Maintaining a sparkling clean swimming pool is essential for ensuring a safe and enjoyable swimming experience. But how often should you clean your pool? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all; Several factors affect cleaning frequency, including your pool type, how often you use it, and the surrounding environmental conditions. Ideally, you should skim debris from the surface daily and regularly check. Clean the filter to ensure optimal water circulation and clarity.
For a more comprehensive clean, you should typically follow a full maintenance routine weekly or bi-weekly. This depends on your pool’s usage and exposure to dirt and debris. For example, if you live in a region with heavy foliage, you may need to clean more often to combat leaves and pollen. Conversely, indoor pools may require less frequent attention.
Different pool types—such as concrete pools, fibre-glass pools, or vinyl lined—also have distinct cleaning needs. Concrete pools often necessitate more rigorous maintenance due to their materials and susceptibility to algae growth. Additionally, understanding how to test your pool water is crucial; regular testing for pH levels, chlorine, and other chemicals will help you keep the water safe and clear.
In this article, we’ll delve into the optimal cleaning strategies for various pool types and environments, offering a comprehensive guide to help you establish an effective cleaning routine. With the right approach, you can ensure your pool remains a refreshing retreat for family and friends all season long.
Cleaning strategy based on pool usage
Daily use of swimming pools, especially in summer, requires frequent maintenance to keep them clean, healthy, and safe for swimming. Activating the filtration system for six to eight hours a day. This process allows the pool to circulate water into the filter, removing impurities before returning it to the pool. Backwash your sand or DE filter at least once a week or after cleaning. For cartridge filters, remove the cartridge and clean it thoroughly with a hose or filter cleaning attachment monthly or after cleaning.
Upkeep the water level of the pool, it is good to keep the water level halfway up the skimmer box opening. Check the water quality every 2 weeks, either at a pool shop or home test. If you notice a build-up or issues with the pool, it is recommended to have the water tested sooner. Empty the skimmer basket weekly. The skimmer basket will collect leaves, toys, insects, seeds, and hair from the pool water preventing any of these items from entering the filtration system.
Clean the pool by scooping the top of the pool with a leaf scoop, then scrubbing the walls with the soft bristle brush to remove any build-up algae. Then followed by vacuuming the bottom of the pool. After you manually clean the pool, run the filter for several hours to remove stirred-up debris. Complete this cleaning every month if needed.
Cleaning strategy based on pool type
Concrete pools Look great but are the hardest pools to maintain. As the pool is all concrete, it is more susceptible to algae growth and will make it more difficult to maintain the PH balance. Weekly water testing is a must to maintain the chemical balance of the water. If the alkalinity is too low in a concrete pool it will affect the integrity of the pool over time causing deterioration to the concrete. Hire a professional pool cleaner regularly or buy an automatic cleaner to maintain your concrete pool’s cleanliness.
Fiberglass pools are the easiest to maintain. Fiberglass pools don’t use concrete in their construction, offering long-term benefits and reducing algae growth. Their smooth, gel-like coating makes cleaning easier with brushing and vacuuming. This feature also helps maintain the effectiveness of chemicals in the water. Recommended cleaning cycles based on pool usage.
Vinyl Lined pools can be fairly straightforward to maintain. The only downside to this pool is it has a concrete foundation, it will become more susceptible to algae growth, which will require more cleaning more often. There may also be some difficulty maintaining the PH balance. Test the water frequently to maintain the pH balance and help prolong the life of your vinyl liner.
Cleaning strategy based on pool environments and seasons
For most, the pool will get used far more in summertime than any other season. That does not mean though that summertime is the only time we need to keep the maintenance up to the pool. Regular cleaning, water testing and running the filter are still required all year long to prolong the life of the pool and save you lots of money if you neglect your pool in the cooler months.
Standard filtration system run time should be between six to eight hours a day. This allows the pool to thoroughly circulate the water from the pool, into the filter and remove the nasties from the water, then back into the pool more than once. Backwash your filter is required if you have a sand or DE filter at least once a week or after a clean. If the pool has a cartridge filter, remove your cartridge and thoroughly clean with the hose and/or filter cleaning attachment monthly or after a clean.
Towards the end of summer, it is good to prepare the swimming pool for winter especially if you have a pool cover.
If you do not own a pool cover, when all the leaves start to fall, there is no other piece of equipment we recommend other than a pool leaf scoop. This piece of equipment can turn your pool from looking dirty to clean in under 10 minutes. You can simply connect this net attachment to your pool pole and walk around the parameter of the pool scooping up all the debris that has blown into the pool. Even if the debris has fallen to the bottom of the pool, these nets can scoop the mess from the bottom of the pool in one simple motion. Depending on the environment your pool is in, this cleaning may need to be done more than once a week to keep on top of all the debris in the pool.
If you have a pool cover it will save you lots of time by getting your pool ready and putting it on your pool early. This will prevent all the leaves and debris from entering the pool as autumn comes into season. Before putting the pool cover on the pool, it is good to give the pool a thorough clean with a soft bristle brush to remove any build-up algae. Vacuuming the bottom of the pool and running filtration system for several hours to filter out any of the stirred-up growth. Backwash to filter or clean the cartridge and then test the pool water. Ensuring the chemical balance in the pool before covering will save you lots of time and money when the pool is ready to be used after winter. Lastly, reduce the filtration system to 2-4H per day.
The pool cover will reduce the amount of maintenance required for the pool during winter, keep your pool in good shape and decrease the energy costs associated with running the pool. It is one of the best products to get for your pool and will save you time and money in the long run.
During off-peak season, generally wintertime the maintenance of the pool can be scaled back. Clean your pool using the leaf scoop twice weekly to remove the leaves from the top of the pool and prevent the debris from getting waterlogged and dropping to the bottom of the pool. Vacuum and scrub the walls as required. Check the water quality levels every three weeks. Reduce the filtration hours to two to three hours a day. Backwash your filter if you have a sand or DE filter. Or if you have a cartridge filter, remove your cartridge, and thoroughly clean it with the hose and/or filter cleaning attachment. Only if required and if available – Reduce the chlorinator output and cover your pool with your pool cover to prevent leaves from entering the water.
General Pool Cleaning Guide
The best tool for manual pool cleaning is the flexible vacuum head, an affordable, effective, and simple tool for cleaning your pool. To manually vacuum the pool, it is as simple as connecting the hose to the skimmer box and moving the vacuum head back and forward to clean the pool’s floor and walls. Below are the correct steps to follow to successfully connect and manually vacuum your pool.
- Confirm your pool pump is off
- Connect your vacuum port to your filter
- Attach the vacuum head to the pool pole
- Attach the vacuum hose to the vacuum head over the allocated hole
- Lower the vacuum head into the pool
- Following the hose that is already in the pool, lower the rest of the pool hose in the water until the whole hose is submerged. This will fill the whole hose with water and prevent any air from being in the line.
- Once there is water coming out of the opposite end of the vacuum hose, connect to the vacuum port on your pool’s filtration system
- Turn on the pool pump
- Vacuum the pool back and forward slowly around the pool cleaning the floor and walls
- Once you have cleaned the pool, turn off the pump and disconnect the vacuum hose and head.
The team at Inyo Pools has a great video to show you how to manually vacuum a pool. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XJvxcUWm4NQ
How to test pool water?
Depending on if you are taking an at home strip test, at-home liquid test or taking a sample to the pool shop, all samples require a collection of the pool water. Below are 7 simple steps to correctly take a sample of pool water.
- See your local pool shop for a pool water sample bottle
- Turn the pool filter on and let run for 5-10 minutes
- Since the container with pool water 2-3 times
- Hold the bottle upside down as you put it into the pool (bottle opening facing down)
- Hold the bottle up to the pool jets and turn 90DEG so the jet water will enter the bottle
- Bring the bottle back to the surface once completely full
- Keep the bottle cool, the sample must be completed the same day as the sample
The test at your local pool shop will take no longer than 10 minutes, they will do a complete test of your water and recommend chemicals required to your pool. This is recommended to be done every month.
The test strip test is the simplest pool water test you can do. It is as easy as collecting a sample of pool water and dipping the test strip into the water. Allowing the recommended time and comparing the colours on the test strip to the back of the bottle to give you the results.
The liquid test kits are slightly more complex than the test strips. After you collect a sample of pool water you need to add the recommended number of drops to the water. Wait the recommended time and compare the water colour to the charts for the results.
For most, the pool will get used far more in summertime than any other season, and that is when we will spend the most time and money on the pool. Regular cleaning, water testing and running the filter are still required all year long to prolong the life of the pool and save you lots of money if you neglect your pool in the cooler months.
Conclusion
In conclusion, maintaining a clean swimming pool requires a tailored approach based on your pool type and environmental factors. Regular cleaning not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your pool but also ensures a safe and healthy swimming experience. Whether you own an inground or above-ground pool, understanding the specific cleaning needs is crucial. For instance, vinyl pools may require gentler cleaning methods, while concrete pools can withstand more robust scrubbing.
In addition to physical cleaning, monitoring water quality is essential. Testing your pool water weekly for pH, chlorine levels, and other key indicators will help you determine when to adjust chemical balances and when a deeper clean is necessary. Remember, debris, algae, and bacteria thrive in warm conditions, so be proactive in your cleaning strategy, especially during peak swimming seasons.
Ultimately, a consistent cleaning schedule tailored to your unique circumstances will extend the life of your pool and create a more enjoyable environment for you and your guests. By integrating these practices, you can ensure your swimming oasis remains inviting, safe, and crystal clear all year round. Regular maintenance is not just a chore; it’s an investment in your pool’s longevity and your family’s enjoyment.