It is not uncommon for new pool owners to ask questions about maintenance. Everyone wants to keep the freshness and beauty of their new swimming pool. So they ask about routine cleaning and maintenance.
Many times, acid washing is thrown around by experts and new pool owners usually have no clue what the term means. I for one didn’t have any idea what it meant to acid wash a swimming pool the first time I heard it.
New pool owners typically quickly follow up the “acid wash” conversation with “how much does it cost?” Yes, just how much do I need to keep my swimming pool fresh. Again, I had the same question and decided to do a bit of research to get answers.
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How Much Does It Cost To Acid Wash Your Swimming Pool?
The cost of acid washing a pool ranges between $175 and $225 for a 500sq ft pool. Prices vary based on the location and size of the swimming pool.
Acid washing is considered to be the most intense cleaning process for a swimming pool. Some experts say it is comparable to re-doing the surface of your swimming pool so that it is new again.
Acid washing is guaranteed to help remove all kinds of deposits, living organisms, and stains from the swimming pool. Acid washing can be a tiring and tedious job because of the expertise and processes involved. Typically, acid washing would require the swimming to be drained but experts have found a way to acid wash a swimming pool without draining the pool water.
However, you decide to acid wash your swimming pool, the process is an intense one that involves lots of processes and the application of loads of chemicals the cost of all of which can quickly add up to a sizeable amount.
Factors That Determine Cost Of Acid Washing A Pool
Like many of the work done on a swimming pool, the size of the swimming pool is a major determinant of what it would cost to acid wash the pool.
Another factor that influence the cost of acid wash is your location. Some regions of the country charge more than other regions because of weather conditions among other things. Like all home projects, you can hire a handy man to take of the work or you could decide to do them yourself with your buddy or any help you can get.
Let’s discuss how much both options would cost.
Professional swimming pool maintenance services charge between $175 and $225 to acid wash a 500 square feet swimming pool. This cost would cover the draining of the pool water, the chemicals needed to complete the acid washing, and the filling of the pool back up.
You can contact pool maintenance services near you to get a quotation. They would require you to send in your pool dimensions to prepare the quotation so you should have that in hand. This package basically allows your money to do all the work for you, you pay and then enjoy the facelift to your pool.
The second method of acid washing your pool is a DIY project. In this method you would be required to supply the man power needed to get the job done. The cost of this method is the total amount to be spent on supplies purchases.
The supplies include the chemicals and other cleaning tools that would be needed. Check your local hardware store for prices of the supplies needed to acid wash your swimming pool. A comprehensive list of supplies needed is provided below.
What materials do I need to acid wash my swimming pool?
If you have decided to make the acid washing of your pool a hands-on project or want to save some money by doing it yourself, you’ll need a list that covers all of the materials needed for the acid washing.
Many of the materials needed for swimming pool acid washing are readily available in local stores. They are largely grouped into cleaning tools that help with the physical efforts needed for the job, protective gears to prevent accidents that can occur during the cleaning process especially accidents that can be caused by exposure to chemicals you’ll be working with, and the chemicals that will be used. The materials required for acid washing a swimming pool are:
- Protective gear (overalls, gloves, safety goggles, and acid safety mask)
- A swimming pool brush
- Garden hose that will reach all areas of the pool easily, with nozzle.
- Pump and discharge hose for draining pool and wastewater
- 10-20 gallons of acid, depending on pool size and severity of staining (muriatic acid)
- Soda Ash to neutralize acid, 2 lbs for each gallon of acid used
- Flower Watering can, for pouring acid
- A good helper that will assist you with the job.
How Do I Acid Wash My Swimming Pool?
You have decided to acid wash your swimming pool yourself, you have the list of items that is required to get the job done, and maybe you even already purchased them already. Now, where do you do first? How do you acid wash your swimming pool? I will be providing a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process of acid washing a swimming pool.
Step 1: the acid wash process is started by first emptying out the water in the swimming pool. You need to drain your pool and clean out all of the debris or dirt you encounter on your way. Draining the pool allows you to be able to work on the surface of the swimming pool without interference.
Step 2: The second thing to be done when the pool has been completely drained is to put in your protective gear. It is important to adequately protect yourself from the chemicals you’ll be working with because they can be harmful. Make sure you wear a pair of gloves, mask, goggles, and protective wear for the feet.
Step 3: the third is to prepare the acid that will be used. Add the acid to an equal amount of water in the watering can. The ratio of the mixture should be 1 to 1 to ensure it stays effective. Means you should add 1 gallon of acid to 1 gallon of water and on and on. It is also important that the acid should be added to the water and never the other round.
Step 4: the fourth step is to water down the surface of the pool to prepare it for the application of the acid solution. Make use of the hose to wet the surface of the swimming pool.
Step 5: pour the acid solution into the watering can on the surface of the swimming pool from top to bottom. Make sure you start from the deepest end and scrub the pool surface with the swimming pool brush as the acid solution is poured. Make sure you do this one section of the pool at a time.
Step 6: Rinse the section of the pool you just washed with water from the hose before you move on to another section. This is important because you do not want the acid sitting too long in the swimming pool so you have to work as quickly as you can to avoid damaging your swimming pool.
Repeat steps 4, 5, and 6 till the entire swimming pool is completely covered.
Step 7: Neutralize the swimming pool. Add soda ash to the puddle left behind after the acid wash. Use a brush to scrub this new mixture on the swimming pool. Use 2 lbs of soda ash for every gallon of acid that is used.
Step 8: use the pump and discharge hose to remove the mixture that is in the pool. Rinse the pool properly and remove all content in the pool. Dispose of the removed mixture properly as it can be harmful to animals that it gets in contact with. Always use a proper legal drainage channel.
Step 9: fill up your pool with water and test to make sure that the water chemistry is at the appropriate levels.
How Often Should I Acid Wash My Swimming Pool?
Although acid washing restores the swimming pool to a near-new state, it should never be used as a regular maintenance practice. This is because the chemicals used in acid washing can easily damage the pool and can also be dangerous to the person performing the acid wash.
Acid wash should only be considered when the swimming pool is evidently stained by mineral or organic deposits and the stains won’t go off after other methods of cleaning the pool have been engaged.
Acid washing is avoided because the process simply peels off a thin layer of the plaster to unveil a new fresh one that was formerly underneath. Experts advise one or two acid washes in five years.
Additional information
- DO NOT acid wash a VINYL LINER swimming pool.
- Pay adequate attention when handling acid. Acid can react with other chemicals so make sure you store them properly and away from the reach of children.
- Acid washing should always be at least a two-man job. This helps to prevent accidents and to quickly remedy them when accidents do happen.
- Always use protective gears during acid washing.
