Tile trouble: Use care when treating jacuzzi's calcium deposits

Question: We have a jacuzzi in which the water flows over a ledge into our pool. The tile below the spillover is covered in a white buildup, which looks like calcium. How can we remove it?

Answer: First off, let us advise you to treat this area of your pool with delicate care. Calcium scale deposits from your pool water are common on waterline tile, as well as around pool spillways, and waterfalls.

The safest way to remove the scale is with a Pool Blok, which is a pumice stone designed specifically to clean pool surfaces. All that is required is a little elbow grease. Wet the Pool Blok and use it like an eraser to remove the scale. This should remove all but the toughest deposits. This item is available at most retail pool-supply stores for less than $15, says Jackie Arnault, owner of The Pool Pleaser in Orlando, Fla.

If the scale is especially heavy, you can try scraping it off with a putty knife before using the pumice stone. Be careful not to scrape the glass or tile. If the putty knife and pumice stone don't do the trick you can try a 50/50 mixture of muriatic pool acid and water applied with a nylon-bristle brush. We recommend wearing rubber gloves and eye protection for this process.

Don't leave the acid mixture on for more than a few minutes to avoid damage to the grout. Be sure to rinse off the area when you are finished. After the scale is removed, you can keep it from building up by occasionally cleaning the area with the Pool Blok. A few minutes of work can bring back the shine and beauty of your tile and glass block.

Paul Roth of Roll-A-Way Protective Pool Fence in Orlando, Fla., is a member of the Florida Swimming Pool Association, Central Florida Chapter, an industry trade group. Send questions to: In the Swim, Orlando Sentinel, MP-240, 633 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801 or e-mail mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. For a list of FSPA-member companies, call 1-800-416-6774. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.