Rust On The Pool / Spa Railing..
by Alice
What is the cause of this and can it be removed (how)? Thank you Alice Thanks for the question Alice Normally when a ladder or step gets rusts it's because the ladder/step is older and/or the pool water is out of balance. Normal ranges for pool chemicals are: Chlorine 1.5 - 3.5ppm. For a community pool, I would recommend they run the chlorine between 3.5 - 4.5ppm. I keep the YMCA pool at that level and it works fine. Alkalinity 80 - 100ppm pH 7.6 - 7.8 Calcium Hardness 150 - 250ppm CYA 30 - 50 (mainly for outdoor pools) There are a few ways to get rid of the rust. You can get a commercial rust remover from a local hardware store. A mixture of chlorine and water. Muriatic acid and water (4:1 ratio) Baking soda. This is the one I would recommend first as it is the safest. Mix water and baking soda into a thick paste. Spread it over the affected are and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Use a plastic, not metal or steel wool, scouring pad. Metal will cause scratches and will lead to more and faster rusting in the future. Rustoleum or a similar brand may be used but it might affect the appearance of the metal. After the metal has dried you can use a good Carnauba auto wax. You can get this at most auto supply stores. I have the lifeguards at the YMCA wax the ladders and the chairlift once per month. This helps keep the water from coming into direct contact with the ladder. Hope this helps and good luck Robert |
