Pool Tile Cleaning & Repair Tips

Keep your pool tile looking like new with these tips

Pool tile can not only provide a durable and functional surface, but also add the style and flair needed to transform an ordinary pool into an extraordinary asset. At Mission Tile West, our tile design consultants can introduce you to a wide variety of types of pool tile, from your standard glossy blue ceramic tiles to decorative Talavera tile for a traditional Mexican villa look or dazzling glass mosaic tiles for a more contemporary look. No matter which type of tile you choose, it should last for decades with proper care.

Tile is very durable, and in fact most of the issues you will have with your pool tile over the years will stem from the pool water, not the tiles themselves. Here are a few tips for dealing with pool tile problems.

Removing Scale

White deposits on pool tile, especially around the water line, are the bane of pool owners everywhere. These deposits are called scale and may be composed of calcium, lime, and other minerals. The good news is you can remove scale yourself, but you must be careful when doing so to avoid damaging the finish on your tile or your grout. A weekly scrubbing with a soft brush should help keep scale from accumulating, and you can use a pumice stone or a special calcium and lime cleaner to remove any visible deposits from the surface of your tiles.

Repairing Pool Tile

As soon as you notice that any of your pool tiles have cracked, shifted, or broken, you need to have them repaired immediately. Because of the difficulties of setting tile in an environment that will be submerged constantly, you will probably want to get professional help. If you did not set aside some extra tile when you initially tiled your pool, you can come to Mission Tile West for help finding suitable matching replacement tile.

Preventative Maintenance

Of course, it would be preferable never to experience broken or scale-encrusted pool tile in the first place. With the right preventative maintenance, you can make great strides towards keeping your pool tile in superior condition for as long as possible. One important precaution is to always ensure that your pool chemistry is balanced. Achieving a balance is about more than just pH. A better measure is the Langelier Saturation Index, which measures a variety of factors to produce one simple number. When pool water scores too low on the index, it will tend to corrode your grout and adhesive faster, resulting in more loose or broken tiles. When pool water scores too high on the index, it will leave behind more scale deposits.