Swimming pools can be infinitely refreshing on those hot and humid summer days. When temperatures soar, a crystal clear pool can be a very tempting way to beat the heat. Pools must be properly maintained and cleaned for your family's safety. A number of eye, ear, throat, or intestinal infections can occur from an improperly maintained swimming pool. Bacteria and algae can build up in the water. Pools can also become breeding grounds for mosquitoes if not properly cleaned.
The first step in cleaning your pool is to clean around it. Sweep sidewalks, decks, and other flat surfaces near the pool. Dirt, leaves, and other items can easily fall into your pool from these locations. When you remove your pool cover, do so slowly so that any leaves that may have fallen on top do not fall into your water. Clean the deck area with soapy water occasionally to keep built up dirt from being dragged into your pool.
Your pool may have an automatic pool cleaner, but even these are not perfect. Pools need to be vacuumed and brushed on a regular basis to keep the water in tiptop shape. Use a skimmer or leaf rake to catch any items that may be floating along the top of the pool water. Leaves, grass, and litter are common things that land in pools on windy days.
The next thing you will want to do is the vacuuming. It's important to vacuum your pool before brushing the sides. If you brush the sides first, debris in the water will be stirred up and will be harder to clean out. Check the pump filter before you start to vacuum to make sure it is clean. If the pump filter is dirty, you will be putting dirt and debris back into your pool as you go. As you begin to vacuum, go slowly and use overlapping strokes.
After vacuuming, you'll want to give the sides of the pool a good brushing. Use a brush recommended for the type of liner you have in your pool. The brush should be stiff but not hard enough to rip rubber liners. Take your time and do a thorough job. Take extra care around ladders and creases in the liner. Most brushes come with long retractable poles, making it possible to brush the sides of the pool from the deck.
Maintenance is a very important part of keeping the pool clean. The better care you take with this chore, the less manual cleaning you will have to do. Always keep the cover on the pool when it is not in use. Keep the pump in good working condition and the filters clean. Check and empty the skimmer basket on a regular basis. Another tip is to keep your pool inlet valves pointed at an angle to keep the water moving.
You can purchase a home test kit to check the levels of your pool chemicals. You should do this up to three times a week. Your pool should be properly chlorinated. Too little chlorine and bacteria and algae will thrive in your pool while too much chlorine can irritate eyes and skin.
One final maintenance chore is shocking your pool. This should be done once every two weeks. The chlorine in your pool will react with body oils, dirt, and make up, leaving behind harmful trihalmethanes and chloramines. Shocking your pool will take care of this problem. Your local pool dealership should carry pool-shocking kits. Follow the instructions on the packaging recommended for your pool size.
