Stop Winter Pool Stains

stop winter pool stains

Closing time for the pools has arrived and the last thing that you want to have happen when you go to open it up in the spring is to find your pool surface stained.

Preventing those stains can be done with my simple 3-step treatment to stain prevention: Cleaning, Covering, and Chemicals.

Clean the Pool

clean the pool

Clean the pool very thoroughly before closing. This is the most important step in preventing stains from occurring because this will make sure that there will be no leaf or debris stains. Cleaning should include vacuuming, skimming, and brushing the pool.

Over-filter your water for a few days before closing if you can. For a time clock, just remove the Off Dog, and let the pump run 24/7 for a few days before you close the pool.

Clean your skimmers and water line with something like our Super Tile and Vinyl Cleaner. It removes gunky waterline deposits, without phosphates or harsh cleansers.

It’s tempting to leave a few leaves in the pool, and just hurry up and finish the pool closing. For best stain prevention, however, the pool should be spotless when you put on the winter pool cover, which is our next step!

Cover the Pool

cover the pool

Because no circulation and no filtration is going on, an uncovered pool, or a poorly covered pool, will likely develop stains during the off-season.

For the best stain protection, use a solid pool cover for winter, either a float on the water type, or a solid safety cover (without drain panels). A sturdy solid pool cover that you can pump rain off of the top will do the best job of keeping your pool stain-free.

Cover installation is also important. If your cover has gaps up against raised walls, steps or cut outs, seal them up with pool noodles or pool doodles. To seal up a safety cover edge, you can also use water bags.

For water bag type covers, fold the corners and excess material under the cover, and pull it taut. Place your water tubes end to end so that you have complete coverage from blowing winds and burrowing animals.

Staking the corners with rope, or using extra weights at the corners, like planters, umbrella stands or heavy wood will help keep the cover tight.

Pool cover pumps do the hard work of pumping off the cover. We have automatic cover pumps, and smaller types that need to be manually shut off. Having a reliable cover pump is important to prevent a cover mishap. If the cover rips or falls in the pool, you’ll have real winter pool stains!

Chemical the Pool

chemical the pool

Test your pool water, and add the needed chemicals to balance your pH, Alkalinity, and Calcium Hardness. Most winter pool stains can be prevented by having the correct water balance. For mesh-covered pools, test the pH every month during winter to be sure that acid rain or other causes have not changed your pH, or the water is changing colors.

Stain & Scale. A metal chelator like Stain Away or Metal Free will prevent metals from staining the pool during winter when you need the most protection.

Using non-chlorine closing kits will protect the pool surface from discoloration while the pool water is closed and stagnant. Chlorine-filled floaters can become lodged in one position, or if the pool loses water during winter, can come to rest on the shallow end floor.

Enzymes actually consume stain-causing oils and organic matter. This winter, try the WinterPill. Slow-release enzymes control oils and organic debris during winter.

Pool Magic Spring & Fall is another popular winter enzyme treatment, formulated with PhosFree phosphate remover (included in our Ultimate Pool Closing Kit). Especially effective for mesh safety-covered pools, this method eliminates suspended particles, resulting in a much cleaner and clearer pool opening.

So remember, to prevent winter pool stains, Clean it, Cover it, and Chemical it. Because if you do, you’ll be able to keep any pool surface clean and bright and prevent ugly pool stains.

One thought on “Stop Winter Pool Stains

  1. […] more winter pool stain prevention tips – see Brett’s post from earlier last […]

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