Keeping the pool clean is more than just aesthetics; it is essential for health, safety, and investment longevity. Regular cleaning prevents the build-up of algae, bacteria, and debris, ensuring a safe swimming environment and reducing long-term maintenance costs.
This guide walks you through the key steps for effective pool cleaning, offering expert tips to help you maintain a pristine pool.
Step 1: Skim the Pool Surface to Remove Debris
Skimming is one of the simplest yet most effective pool maintenance tasks. Skimming the pool means removing floating debris like leaves, insects, and twigs to prevent them from sinking, staining your pool, or clogging the filtration system. A quality skimmer net attached to a telescopic pole makes this task easy.
Tips on skimming effectively:
- Right Timing: Skim in the early morning or late evening when calm water makes it easier to spot and collect debris.
- Invest in a Good Skimmer Net: Select a sturdy, fine-mesh skimmer to capture even small particles.
- Build a Routine: Incorporate skimming into your daily activities to save time on deep cleaning later.
Step 2: Brush the Pool Walls and Floor
Even after diligent skimming, algae and dirt stick to the walls and floor of a swimming pool. Brush the pool surfaces once a week to counteract it. Ensure to use a brush that suits your pool’s surface material:
- Vinyl Pools: Use a gentle soft nylon bristled brush.
- Fiberglass Pools: Use medium-bristle brushes.
- Concrete or Plaster Pools: Use stiff, stainless-steel brush for best results.
While brushing, pay close attention to corners, steps, and other hidden spots, as they might have a high probability of algae growth. Regular brushing keeps your pool looking clean and enhances the effectiveness of sanitizing chemicals by exposing algae and bacteria.
Step 3: Vacuuming Your Pool
After brushing, debris often settles on the pool floor. Vacuuming weekly removes this settled debris. There are two main types of pool vacuums:
- Manual Vacuums: These enable you to glide the vacuum head across the entire pool surface just like vacuuming a carpet. They are time-consuming but allow for thorough cleaning, including hard-to-reach areas.
- Automatic Vacuums: These machines, including robotic pool cleaners, move around the pool independently, collecting debris in their bags. Models like the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus are popular for their efficiency and ease of use.
Outstanding Practices on Vacuuming
- Begin at the Shallow End: It is easier to collect debris moved toward the deep end of the pool.
- Overlap Your Strokes: Each pass shifts slightly over the previous pass, which prevents missed spots.
- Monitor the Pressure of the Filter: Vacuuming increases filter pressure, so backwash or clean the filter as needed for good operation.
Step 4: Clean the Pool Filter
The pool filter keeps the water crystal clear by trapping dirt and debris. The cleaning procedure depends on your filter type:
- Sand Filters: These filter out particles using sand. Clean them by backwashing when the pressure gauge reads 7-10 psi above the normal rating.
- Cartridge Filters: These filters use replaceable cartridges to capture debris. Remove the cartridge and hose it down monthly, replacing it only when necessary.
- Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Filters: These filters use fossilized algae powder for superior filtration. They require backwashing and replenishing the DE powder. Wear protective gear when handling DE due to its fine particulate nature.
Regular filter maintenance increases efficiency and prolongs the life of the filtration system.
Step 5: Test and Balance Your Pool’s Water Chemistry
Balanced water chemistry is indispensable for comfortable swimming, avoiding damage, and safeguarding equipment. It’s advisable to test the pool water about twice a week with a reliable testing kit for checking:
- pH Levels: 7.4 to 7.6 is the ideal range. Increased or reduced pH levels can cause skin irritation and deficiency of sanitizers.
- Alkalinity: This helps buffer changes in the pH. The advised range is 80-120 ppm.
- Chlorine Levels: Maintain the chlorine levels between 1-3 ppm.
Based on the test results, adjust the levels of chemicals as needed using high-quality non-toxic products.
Step 6: Check and Maintain the Pool Pump
The pool pump circulates water, ensuring that chemicals are evenly distributed and debris is removed from the pool. You need to inspect the pump regularly to confirm its functionality. Maintenance works include the following:
- Clearing-Up-the Pump Basket: Turn off the pump, remove the basket, and clear any leftover materials, which usually helps maintain optimal water flow.
- Checking the Pipelines for Drips: Inspect pipelines for drips to prevent bigger issues later on.
- Listening to the Noise: Abnormal sounds can pinpoint mechanical problems. If you notice any abnormal sounds, consult a professional for diagnosis and fixing.
Step 7: Maintain the Pool’s Water Level
The water level is critical for the proper functioning of the filtration system. Check the water level of your pool once every week to ensure that it is kept in the middle of the skimmer opening. Some of the reasons include:
- Evaporation: Water evaporates rapidly during hot weather. Hence, topping the pool with water at times keeps it at the optimal level.
- Splash out: Heavy pool use can cause significant water loss. After use, check the pool and add water if needed to maintain the ideal pool level.
If you notice a considerable drop of water without a clear reason, check out the possible leaks and fix them immediately.
Step 8: Schedule Professional Pool Cleaning and Maintenance
While regular DIY maintenance is important, professional pool cleaning and maintenance services offer several benefits:
- Early Detection: You save time and money by having problems noticed early by professionals who are prepared to handle them.
- Specialized Services: Acid washing, tile cleaning, and maintenance of equipment are best left to trained technicians.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing that experienced professionals are caring for your pool allows you to relax and enjoy it without worrying about maintenance.
Vella Cleaning Service
Pool cleaning is important, and so is cleaning the rest of the house for a healthy and comfortable living experience. Vella Cleaning Service in Fortworth offers different professional cleaning services for anyone’s needs. From normal cleaning to deep cleaning, the team has it covered, ensuring every inch of the home sparkles.
Vella’s Services Include:
- Basic Clean: We clean the kitchen and bathrooms; dust, make the beds, tidy up, vacuum, and wash floors.
- Deep Clean: Everything in the Basic Clean, plus high dusting, baseboard cleaning, vacuuming under sofa cushions, and thorough scrubbing of bathrooms and kitchens.
- Move Out Clean: This service includes everything from ceiling to floor: all appliances (inside and out), inside closets, and all the cabinets and drawers (inside and out).
- Construction Clean: Our highly qualified housekeepers will start with top-quality vacuums and finish hand-wiping every single surface with a microfiber cloth, ensuring every ounce of construction dust is picked up from ceiling to floor.
At Vella, we only use non-toxic, eco-friendly, natural, and hypoallergenic products, making it a safe space for both you and your loved ones. Our beloved non-toxic products include cleaning solutions from Branch Basics to Bon Ami.
Keep it Clean and Hygienic
Maintaining a clean and healthy pool requires consistent effort and attention to detail. By following these expert tips for skimming, brushing, vacuuming, filter maintenance, water chemistry balancing, and pump upkeep, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable swimming experience all season long.
If cleaning chores are weighing you down then we are here to help you. Enjoy living in a clean house without lifting a finger! Book Vella’s deep cleaning service today.
