How to Best Clean Natural Stone Around the Pool?

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How Do You Clean Natural Stone Around the Pool?

Natural stone around the pool is expensive, but well worth it. A slate, marble or granite pool deck creates a natural warmth and luxurious ambiance. But how do you maintain this look? How do you clean natural stone around the pool?

To clean natural stone around the pool you must sweep or vacuum regularly, wash it with pH neutral cleaner using a garden hose (not pressure washer), remove stains as soon as you spot them and ensure the sealer is active.

In this post I will explain how to:

1. Sweep or Vacuum the patio or deck
2. Wash with pH neutral cleaners & water
3. Remove Stains
4. Pressure Wash & Reseal

But first

Why Cleaning Natural Stone is Important?

Natural stone around the pool covers a large area, typically around 1000 square feet. The pool deck is exposed to the elements at all times. 

Dust & yard debris such as dry leaves and tree branches keep falling on it all the time. Biological debris can degrade, rot, and stain the pool deck. Some sections of the pool deck can be in the shade and have high humidity. These sections can promote algae, moss, mold & mildew growth. 

And of course there is always the aftermath of the fun weekend pool party. Food & beverage spills are bound to happen!

Natural stone, such as marble, look beautiful and are fairly durable, but they do need good care & maintenance. Most natural stones have:

Poor Stain Resistance

Most natural stones are porous. This is good as it imparts a certain slip resistant quality to the natural stone paver or tile. But on the flip side, natural stone can stain easily. Stains can permeate into the porous natural stone and become quite difficult to remove.

Low Scratch Resistance

Many natural stones are actually soft and not very scratch resistant. So debris such as tree branches or nails & screws from a DIY project can easily scratch the natural stone tile or paver. 

You need to watch out for hard objects on a natural stone pool deck!

Poor Chemical Resistance

Weather and pool chemicals can also ruin natural stone around the pool. Many natural stones are rich in calcite. Calcite gets corroded even by mild acids. 

If you live in an industrial area, you may be getting acid rain, with traces of sulfuric acid. The chlorine used to sanitize the pool reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid.

The salt de-icing that you may use as snow melt in the winter, also corrodes natural stones.

In essence, the natural stone around your pool is constantly under attack. To keep it looking beautiful for years you have to clean & reseal the natural stone around your pool regularly.

How Do You Clean a Stone Pool Deck?

To clean a natural stone pool deck you need to

Sweep Every Week

The best way to clean your natural stone pool deck is to sweep it with a broom or a soft bristled plastic brush, while it is still dry. This way you give the dust less chance to get wet and embed itself in the nooks & crannies of the tiles or pavers. 

Sweeping the deck removes any sharp objects that may be lying around. Sharp objects can scratch the deck or hurt bare feet.

Sweep the deck in sections instead of sweeping the entire deck. Sweep around 40-50 square feet. Collect the dust in a pan and then move to the next section. You will not drag the dust & debris all over the pool deck.

A good time to sweep your pool deck is before the weekend pool party. The deck is still dry. Sweeping it before a party will make it more presentable and safe for your guests.

Party or no party, make it a habit to sweep your pool deck every week. Twice a week is better, if you can.

Wash Every Month

At least once a month give your stone deck a nice wash. Move some of the lighter furniture off the deck if possible. Pick up the bigger pieces of debris and then sweep as usual.

Do not use a pressure washer to clean natural stone, unless you plan to reseal it soon after.

To wash, rinse the floor using a garden hose. Prepare a solution of a pH neutral cleaner with water and pour it across the deck.

Black Diamond’s Stone Wash is formulated specifically to clean porous natural stone tiles & pavers. Stone Wash is pH neutral and biodegradable. Stone Wash lifts dirt effortlessly from natural stone without damaging the surface or diminishing the natural stone color.

Use a soft bristled broom to spread it around. Let it soak in for 10 – 15 minutes.

Use the water from a garden hose. You can create a slight pressure by keeping your thumb on the outlet. The pressure from the garden hose (50 psi) is soft on the stone, unlike that from a pressure washer (1000 – 2000 psi).

Remove Stains when you Spot them

A natural stone deck can get all kinds of stains. Some of the common ones are:

1. Rust stains from wrought iron furniture
2. Food & beverage stains such as red wine & ketchup
3. Biological growth such as mold, mildew, moss & algae

Some stains, such as red wine spills, should be cleaned up as soon as possible. Others such as rust or mold should be handled periodically. Of course, sooner the better!

Not all stains are made equal. Some stain removers are designed specifically for certain types of stains. Here are some that are effective without damaging the finish or color of the natural stone.

Removing Rust Stains

Iron OUT Liquid Rust Stain Remover is very effective on rust stains on decks & patios. It is a pre-mixed, ready to use liquid that can be applied with a tank sprayer, cloth or roller.

Make sure to take the proper safety precautions, including wearing latex gloves and safety goggles.

Removing Food & Beverage Stains

To get rid of stubborn stains it is best to use Miracle Sealants Poultice Plus. It is an easy to use, fine, non-acidic absorbent powder. The bleach free formula works, when mixed with distilled water, to draw stains out from stone pavers & tiles.

Mix Poultice Plus with “distilled water” to form a peanut butter like paste. Apply the paste directly to the stain approximately 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick. Overlap the stain by approximately 1/4″- 1/2″. 

Cover the paste with plastic wrap and tape the plastic with “non marking” tape to create an airtight seal. Allow the paste to dry completely, approximately 24 – 48 hours. 

Remove the plastic wrap and scrape the dried paste from the substrate with a plastic putty knife or spatula. Rinse off all residue with clean “distilled water”.

Removing Mold & Mildew

WET & FORGET Moss, Mold, Mildew & Algae Stain Remover is very effective and easy to apply. Its outstanding features are:

• Easy Spray & Leave Application
• No Scrubbing, Rinsing or Pressure Washing
• Bleach-free, Phosphate-free and Non-acidic
• Surfaces Stay Clean 1+ Years in Most Cases

Once the natural stone decking has been sprayed, just leave nature and time to do their bit. Most moss, mold, mildew & algae will start to disappear in a week or two. The more stubborn black mold may take a bit longer.

Check out Wet N Forget Moss Mold Mildew and Algae Stain Remover

Pressure Wash & Reseal Every Year

The sealer coat on the natural stone is its primary defense against stains, scratches and weather. The sealer coat degrades with time. The effectiveness declines. To safeguard the beauty & longevity make sure that the sealer coat is active and effective at all times.

I do not recommend pressure washing a natural stone pool deck or patio. Pressure wash abrades the sealer and even a bit of the stone & grout. 

The only exception is if you are prepared to reseal the deck. Good sealers will last 2 – 3 years. But you can choose to pressure wash and reseal sooner. 

I recommend pressure washing at the end of the pool season so that your natural stone pool deck is well protected for rain, sleet and snow during winter. 

However, it is best not to direct the water jet from the pressure washer directly onto the natural stone. The pressure is too high and it may chip the stone. Use a surface cleaner attachment. The attachment ensures that the water jet is at a softer angle and at a safe distance from the deck surface.

Karcher K1700 Electric Pressure Washer 1700 PSI with 11″ Surface Cleaner is budget friendly and good enough for occasional use on natural stone pavers or tiles.

You should check if the sealer on the paver deck is still effective, after a pressure wash. This is quite easy to do.

Just place a few drops of water on the deck surface. If the water drops bead up then the sealer is still intact. But, if the water gets absorbed then the sealer is no longer effective.

You will need to reseal the natural stone around the pool. Impregnating Stone Sealers are effective as they penetrate into the pores of natural stone, solidify and block them. The natural texture & appearance remains unchanged. Water, stains or harmful chemicals can not enter the pores.

A good impregnating sealer such as Miracle Sealants 511QT6 511 Impregnator Sealer will last 1-3 years.

Conclusion

To clean natural stone around the pool, sweep once a week, wash once a month, remove stains promptly and pressure wash & reseal once a year.

Thank you very much for reading the post. I do hope you found it informative and helpful.