Oil sheen clean - looking for thoughts/ideas...

[SunnyOptimism]

From what we've seen over the years, it comes from oiled sunbathers OR from swimmers using lotions PRIOR to swimming to avoid dry skin. Like pee, swimmer oils are easier to manage OUT fo the water than in it.

One simple solution is to have a few microfiber towels on the deck for using in wiping off excess lotion, sunscreen, etc. BEFORE entering the pool.

Sams Club has them for cheap; so does Amazon: AmazonBasics Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (Pack of 24)

I decided to go with PigMat #551 (there's also a white version as well) which is great because it is completely hydrophobic but sucks up oil (I've used them to catch oil spills during oil changes and they are awesome for that)..

This particular Exxon Valdez slick was contractor-induced. I wish I had known before hand as I would have been more prepared. But, I totally agree about the likliest source being bather-induced. My brother and sister-in-law visited back in May and I swear that my SIL went through ten tubes of SPF-10,000 (the stuff was thicker than asphalt tar) all of which ended up on the surface of my pool. I was seriously considering throwing kitty litter in the water to absorb all that gunk Suffice it to say, my CC's were high and I finally had to shock chlorinate the pool to clear it all out.

Next year, if she shows up, she's getting blasted with my 3100psi power washer if she steps within 10ft of my pool

[CarlD]

Guess your SIL is a PITA...

Still fascinated by how a contractor could dump so much oil in your pool. What did he do--change some small engine's crankcase oil over your pool?????

[FormerBromineUser]

Haha. That is kinda gross. I use the tennis balls for the normal skimmer black-goo. Don't think I would intentionally put vegetable oil in my pool. Try it in a bucket if you must.

[SunnyOptimism]

Guess your SIL is a PITA...

Still fascinated by how a contractor could dump so much oil in your pool. What did he do--change some small engine's crankcase oil over your pool?????

So the contractors post soda blasting clean up is to wash the blasting dust off with pool water and then, to avoid water stains, he wipes the tile down with a mixture of mineral oil, water and I'm guessing a little surfactant like automatic dishwasher liquid or some such thing. It cleans off the dust and water and leaves a nice shine on the tile surface. Since you lower the water below the tile line, you then fill it back up when he's done. For my pool, that means ~100 linear feet of tile half submerged under the water line. All that mineral oil now floats off tile and to the water's surface. More than enough to leave a nice little slick.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not mad or anything. I half expected as much. I just wish I had been more prepared for it. I would rather have absorbed most of it as opposed to letting the skimmer catch it and send it on to the filter. Chlorine has a way of reacting with oils that can make them turn gooey. It's probably all imbedded in my DE now so a good long filter backwash is in order. Actually, I have to do my annual filter tear-down anyway and clean off the cartridges inside. So I'm glad this all happened now as opposed to the beginning of the season.