What do you use to clean the waterline?

[cruzmisl]

What do you use to clean the waterline? (maybe I'll learn how to type) :)



HI All,
I have a vinyl IG pool with fiberglass stairs and spa (both are white). I usually bought vinyl cleaner from the pool store to clean the brown waterline that develops over time. I'm wondering if there is anything better and/or cheaper that will do the job.

Thanks,
Joe

EDIT by Watermom -- Joe, I fixed the spelling in your title for you.

[brittmer]

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works very well. Not much scrubbing and it really cleans up my stairs and buddy seats.

[MaryLee]

Ditto on the Magic Eraser...works great!

[sartail]

I went to the store with the intention of buying the Magic Eraser for the same purpose - but I noticed the package said not to use it with chlorine bleach. Several people on the forum have used the Magic Eraser on their pools with great results, but I was still a bit concerned about why that was included on the package. Does anyone have any more info? Thanks.

[MaryLee]

I think it's because chlorine will break the eraser down faster....I don't think there is any harm to the pool. I figure if it takes 2 of them to clean my pool, then it's worth it if I have to throw them out after. It's cheaper and takes a lot less elbow grease then trying to scrub the waterline with some kind of cleaner.

[cleancloths]

It is probably ammonia based, and you never want to mix ammonia with chlorine - BUT and this is a big but, pool water is not chlorine. You would not want to use it with bleach, but the level in pool water is so low that it is not significantly different from drinking water which is what you use the thing with. It works great, just use it.

[Sherra]

Several people on this board have tap water that has 3 PPM chlorine readings, so if it's safe to use with tap water (and you're SUPPOSED to wet them), then they should be perfectly safe to use in a properly maintained pool. Bleach cleaners have a MUCH higher concentration of chlorine in them.

[brent.roberts]

I recall about 6 months ago an article by someone like Consumer's Reports that talked about the Magic Eraser. The magic in it is a micro-abrasive compound that they bonded to the sponge like carrier. They said it does work. But they also said that the bonding agent used to keep it all together was real bad stuff.
Sorry I can't find the article to get the details more accurately, but after discovering how well it worked, then hearing this news, I trashed the rest of them. Sort of like the Teflon deal except the bad stuff got revealed within months of the marketing launch. Despite this, I think they're selling tons of it.

I will certainly never put it in the pool.

[cleancloths]

I recall about 6 months ago an article by someone like Consumer's Reports that talked about the Magic Eraser. The magic in it is a micro-abrasive compound that they bonded to the sponge like carrier. They said it does work. But they also said that the bonding agent used to keep it all together was real bad stuff.
Sorry I can't find the article to get the details more accurately, but after discovering how well it worked, then hearing this news, I trashed the rest of them. Sort of like the Teflon deal except the bad stuff got revealed within months of the marketing launch. Despite this, I think they're selling tons of it.

I will certainly never put it in the pool.

If its consumers reports then I believe it less than if it was in the new york times, and we all know not to believe them. I think it was consumers reports that says a Prius Hybrid only gets 35 miles per gallon - but I have two and know they both get about 50 mpg. Magic eraser is a great product. And it has been around for a few years, not months.

[sartail]

I found this information on the Mr. Clean website...perhaps this was the issue indicated in the consumer rpts article...
http://www.homemadesimple.com/sites/en_US/mrclean/ME_Truth/index.shtml
Thanks for all the replies!

[Poconos]

I simply use a coarse pad type scrub brush that is in pool stores, and a thick slurry of baking soda and water in a bucket. The amount of baking soda you'll use won't affect the chemistry enough to care about.
Al

[pigbat]

I know I'm a little late to the game here and this post is a little old but I just wanted to clarify. Have people used the magic eraser on the vinyl walls themselves or just the fiberglass steps and swimouts? The top 12" of my liner is noticeably dirty and I'm looking for a way to clean it without damaging the liner.

Thanks for any replies.

[cleancloths]

Use it on the walls all the time. Just be careful not to press hard where there is a pattern - I usually only use it on the white part.

[PhantomAndy]

Two Cent's Worth:

I use a 'Non-Stick Safe' scrubbie sponge (like you would use to wash your non-stick cookwear) along with "SoftScrub with Bleach". I've never had any ill effects from the cleanser (which I use very little of). It hadn't harmed my liner over the past 5 openings, and does a great job of getting the coping a nice bright white!

I tried the magic eraser last year, but you have to remember that the magic eraser does have the potential to remove the finish on your liner or coping. Magic Eraser uses Basotect (a melamine derived proprietary foam product - hence the concern about poison). I was worried about the abrasive nature of the magic eraser (not any poison issues) so I quit using it except on my steps. If you have plastic steps, it does a wonderful job of cleaning them without using any cleaning chemicals.

Good luck and enjoy your 2nd season!

[CelticDaddio]

I tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser yesterday on my waterline which was pretty bad.... The inventor of this product deserves the Nobel Prize for Pool Maintenance.... Works great.
Ed


Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works very well. Not much scrubbing and it really cleans up my stairs and buddy seats.