Pool Acid Wash in Phoenix
An acid wash takes a thin layer off the plaster to lift stains that will not brush off. It is the right call for a stained or neglected pool, and the wrong one for calcium on tile. We will tell you which you have.
Stained plasterDrain · wash · refillHonest recommendation
50+ 5-star Google reviewsWhen an acid wash is right
For stains, not for calcium.
Acid washing strips a thin layer of plaster, which is exactly what a deep stain needs and exactly what healthy plaster does not. These are the cases where it earns its place.
- Green or black pool after neglect
- Mineral and metal stains on plaster
- Algae stains that will not brush off
- Gray or mottled plaster
- Pre-sale cleanup on an old finish
- After a long stagnant period
- Before a repaint or recoat
- Pools being brought back from empty
How it works
How an acid wash goes
Drain, wash, neutralize, refill. Done in a day when the weather allows.
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Confirm it is the fix
If the problem is calcium, we say so and quote blasting instead. A wash only happens when stains call for it.
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Drain and prep
The pool is drained with the hydrostatic valve in mind, and the plaster is checked for damage before anything touches it.
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Wash and neutralize
Diluted acid is worked across the plaster in sections, rinsed and neutralized so nothing is left in the shell.
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Refill and balance
The pool refills right away and the chemistry is started so the fresh surface does not scale.
Good questions
Acid wash questions, answered.
Straight answers from the Aqua Doctor team. If you don't see your question, give us a call.
If the problem is a white band on the tile or gray on pebble, it is calcium and bead blasting removes it with the pool full. If the plaster itself is stained green, brown or black, an acid wash is the fix. We tell you which before quoting.
It removes a thin layer every time, which is how it lifts the stain. A plaster finish can take a few over its life, not many. That is why we do not recommend it for anything calcium-related.
The wash itself is a few hours. Draining and refilling add a day or more depending on the pool size and your fill rate.
For a short time, with the hydrostatic relief valve opened and the refill started right after. An empty pool in summer heat can crack or lift, which is why we do not leave one sitting.
Cooler months. An empty pool in July is a risk to the plaster, so summer acid washes are kept short or scheduled for early morning.
Priced by pool size and condition, quoted before we come out. The refill water is billed by your utility.
Get started
Plaster stained?
Send us a photo or tell us what you are seeing and we will say whether it is a wash or a blast, and what it costs.
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