Solved! How to Clean a Ring Around the Pool Liner

Hosting a pool party is often a great summer idea, but it can become stressful if you just can’t get rid of that unsightly ring around your pool! Today, we’ll show you methods on how to clean the ring around the pool liner.

If you don’t want to see a sea of alarmed faces gasping at the filth in your pool, just read on!

How to Clean the Ring Around Your Pool Liner

That slimy ring around your pool liner is also called a scum line. It’s a layer of the built-up mixture of contaminants that aren’t soluble in water.

These contaminants include lotions, sweat, mucous, sunscreen, suntan, skin oils, skin fragments, and detergent. These non-living organics build up on the water’s surface and stick to your pool’s walls, ladders, and rails once the water evaporates.

Here’s a guide on how to remove that stubborn, grimy ring around your pool and how to prevent it from coming back. Let’s dive into it!

Step 1 – Scrub the Ring Line

Unfortunately, there’s no escaping it. For a stubborn ring, you have to get down on your knees and channel your scrubbing power!  

To get the most out of your skills, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to effectively scrub the ring line.

• Step 1: Slightly lower the water level of your pool below the ring line. This is to prevent the cleaning chemicals from mixing with your pool water.
• Step 2: Put on your rubber gloves before spraying a standard scum cleaner directly onto the dirty surface. Let the solution sit for five minutes for it to dissolve the scum.
• Step 3: Start scrubbing off the grime from the surface. We recommend you use a product containing diluted hydrochloric acid for better results.  It’s always best to test in an inconspicuous area.

Step 2 – Add in Enzyme

When the ring line issue keeps recurring, this usually means that the chlorine in your pool water is having trouble reaching breakpoint chlorination.

Breakpoint chlorination is the point where chlorine has successfully removed all the contaminants in the water.

If this can’t be achieved by chlorine alone, you may add enzyme chemicals to your pool cleaning routine. Enzymes help break down non-living contaminants like oil and skin product residue, which chlorine alone usually struggles with.

This will then help the chlorine kill the living contaminants like bacteria and germs, allowing it to disinfect your pool efficiently.

Step 3 – Remove Phosphate from Your Pool Water

Phosphates in your pool may be from rotting leaves, garden fertilizers introduced by wind, and residue from skin and hair products. Even some pool chemicals contain phosphate!

High phosphate levels encourage algae growth. This then prevents chlorine from serving its primary purpose since it needs to first deal with the increased algae growth.

That’s why we recommend you remove phosphate from your pool to help the chlorine sanitize your pool and prevent the occurrence of ring lines. You may use phosphate removers for this.

Step 4 – Keep Your Filters Clean

Regularly clean the sand and cartridge filters of your pool with a standard filter cleaning solution.

This allows your filters to catch more contaminants to prevent the formation of a ring line.

Six Alternative Household Products You Can Use

Costs might get overwhelming when it’s time for you to buy chemicals you’re going to need for cleaning. That’s why we listed six household alternatives for you.

Apply Lemon Juice

The citric acid found in lemon juice is a classic cleaner. It’s effective in cleaning off scum lines, grime, and calcium buildup in your pool.

Mix a cup of lemon juice with salt and apply the mixture to the surface with a sponge.

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda is an abrasive cleaner that can remove tough stains and ring lines in your pool. Mix it with water to make a paste that you can use to scrub your pool walls.

Incorporate Borax in Your Cleaning Routine

Borax has a pH level of 9.5. This makes it an effective cleaner that breaks down built-up grime on your pool’s water line.

Make a paste by mixing borax with water, scrubbing the surface with a sponge, and then rinsing it off with water.

Utilize Bleach

With a pH level between 11-13, bleach is a corrosive pool cleaner that can eat away at the ring lines on your pool walls. It’s also effective in killing bacteria and viruses.

Make Use of Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is also effective in removing grimy scum lines. Dilute 70% alcohol with water first before applying it to the surface.

Be Resourceful with Vitamin C Tablets

Ascorbic acid from vitamin C tablets can help remove stubborn stains and ring lines on your pool’s walls. Crush the tablets and scrub the powder onto the surface until the dirt is gone.

Benefits of Maintaining a Clean Pool

Cleaning your pool regularly might be a time-consuming and challenging routine to maintain. But enjoying its benefits can be a huge motivation for you.

These are some of those benefits:

Prevent Algae Growth

Harmful bacteria feed on algae. So when algae grow, your pool may become a breeding ground for disease-causing germs and bacteria.

By maintaining a clean pool, you’ll be able to avoid this kind of issue.

Avoid Illnesses

Scum lines can accumulate bacteria which causes various diseases. Some of these include ear and respiratory irritation.

Contaminated water may also cause diarrhea, skin rashes, and eye and wound infections.

A sanitary pool will save you and your loved ones a trip to the hospital.

Increase the Longevity of Your Pool

Dirty pool water becomes corrosive in time. This may harm the equipment attached to your pool.

If your pool’s walls, surfaces, rails, and ladders stay filthy, they become weak and brittle.

When you regularly clean your pool, you’ll be able to save money by avoiding necessary equipment repairs while increasing the durability of your pool.

Improve Your Pool’s Appearance

Seeing green water, grime-covered surfaces and a ring line around your pool is embarrassing and might become a concern for your family and friends. They sure won’t want to swim in contaminated water, risking their health.

To save yourself from shame, make sure to keep your pool clean and sanitary. Crystal clear water, bright tiles, and shiny rails will surely make them want to jump in your pool the second they see it!

Final Takeaway

Learning how to clean a ring around the pool liner might require a bit of time and elbow grease. But, if you follow our guide and power through the entire process, you’ll be swimming in satisfaction in no time.

So, what are you waiting for? Send out those party invites now, and pick out your swimsuit!

It’s time to swim!