That white or gray crust along your pool’s waterline is calcium scale. Almost every pool in the Valley gets it sooner or later. Our water is full of minerals, and when pool water evaporates, the minerals stay on the tile. Brushing won’t take it off once it hardens. NextGen Pool Care cleans pool tile for homes, HOAs, and apartment pools across the Phoenix area. Call (623) 526-4945 and we’ll take a look.

Why the Crust Keeps Coming Back

Phoenix loses a lot of pool water to the sun. Each time the water level drops and you top it off, the new water brings more calcium in. The waterline tile is right where the water dries, so that’s where the scale builds. High pH and high calcium in the pool make it build faster.

You’ll usually see one of two things:

• White, chalky scale. Calcium carbonate. This is the most common kind.
• Gray or crusty scale that feels like rock. Calcium silicate. It’s harder to remove and takes more work.

Some tile also gets stains from metals in the water or from leaves left in the pool.

What Tile Cleaning Gets You

Clean tile makes the whole pool look newer. Buyers notice it, HOA boards notice it, and so do your guests. It also lets you see if any tile is cracked or loose, which can be a sign of a leak.

We clean the waterline tile around the whole pool, plus spa tile and any trim tile on steps or benches. We work carefully around the grout so it isn’t damaged. When we’re done, the pool goes right back to normal use.

Selling Your Home?

A clean pool helps a house show well. Scale on the tile makes a pool look older than it is, and it’s one of the first things buyers and inspectors spot. If you’re getting ready to list, clean tile is a small job that makes a big difference in photos. Pair it with a filter clean and balanced water, and the pool will look its best for showings. Realtors and property managers call us for this all the time, and we’re happy to work around a listing date.

Tile Cleaning Questions

How often does tile need to be cleaned?

It depends on your water. Many Valley pools need it every year or two. Pools with a waterfall, a spa spillover, or high calcium may need it more often.

Can I scrape it off myself?

You can try with a pumice stone made for pool tile, on light scale only. Go slow and keep the tile wet. Don’t use metal scrapers or wire brushes, which can scratch glazed tile. Heavy or gray scale is a job for a pro.

Do I need to drain the pool?

Not usually. We clean most tile with the water in. If you’re already planning an acid wash or drain and refill, that’s a great time to do the tile too, since all of it is easy to reach.

How is it priced?

By the linear foot of tile. The rate is on our price page. We’ll measure and give you the total before we start.

Will it damage my tile?

Not when it’s done right. We pick the method based on your tile and the kind of scale. If a tile is already cracked or loose, we’ll point it out.

Keep Scale From Coming Back

Clean tile won’t stay clean forever in Phoenix, but you can slow it down a lot:

1. Keep the pH in range. High pH is the biggest cause of scale. Most pools do well around 7.4 to 7.6.
2. Watch calcium hardness. When it climbs too high, the water can’t hold any more, and it drops out onto the tile.
3. Brush the tile line every week. Soft scale comes off easily before it hardens.
4. Keep the water level steady. A level that swings up and down leaves a wider band of scale.
5. Drain and refill when the water gets too hard. Most Valley pools need fresh water every few years.

If you’re on our weekly pool cleaning service, we brush the tile and balance the water every visit, which helps a lot. And when calcium gets too high to manage, we’ll tell you.

For HOA and Apartment Pools

Shared pools get a lot of swimmers and a lot of top-off water, so scale builds fast. A crusty tile line is one of the first things residents complain about. We can clean tile at commercial pools on a schedule that works around pool hours. See our commercial pool service page for more.

Get Your Tile Cleaned

Call (623) 526-4945 or request an estimate. Send a photo of the tile line if you can. It helps us plan.

NextGen Pool Care, ROC #356379. A licensed, bonded, and fully insured Arizona company.