Stains on vinyl pool liner

Stains on vinyl pool liners

No Draining, No Acid Washing No Wasted Water!

20,000 Pools Transformed since 2013

4.9 ★★★★★ (224) 

Vinyl-lined pools are known for being stain-resistant because they are smooth, have fancy protective coatings, and are almost nonporous. This is the perfect combination for keeping stains and algae away. However, there are times when minerals, such as manganese, iron, copper, or even organic stains, can discolour vinyl.  Don’t worry, our treatment will fix these stains for you.

Our product works wonders on vinyl pools.  Our stain treatment kit restores the bright colour and smooth finish within days.  You won’t have to drain the pool water because our treatment works with the water still in the pool.  This will keep your liner fitted in its proper place in the pool and save you a lot of money.

Our product safely targets stain causing minerals, dissolving them back into suspension without damaging your liner.

WARNING: Most retail pool stain removers are NOT SAFE for use on vinyl. They can bleach or discolour the vinyl.

Before After copper stains removed off a vinyl liner poolcopper stains removed off a vinyl liner pool
Before After Algae staining on vinyl pool - beforeAlgae staining on vinyl pool - after

WARNING: RETAIL ALL-PURPOSE STAIN REMOVERS ARE OFTEN NOT SAFE ON VINYL POOLS.   PLEASE READ THE FINE PRINT CAREFULLY, AS MANY STAIN PRODUCTS WILL CAUSE PERMANENT BLEACHING OR DAMAGE TO THE LINER.

Common types of stains we remove

 IRON OR COPPER STAINS

  • Appearance: Usually Blue/Green (copper) or brown (iron).
  • Cause: Corrosion of pool equipment, use of copper-based algaecides, or high mineral content in source water (bore water, rainwater).
  • Detail: These stains often look worse after shock chlorination. Our treatment works by dissolving the metallic bond without damaging the vinyl.

ORGANIC STAINS (TANNINS, LEAVES OR DEAD ALGAE)

  • Appearance: Brown tint or localized dark spots, often in corners or areas of low circulation.
  • Cause: Oils and tannins from leaves and vegetation, or dead algae.
  • Detail: These are tough to remove and don’t respond to brushing or chlorine. Our stain treatment removes these stains without draining.

Still not sure?  Feel free to call us to discuss.  We can help you.  

Microbial bacteria staining on vinyl poolpicture

WARNING: ALL-PURPOSE STAIN REMOVERS SOLD AT THE POOL SHOP ARE OFTEN NOT SAFE ON VINYL POOLS.   PLEASE READ THE FINE PRINT CAREFULLY, AS MANY STAIN PRODUCTS WILL CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE LINER AND CAUSE WIDESPREAD BLEACHING THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED.

Is my pool liner fading?

 If your vinyl appears to be fading, chances are you may have a thin calcium formation or mineral contamination on the surface, rather than a faded liner.

Vinyl lined pools do fade very slowly over a long period of time.  However, it is not uncommon to see 15-year-old vinyl pools that retain almost all of their original colour.  Modern vinyl has great UV resistance and is usually stronger than products used in the past.

How can I stop my pool liner from fading?

To extend the life of your vinyl pool, test and treat your pool water regularly.  Brushing the pool surface every month also helps.   Vinyl doesn’t like aggressive water that is very high or very low in pH or chlorine.  Vinyl is also not very resistant to high chlorine levels.  High chlorine levels lead to premature fading, bleaching, and breakdown of the vinyl surface.  In short, keep your water balanced, and you’ll save a lot of money because your vinyl pool liner will last a lot longer.  

Vinyl Pool Stain Removal

Most Popular
Picture of complete stain treatment Kit

Option 1 Vinyl Stain Removal - DIY kit

Most Pools $245

Picture of stain treatment kit

Option 2 Vinyl Stain Removal – On Site Technician

$ 415

Pool Stain Removers Price List

Water Volume Kit Prices - Inc. GST & Delivery What You Get
Up to 40,000 Litres $245 X 1 Bottle of SSE + 2 Bags of Stain Compound
Up to 65,000 Litres $295 X 1 Bottle of SSE + 3 Bags of Stain Compound
Up to 95,000 Litres $345 X 1 Bottle of SSE + 4 Bags of Stain Compound
Up to 120,000 Litres $395 X 2 Bottles of SSE + 5 Bags of Stain Compound

What Our Customers Say About Us

LaQuinta Dudly
LaQuinta Dudly
★★★★★
I recommend this product, it has removed the stains and the pool looks like new again! Wade has been the best in helping!! Very Happy! 🙂.
Lisa Cavallero
Lisa Cavallero
★★★★★
We had some bad staining on our pool and I had trouble finding a company who wanted to help. I came across this company and it was a blessing! The product is amazing and literally worked overnight. Wade was super helpful and convinced us to give it a try and we are so glad we did. We were skeptical to say the least but it really works if you follow their instructions. Thank you Wade and company!!
Ian Cox
Ian Cox
★★★★★
I thought my pool was done for. Calcium took over. I search all over for a company that could help. I found one. If you have calcium buildup in your pool order this product it’s simple to use easy to follow instructions and fast delivery. You won’t be disappointed. My fibreglass pool looks new again.
Bill Smyth
Bill Smyth
★★★★★
I had copper stains in my pool for about 6 months. After spending hundreds of dollars on non-performing products purchased on bad advice of local pool stores, I found The Pool Stain Removers with an internet search. Their treatment sounded too good to be true. It turns out, it wasn’t too good to be true. It was awesome! I find myself going outside several times a day just to gaze at my like-new pool. I am so pleased. Thank you Wade!.
Dan Diggins
Dan Diggins
★★★★★
After multiple attempts to remove brown/green stains on sides of in ground pebble pool, I was resigned to the fact a new pool surface was necessary. The Pool Stain Removers came through with a self applied chemical treatment that removed stains within 5 days! Process requires a little attention for a few days and is not labor intensive. For those of you dealing with pool stains, please contact Wade and he will solve your issues. This is my first recommendation ever on Facebook. Please give then a try.
Ross Roblin
Ross Roblin
★★★★★
I wish I had some before and after photos to share, but I don't. This product worked fantastic! We have an inground pool and had used copper based algaecide which combined with shock left mottled blue stains and some darker stains all over the plaster surface. It looked terrible. We tried everything and I had resigned myself to the possibility of draining the pool and acid washing. Then my wife found this online and we decided to give it a shot. After about two weeks, the surface looked as good as new. In addition to the product being very effective, the support I received was first rate as well. Hopefully I won't mess the pool up again, but if I do, I know where to go for help!
Greg H
Greg H
★★★★★
After owning our property for 20 years i was skeptical as to whether these products would work. I cant believe the difference and my pool has never looked so good. Would highly recommend The Pool Stain Removers
DCH53
DCH53
★★★★★
Our pool sides and bottom were stained due to either garden run-off or rotting vegetation after a particularly stormy and wet winter. Not badly but it was plainly obvious. The stain could be removed by vigorous rubbing with a nylon scourer but that obviously wasn't and option for the whole pool. Pool Stain Removers treatment was easy to apply and worked perfectly. Even though the staining wasn't bad, now that it's gone our pool looks pristine, brighter and bluer.
Dr Changelots
Dr Changelots
★★★★★
I rarely review at 5 stars but this product does exactly what it says on the tin. Use it properly and it works wonders. We are ordering again to retreat our heavily used family Pebblecrete pool… nearly 6 years later.
Julie L
Julie L
★★★★★
I can't say enough about this company, product and owner, Wade. After being so discouraged about the unsightly scaling in my pool, I was fortunate to take a chance on Pool Stain Removers. Wade walked me through the whole process and answered numerous questions...he was so kind, patient and knowledgeable. My pool now looks 100% better and I never had to do an acid wash or hot start...just this amazing product! I am so very grateful and highly recommended!

Our Company Credentials

Approved contractors for commercial and public pools.
pool stain removers
12 years of proven results in over 20,000 pools across Australia

Common Stains in vinyl pools

These stains are usually from dirt or algae that have since been killed off, leaving stains behind.  This is often known as non-living organic staining.  This often appears in corners or areas of reduced water flow. Also, tannin oils from leaves and vegetation can leave a brown tint covering the entire pool surface.   This type of staining usually takes a while to form and can be very difficult to remove with brushing or chlorine.  Our stain kit will remove both of these stain types.

Copper stains are often a blue/green or grey colour and will often get darker or look worse after shock chlorination.   The picture at the top of the page is a severe case of copper staining that we have removed.  Iron stains are brown colour and often will partially wipe away with a brush.  After brushing, iron will soon resettle and stain the pool.

Low pH (acidic) causes weakening of the vinyl, whereas high chlorine causes colour bleaching/oxidation.  Very low alkalinity or high calcium hardness can cause damage to your vinyl surface.  This is because the water is unbalanced and is seeking to rebalance itself.  To do this, the water slowly destroys the vinyl.  This type of staining can be tough to repair.  Elevated chlorine levels for an extended period can also cause permanent damage to the liner.  As strong as they are, vinyl liners cannot withstand high chlorine levels for very long.

Stains on vinyl pool liners are usually copper or mineral-based.  While calcium and algae can stain vinyl, these types of stains are less common and usually easily removed. Likewise, fungus and bacteria stains are also uncommon, but these types of stains are on the increase.   

Bacterial stains appear because dye-producing microorganisms gather on the underside of the vinyl and cause discoloration.  Over time, they will slowly migrate through the vinyl and appear in the pool as stains.  These will look like gray stains on the sides or bottom of the pool.

Some publishers argue that this type of staining can be removed with shock chlorination and a quality copper-based algaecide.  Our experience with clients who have this issue is that this process doesn’t work, or partially works for a short time.  This is because the stains are coming from under the liner, not on the top surface.  We are currently investing in further research on this issue.

If you have this issue and you are considering replacing the liner, then it would be a great idea to have the sand base of the pool pretreated before you install a new liner.  There are several options available for pool owners.  Talk to your vinyl supplier about which one would be best suited to your situation.

Remember, mineral and copper stains are very stubborn and won’t brush away.  To remove these types of stains, our treatment process is your best option.

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