Dirt Stuck To Plaster

[jasontjames]

For the first time I decided to get a cover to use in the winter to help keep leaves out of the pool. After several weeks of having the cover on the pool, I removed it and noticed a pretty hefty coating of dirt on the tanning ledge, steps, and bench. I attempted to brush them, but the dirt is adhered to the plaster. Even using a metal brush, the dirt will not come off. Any tips on how to remove it from the surface? It is a salt water pool if that makes any difference. Thank you for any help you might be able to offer me.

JJ

[LegsOnEarth]

Sounds like you may have black algae, not dirt, since it is concentrated in low flow areas of your pool (bench, stairs, etc). If you have a salt system, it is too cold for the cell to produce chlorine (needs water temp to be higher then 59F). I would check your chlorine levels to see if you have any in the water at present.

[jasontjames]

It is not black algae. It is reddish dirt. It looks exactly like the dirt that I normally get in the pool and just sweep away to the drains. The water temp is 49 degrees.

[LegsOnEarth]

Red DIrt? Red dirt usually means there's iron in the soil, which would potentially stain your pool plaster. You can check to see if it is a metal stain by putting a vitamin C tablet on the stain and seeing if it gets removed. You can also cut a lemon in half and use that if you don't have the vitamins. If that works, you can treat your pool with a small amount of vitamin c to remove the staining. If it doesn't pass the "lemon" test then you might just have an organic stain. Organic stains can be removed by spot application of chlorine to the stains, and sometimes just from super chlorination.

What color is your plaster?

[jasontjames]

Thanks, I will try the lemon thing. I hope it works.

I have white plaster. You can actually feel the grain of the dirt on the surface. On the edge of the steps there is actually a little hump of dirt. It is hard as a rock and won't come off.