with city water, balanced and then closed for the winter, opened and used last summer and now open for this season so really only one season of use so far.
How to Clean Water Ring on Vinyl Liner
- Thread starter Rlaldridge
- Start date
Hello and Welcome to TFP !!
Since you've been around for a while, you probable know what I'm about to ask. Please provide details of your water chemistry and the test method used to get them. I'll be honest, it took me a while to find the brown stain and now that I go back and look again, I'm having some difficulty seeing it, sorry. Is there any significance to where the ring is located? Is it at the normal water line? How thick is it, ie a narrow line or a thick band?
Can you give us the names and amounts of products you’ve added to the pool. Not the cleaners to remove the stain, but the products you’ve used in maintenance / sanitation.
Since you've been around for a while, you probable know what I'm about to ask. Please provide details of your water chemistry and the test method used to get them. I'll be honest, it took me a while to find the brown stain and now that I go back and look again, I'm having some difficulty seeing it, sorry. Is there any significance to where the ring is located? Is it at the normal water line? How thick is it, ie a narrow line or a thick band?
Can you give us the names and amounts of products you’ve added to the pool. Not the cleaners to remove the stain, but the products you’ve used in maintenance / sanitation.
From Test Kit: Total hardness 250, Total Chlorine 1, Free Chlorine 1, pH 7.2, Total Alk 80, CYA 80
For maintenance so far since it's been installed I've used Poolife pH minus, Stabilizer (not sure which brand), Poolife calcium plus, Natural Chemistry Phos fee (once a month, one cap full), Pool Perfect (one and 3/4 cap fulls weekly), SeaKleer Solar Shield (monthly 8 oz), A&H baking soda. It's a salt pool so I don't normally shock it with shock but just turn it up to super chlorinate when needed. I have used poolife non chlorine oxidizer twice. The ring is located above the water line and 2-3 inches wide, it's hard to capture in a picture because it's not really dark but definitely noticeable when you see it. It's not thick but like the liner is discolored or stained. It's not raised and you can't feel it at all.
For maintenance so far since it's been installed I've used Poolife pH minus, Stabilizer (not sure which brand), Poolife calcium plus, Natural Chemistry Phos fee (once a month, one cap full), Pool Perfect (one and 3/4 cap fulls weekly), SeaKleer Solar Shield (monthly 8 oz), A&H baking soda. It's a salt pool so I don't normally shock it with shock but just turn it up to super chlorinate when needed. I have used poolife non chlorine oxidizer twice. The ring is located above the water line and 2-3 inches wide, it's hard to capture in a picture because it's not really dark but definitely noticeable when you see it. It's not thick but like the liner is discolored or stained. It's not raised and you can't feel it at all.
If that ring feels greasy/sticky/gooey, it might be oils from sunscreen and so on.
Mister Clean Magic Eraser works amazingly well on that stuff.
If Mr Clean works, plug your nose and go to the local pool store (maybe order online?) and buy a Scum Ball. It's a spongy thing that floats (it will end up in the skimmer) and it attracts oils and soaks them up. That'll keep the ring from reoccuring.
Mister Clean Magic Eraser works amazingly well on that stuff.
If Mr Clean works, plug your nose and go to the local pool store (maybe order online?) and buy a Scum Ball. It's a spongy thing that floats (it will end up in the skimmer) and it attracts oils and soaks them up. That'll keep the ring from reoccuring.
My pool is about the same age as yours and I’ve added exactly none of the stuff you’re putting in it. Why are you adding all the things you’ve mentioned if you’re following the TFP method? Since my initial opening I’ve added 3 bags of salt a little stabilizer this spring and a very small amount of Acid for PH. Perhaps the chemical cocktail you’re putting in the pool is causing the brown ring? Hopefully someone will have an idea how to get rid of it for you.
Salty
Oooh, that’s interesting. I was amazed at the film of sunscreen in my skimmer... gross!
I believe the brown ring is from normal oils (suntan lotion, body oil, etc.) or maybe from the neighbors Oak tree that is close by. Every spring it drops these brown catkins all in/around my pool. I started adding the pool perfect because it's supposed to reduce/remove the ring via enzymes, it helps but doesn't prevent it. At this point the ring is stained into the liner and I can't get it out. I've tried magic eraser also but it didn't help and I've stopped any other chemicals but the TFP method. This is my first pool so I guess I fell victim to the pool store and but I know better now. Really hoping someone has some ideas on how to get rid of the stain on my liner.
Hey, did you ever get rid of the ring? I have the same issue on my liner...
Hi crocop. I have had good success with ‘clean & perfect’ enzyme cleaner (same brand as Pool Perfect: Natural Chemistry). Use a soft sponge or cloth to avoid scratching your liner. It is best to apply when your water level is low so that you can spray/scrub at the waterline without dilution.
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,027
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
Welcome to TFP 
All those chemicals sound like leslies is pool storing you and taking all your money... please spend some time around here reading and you will be good to go in no time...
What test kit do you have? Tf100 or a K-2006?
www.troublefreepool.com
All those chemicals sound like leslies is pool storing you and taking all your money... please spend some time around here reading and you will be good to go in no time...
What test kit do you have? Tf100 or a K-2006?
Pool School
www.troublefreepool.com
I have same liner, saltwater pool, my stain is exactly the same on side that gets most sun. I have tried pool liner cleaner with no success.