Your Guide to Removing Organic Pool Stains

Key Takeaways

Before treating organic stains, ensure pH is between 7.4–7.6 and alkalinity between 100–150 ppm — correct water balance makes the shock treatment far more effective.
Shock the pool with liquid or granular chlorine, leave overnight with the pump running, then brush the walls and floor — repeat the process if stains persist after the first treatment.
For stubborn stains that won't shift, place a small amount of granular chlorine directly onto the stain inside a stocking and leave it in contact with the surface for a few hours.
Remove debris from the pool promptly — leaves, algae, and organic matter left sitting are the primary cause of organic staining, and the longer they sit, the harder the stain is to remove.
Act on small stains immediately before they spread — and consider keeping trees and shrubs trimmed back from the pool edge to reduce the amount of organic debris falling in.

Organic stains are usually caused by debris falling into the pool and low levels of chlorine. Leaving debris or algae to sit can result in pool stains. This article will provide you with a step-to-step guide on how to remove the stains and outline how to prevent having to deal with them again.

Steps to Removing Organic Pool Stains

Check those pool water levels. Your PH levels should be between 7.4 and 7.6 while your alkalinity levels should be between 100ppm and 150ppm.
Time to Shock your pool using a liquid or granular chlorine.
Leave overnight with the pump running.
Manually brush down your pool walls and floors.
If the stains haven’t disappeared repeat the process.
If you find some stains that don't want to budge, put a small amount of your granular chlorine into a stocking and put it directly on the stain for a few hours.

Preventing Organic pool stains

Keep those pool water levels balanced. Regularly check your PH, Chlorine, and Alkalinity levels.
Keep your pool clean. Make sure you are removing debris from your pool as well as keeping the walls and floors of your pool scrubbed or vacuumed.
If you plan on doing some landscaping try to keep shrubs and trees away from the pool to prevent debris from falling off the tree into the pool.
Lastly, jump onto the stains straight away. If you see a small stain remove it before it becomes a bigger clean-up.