Quote Originally Posted by PoolDoc View Post
Ya got a brand name, Evan? -- some of those foamy tile products DO mess pools up!
The kind I have always used locally is Dumont Tile Cleaner Degreaser. It's basically the old fashoined tile soap that one would use by itself or mix with muriatic acid for stronger cleaning that would be used a daily basis to clean pool tiles or be sprayed on a cartridge filter to degrease it.

Dumont is produced here in Florida but they do have an 800 phone number on the jug. I do not know if they sell directly or ship out of state. I buy the stuff at the local Pinch a Penny (Florida pool store chain very much like Leslies) and I know it is also sold by some of our local distributors but I don't remember if it was SCP, Superior, Horner, or Gorman.
800 330 1369

I do know that tile soap is available in other parts of the country because Terry Tammininen talks about tile soap in his book "The Ultimate Guide To Pool Maintenance" (has some useful info, a lot of outdated info, hardly anything on testing and chemical management, and is geared mostly toward service professionals) and he was located in California.
It is basically a non foaming detergent/degreaser. I suspect it is a wetting agent similar to Kodak Photoflo wetting agent used in developing film (an old hobby of mine) since they look very similar and behave very much the same but I do not know the actual surfactant used.

Forgot to add...the stuff I am talking about is NOT the thick (and often acidic) 'tile cleaner' that is sold retail. It is a thin liquid, clear to light amber, and sold normally to pros which is why it only comes in gallons but around here it is also sold to homeowners


This company's pool/tile cleaner product http://www.cleanadvantage.com/HAbuff.html MIGHT be similar from the description but I have no actual experience with it. They do sell directly in orders of over $25.