Pool tile guide Tile cleaning without draining.

The water is lowered, not drained

We bring our own pumps and lower the water about 6 to 12 inches below the tile line. That exposes the full calcium band while the rest of the pool stays full, which protects the plaster and keeps refill time short.

What happens next

The tile is blasted with media matched to it, then the media is vacuumed out with our own equipment. Nothing we vacuum goes through your pool equipment. Most pools are done in 2 to 4 hours.

What you need to do

Before: the pool must be clean, clear and free of algae and debris, and we need access to the backyard and a water spigot, with pets secured.

After: let the tile dry about 15 minutes, refill until there are 2 to 3 inches of water above the skimmer basket, and take the pool out of service mode and back to auto. See what to do after pool tile cleaning.

When draining is needed

Draining is for plaster work, like an acid wash or a replaster, not for tile cleaning.