How to remove stains from vinyl pool liner

Vinyl pool liner gives the swimming pool the bright, aquatic coloration that you see whenever you are out with your family for some fun at the poolside.

When you see vinyl pool liner at its brightest, you can’t help but remain dismayed if anyone tells you they get stained. Well, they get stained, and cleaning them can pose a kind of challenge if you don’t know how to go about it.

This article is all about how to clean vinyl pool liner and other related issues.

Why my vinyl pool liner stain

There are various reasons why your vinyl pool liner might be stained.

The water you have in your pool is hard water, and it contains calcium, copper, and iron. So because of the presence of these elements in the water, they can cause your swimming pool to have mark stains over time.

Another reason that could cause discoloration on your vinyl pool liner is organic stains. Organic stain is caused by dead algae, microscopic animals, or tanning in plants and leaves dropped in the pool. Organic stains are usually black, brown, or yellow.

Other likely causes of stain on vinyl pool liner include; rusts caused by droplets of metallic objects inside the pool.

What can remove stains from the vinyl pool liner

There are lots of options available to remove stains from the vinyl pool. Most of these options do not require the assistance of a professional cleaner to implement, so you can save hundreds of dollars initially meant to hire the service of a professional pool cleaner. Although it is advisable to get your pool professionally cleaned at once a year. Some of these cleaners include; Vinegar, Baking soda, Muriatic Acid, and Jack’s Magic stain ID kit.

Can you use CLR on vinyl pool liner

Yes, you can clean your vinyl pool liner with CLR.

Calcium Lime Rust(CLR) cleaner is an excellent cleaner made purposely for removing stains that have been left untreated for a long time. I mentioned earlier that pool water is hard water because it contains certain elements. Well, if you’re looking for the best way to clean accumulated calcium stain on your vinyl liner, CLR is your best bet.

Although some pool stores advise against using any abrasive cleaner to clean your pool, but trust me, some dirt can be so tough that only abrasive cleaners can actually remove them. Yes, they can be pretty aggressive, but most times, their corrosiveness becomes dampened after diluting them. That is why in every cleaning tip, you will be instructed to mix your cleaner with a certain amount of water even though they are liquified and foamy.

Application of CLR

1. Mix equal amounts of warm water and CLR.
2. Pour the warm water, CLR solution into a spray bottle.
3. Spray the solution on the vinyl liner and allow it to dry on the liner for optimum result.

Pro tip

It is advisable not to leave CLR cleaner on your liner for more than 2 minutes. Rinse your liner after 2 minutes with cold water and check if the stain is gone. If the stain persists, then try again.

Can you use a magic eraser on a vinyl pool liner

Yes, a magic eraser is safe on your vinyl pool liner. Although it might leave a few scratches here and there, but does not really have any known adverse effect on your liner. Just ensure you make your scrubbing as gentle as possible to avoid scratches.

Application of Magic Eraser

Using a magic eraser is pretty easy. All you have to do is get it wet and scrub the affected surface as gently as you can. You can increase pressure if the stain persists.

How to clean pool liner stain

Vinyl pool liner is highly sensitive to chemical exposure, and that’s why some experts would advise against using abrasive cleaners.

If you’re the type that worries a lot about using acidic or aggressive cleaners on your liner, you can make use of natural cleaners, and that is why I will be using a Natural cleaner called Borax for this section.

What is Borax?

Borax is a cleaning formula with natural alkaline that can be used as a natural whitener, disinfectant, insecticide e.t.c. Borax can help you with pretty much everything that has to do with cleaning and can also help keep your vinyl liner clean with no apparent consequence.

Using Borax to remove pool liner stains

1. Make a paste of borax powder and a little water.
2. Apply the paste on the vinyl liner using the pool brush or soft-bristled brush and scrub gently until the stain is gone.
3. Wash away stain residue with cold water.

Note: The amount of Borax powder to use depends on the severity of the stain and or the size of the pool.

How to remove rust stains from the vinyl pool liner

You can get rid of rusty stains from vinyl pool liner with a combination of lemon juice and salt.

Lemon has citric acid in it, and this helps break down mineral compound stains like copper, iron, magnesium, e.t.c.

1. Make a paste from a cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of salt.
2. Apply paste using a pool brush or soft-bristled brush and scrub gently.
3. Rinse stain residues with cold water.

How to remove organic stains from the vinyl pool liner

I’m sure by now you would have put baking soda to use about a thousand times around your house. But here’s something you might not know, apart from being able to clean your vinyl liner effectively, it can also help increase the alkalinity of your pool water.

1. Make a paste from the combination of water and baking soda.
2. Apply the paste on the vinyl liner using a pool brush or soft-bristled brush and scrub gently until the stain starts to remove.
3. Rinse stain residue afterward.

How do I remove green algae stains from the vinyl pool liner

Green algae stains are the simplest to remove because you don’t necessarily need any cleaner unless they again leave some discoloration on your liner after cleaning.

1. Get a soft-bristled brush and start scrubbing the surface.
2. Get rid of the brushed-off algae on the surface using a liner-friendly vacuum.
3. Clean off any discoloration (if there’s any)left behind by soiled algae using any mild cleaning agent.
4. Rinse the surface afterward.

How to remove copper stains from the vinyl pool liner

You can get rid of copper stains from your Vinyl pool line using vinegar. Although vinegar is an abrasive cleaner, it can help remove copper stains. To be on the safer side, you can try vinegar solution on a hidden part of the vinyl liner and see how it reacts before general use.

1. Make a solution of equal amounts of vinegar and water.
2. Dampen a towel or brush into the solution and scrub the surface with it until the stain is finally gone.
3. Test water after treatment to see if the vinegar solution has interfered with the water PH and adjust accordingly.

How to clean ring around pool liner

Use Clorox 2 to get rid of the ring around your pool liner. Clorox 2 is less aggressive and can help remove rings on your pool liner effectively.

1. Mix equal amounts of Clorox and water in a spraying bottle.
2. Spray solution moderately on the liner.
3. Leave the solution to dry on the liner.
4. Brush of remnants and rinse the surface with water afterward.

Vinyl pool liner cleaning FAQs

Curious to find out how to get bug spray off vinyl siding, how to clean gutters on tall house or how to clean smelly work gloves too?

Will bleach damage the pool liner?

Yea, bleach is highly corrosive and can damage your pool liner. And besides the damage it could cause on your liner, bleach is not good for human consumption. If bleached water gets into the mouth accidentally while swimming, it could put cause health complications.

Can cyanuric acid damage the pool liner?

No, cyanuric acid forms a weak bond with free chlorine already present in your pool water, so it cannot cause damage. However, your cyanuric acid must not be added in excess because that is the level when we can be talking about how injurious the chemical compound could be both for swimmers and your liner.

Will stabilizer damage pool liner?

Just like cyanuric acid, a stabilizer is also a weak compound, and it can take a while before it finally dissolves. So it is not likely to damage your liner.

Will CYA damage the pool liner?

No, cya cannot damage your pool liner except if you pour directly on the vinyl liner with no chlorine water to reduce its potency.

Will draining a pool damage the liner?

Yes, completely draining your pool will affect your liner, especially if it is made of vinyl. When the vinyl pool is exposed directly to sunlight, it causes it to shrink and lose its elasticity. When this happens, the vinyl liner may start to tear when the pool is refilled. So it is not advisable to drain your vinyl pool.

Can I use household cleaners to clean vinyl pool liner stains?

Yes, you can use household cleaners for your vinyl pool liner. Most of these household cleaners are natural and does not have any potent chemical in them, so they are completely safe.