My pool has a Diamond Brite finish and a nasty looking ring from
suntan oil around the top at water level. What can I use to remove
this ugly stain?

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Request for Question Clarification by tlspiegel-ga on 07 Dec 2005 09:13 PST

Hi portals,

Please let me know if this would be a fully satisfactory answer to your question.

Corporate Office, Distribution & Manufacturing Facility
SGM HeadQuarters
1502 S.W 2nd Place
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
800-641-9247
954-943-2288

I called the 954 number and spoke to the receptionist about the oil
stain.  She said you'll want to talk to their Technical Representative
- Steven Andres - leave message in his voicemail and he will return
your call (long distance).

I also called the 800# and the same receptionist answered.

========

http://www.atlanticmarcite.com/

email link and phone number on left side of page

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http://www.discountpools.net/resurface.html

contact information bottom of page

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http://www.poolandspa.com/page821.htm 
Diamond Brite Stain?

Q. I had 'Classic' Diamond Brite put in my pool and there's a three
foot dark spot at the bottom of the steps in the shallow end and
around the main drain. The contractor wants to drain the pool and acid
wash the dark areas. Will this stain be permanent?

A. Diamond Brite is finished with an acid wash which takes the 'haze'
off the surface. I'll bet the 'darker spot' is actually where the
Diamond Brite is fully visible while the lighter areas still sport the
haze. Have the contractor drain the pool but ask him to first try
lightly acid washing the lighter areas of the surface.

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DIAMOND BRITE POOL FINISH
http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/40224.html

[Too many pages for me to investigate, but something here might answer
your question.]

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http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/Is_plaster_or_combination_aggregate_surface_better_for_a_gunite_pool_in_the_North_East

Combination aggregate finishes are stronger and just as smooth if
applied correctly. 1 part white cement and 2 parts marble dust is
generaly a good marcite finish.On exposed aggregate finishes such as
"diamond brite" exposing it by acid washing takes 2 years off of the
lifespan. Wait until it needs washing and then do it.

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Best regards,
tlspiegel

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Clarification of Question by portals-ga on 07 Dec 2005 09:31 PST

I'd really just want the name of the chemical that I need to use.

Hi portals,

Thank you for your clarification.  The chemical you want to buy is called:

TSP.  TSP is a sodium phosphate cleaner available in any hardware store.

I spoke with Gary at SGM Headquarters.  He told me suntan oil (or
grease) is a common problem in pools and this product will easily
remove the stain. TSP cleans buildup of oils and greases.  Scrub the
sides of the pool with a nylon bristled scrub brush.  Diamond Brite is
a very hard surface and TSP won't hurt it.  Keep control of it and you
won't have any future buildup.

=========

Best regards,
tlspiegel

I will try this chemical TSP sounds like you got it- thanks. I will
have to locate the product and then try it before I know for sure.

This site

http://www.poolsmiths.com/pool-care/winterizing_instructions.htm

has instructions for winterizing a pool and has a link to a site for a
tile and vinyl cleaner for removing oil stains.  The site for the
product lists a Lowe's item number, but when I went to the Lowe's
site, this seemed to be a special order item.

You might also try a local store that sells pool supplies for a
product of this type.

A search on froogle.com for "tile & vinyl cleaner" shows a number of
products, some specifically mentioning cleaning oil from pool walls.
Personally, I like to look at the label and instructions, so I would
go to a pool supply store first - there seem to be enough products
that a pool supply store would carry some - and they may have some
experience in their use.

Thanks for that- Diamond Brite is a spcialised masonary surface with
glitter in the mix. The suntan oil seems to have penetrated the
surface. If it was tile or vinyl it would come off with "normal"
cleaners. I believe this is a popular finish and am hoping someone has
a chemical that has worked. This pool has heavy daily use, it's a
hotel pool.
I'll have a look at froogle.com

Thanks

Your best bet may be to contact the manufacturer and see what they
recommend. They have an 800 number

800-641-9247

Their web site is

http://sgm.cc/

but when I searched for "cleaning" on their site, I seemed to get only
information on cleaning as part of installation.

If the pool has a "Diamond Brite" logo on it, you might get additional
attention from the manufacturer if you mention that the pool is a
hotel pool and that the stain might be dissuading potential Diamond
Brite customers.

Regards the 800 # I tried many times but could not get an answer.

The Logo could be used. I used to use a motorcycle engine cleaner
called "Gunk" it was great for removing grease but obviously I cannot
use this in a pool, but there must be something that does the job and
is safe in pools.

I'm presuming that you are i n the United States.

The manufacturer's web site also lists a toll number

954-943-2288

(Their address is in Pompano Beach, FL, so it's almost noon there.)

I appreciate the calls you made but I have had no luck contacting the
Company and I have to do on a very expensive connection - the 800
number does not work out of country and my line is from Barbados, so
cost is several dollars per minute while I sit waiting for someone to
come on line.

I would consider the question answered if you couls just give me the
name of the chemical that I need to buy.

Not meaning to be difficult but I had already looked up the Company on the web.

GS

Hi portals,

Thank you for the generous tip, but I'm surprised you gave me a low rating.  

Best regards,
tlspiegel