The summer months are always a time to enjoy a swimming pool. Our busy schedules can be put aside for a while when we relax in this cold, serene place. After regular cleaning, the pool stairs get stained and discolored with time due to regular use and wear. The question ‘Why are my Pool Steps Turning Brown’ arises in this situation.
This problem is mainly due to the high metal concentration in the pool water when well water is used for regeneration. As you know, chlorine does not affect metals. That’s why the pool’s surface is a great place to relax when they come to your pool.
You will learn how to remove and prevent brown stains on your pool stairs by reading this article to the end.
Causes of Pool Stains
Before choosing and applying the proper pool stain remover, you need to determine what is staining the pool. The most common pool stains generally fall into two categories.
- Organic: If you allow leaves, berries, and other organic debris to settle on your pool’s surface over time, they will leave stains.
- Metal: Several types of metal can be accidentally introduced into your pool. You might have corroded copper pipes in your water system or a well as your primary water source. Rusted metal accessories, parts, and equipment can also cause dirt.
After you decide on the type of stain you use, you can also decide on the type of stain remover for your pool. The best way to tell this is the color of the stain.
Reddish Blue Spots
These are likely to come from brightly colored fruit. If there are mulberry trees or bushes near the pond, they are most likely the cause.
Bluish-greenish-black spots
These can be caused by organic matter such as leaves and fruits. However, if there is no such thing around the pool, it may be due to copper that can be found in the healthy water. Or, if there are copper pipes somewhere in the plumbing system, they may corrode, causing contamination.
Greenish brown spots
These are most likely organic stains from leaves and other plants.
Greenish-brown-red spots
This combination indicates iron in the water. Filling the pool with well water is more likely to contain iron. Alternatively, there is an anchor like a fence in the pool area. These colors may stain if it rusts and somehow gets into the pool (for example, when it rains).
Brownish-black-purple spots
This dark color combination is caused by manganese. This naturally occurring metal is found in well water and urban water services. The water is purified but not completely removed to reduce the amount of manganese.
Important: Sequestrants are not stained removers for metal pools. It helps to prevent contamination by allowing the metal to be easily separated from the water. But if there is a metal stain, the release agent will not remove it.
How to test iron in pool water?
In some cases, depending on your water treatment procedure, you may need to run more extensive tests on your water source to determine if it contains iron.
Testing irons is not easy. Incredibly poorly tested and balanced swimming pool water. Properly treated water oxidizes and transforms iron.
It’s best to have a unique iron tester to know how many irons you have in your pool and the best move to get rid of them.
If you use an iron test kit or strip, you must add your solution to reveal the iron level.
Compare the color of the water with the color written on the table of the product package. It will help you decipher the iron level of the water in your pool and take the necessary steps from there.
Suppose you want the iron and other metals in the pool water to be tested more accurately before using it in the pool. In that case, you can take the sample to the nearest accredited testing laboratory for testing.
Sources of Iron Metals
Your pool water can become contaminated by this metal in two or three different ways. A few of them are:
1- low pH level
One of the problems most pool owners wait until it’s too late is low pH. When a swimming pool’s pH is low, the water becomes acidic, corroding the metal surface, especially pipes and accessories, and depositing metal in the water.
Over time, the railings around pool stairs will rust, and oxidized rusty iron will stick to the stairs, causing brown stains. It may not happen overnight, but it may happen gradually, and by the time you realize it, it’s too late.
2- Water Source
Iron can be the primary cause of the brown stains when you fill your pool with well water. Metals are highly concentrated in groundwater.
When you fill your pool without filtering it, you deposit it directly into it. When the iron compound is exposed to chlorine for some time, it oxidizes, causing brown stains.
Metals can also be brought into your pool by the local water source over time. Despite filtering the metals in the water, the local water service only reduces them to acceptable drinking standards. Their main concern is your health, not your pool.
The amount of iron in your pool will increase if you refill it two or three times with their water.
The Best Way to Remove Brown Stains From Swimming Pool Steps
Dirt is often caused by water chemicals such as algae and trace metals. Be careful when putting anything in the water to change the chemistry of the water or remove contaminants that are dangerous to the swimmer. However, there are several ways to remove stains from pool steps without damaging the surface or the water.
Step #1 The pool’s steps should be rubbed with a chlorine tablet. Protect your hands with rubber gloves and apply plenty of pressure. After rubbing the stains with the chlorine tablet, scrub the stairs with a tile scrubber if the stain persists. Depending on the stain, this may take some time.
Step # 2 Make sure the stairs are clean by soaking a rag in liquid chlorine and scrubbing them. There will be a rapid dispersion of chlorine into the pool.
Step # 3 Then add 15 ounces. You should add one gallon of commercial pool stain removal to every 10,000 gallons of water. Stains can be prevented and removed by applying weekly. Scrub the stairs with a tile scrubber after application.
Step # 4 Use the pool water test kit sample collection tube to sample pool water at least 6 inches deep from the pool. Submerge the attached test strip in water. Compare the test strip with the attached table. Dissolved solids should not exceed 1,500 ppm. For levels above 1,500 ppm, add 1 pound of ascorbic acid for every 10,000 gallons of water. Test the water again. Please reapply if necessary. This will prevent further contamination.
Final decision!
The browning in your pool is likely due to high iron levels. Brown algae can also cause, especially if the pond is constantly balanced. The best way to remove stains is to use an iron stain remover or algae cleaner if the cause is brown algae. And you can use a water filter, sequestrant, or drain your pool to avoid this problem. This is very easy.
Why are my Pool Steps Turning Brown? After reading our blog, you got the answer to this question. Ready to determine if algae, metals, or varying pH levels cause the stain.