When it comes to having a healthy pool environment, many pool owners ask how often the swimming pool should be cleaned. This might include the area around the pool, including decking, as well as the pool water itself.
It is recommended that pool maintenance is done weekly. You can find some tips regarding maintenance here. Additionally, we at Pool Troopers can help you with your pool cleaning service needs.
Deck Areas
Make sure that litter, as well as animal hair, is removed from chairs and tables that are poolside. If you have children, you will want to check daily to see that all toys and objects are picked up and removed from the pool or set aside. Toys left in pools after use are an attractant to children and a potential cause of drowning, please be vigilant about removing pool toys after each use.
Water that has splashed onto the deck area from the pool will no longer be bacteria free. Algae and bacteria can multiply in this environment, making it more slippery and unsafe; decks should be cleaned regularly. For it to be less slippery and safer, you can clean it with a commercial deck cleaner. High pressure from a garden hose or pressure washer can help with this as well. Learn more about deck and pool cleaning here.
Cleaning the Pool
Pool Troopers can help you with pool cleaning. However, if you prefer to do it yourself, you will need equipment.
Some tools to have, if you are going to clean your pool, include:
• Telescopic pole
• Skimmer netting- bag preferred over flat
• Pool brush
• Pool vacuum
• Tile/water line brush and cleaning agent
So that as little debris as possible falls to the bottom of the pool, you should make sure your skimmer is functioning well and has a working weir to increase the amount of debris that gets pulled into the skimmer basket. If you have heavy debris falling into the pool you may need to use the skimmer net and clean out the skimmer basket daily. Skimming the pool and cleaning the basket is to get rid of any bugs, leaves or twigs as well as hair and other small floating objects. A good skimmer net should last through the whole season, even if used daily.
The pool brush is used to clean the pool surface- sides, walls and steps, keeping them free from algae and debris. Use the telescopic pole with the brush attached. The type of brush will depend on the material that your pool is made from. For fiberglass, painted concrete or vinyl, use only a brush with nylon bristles. If your pool has a plaster coating you may also use a stainless-steel wire brush, but that should not be for normal use. Pools with poor circulation patterns and dead spots (meaning no flow hits them) should be brushed twice weekly or as needed to eliminate the algae, otherwise once a week is usually enough.
Pool water line tile should be scrubbed at least twice a month or more depending on the amount of oils and lotions used by swimmers and the buildup on the tile. A tile brush and a commercial pool tile cleaner is needed to do the job. There are some enzymes available that help break down tanning lotions and oils in pool water that you may want to consider. Leaving pool tile uncleaned only makes the job harder and more costly in the future.
Vacuuming your pool is made easier with a robotic vacuum or a suction side cleaner. If you use a manual vacuum, it should be done no less than twice a month and more often if needed depending on debris. With an automatic pool cleaner or robotic vacuum, you can relax by the pool while it does the work.
You will also want to clean the skimmer, check the water circulation, check the pool filter and shock your pool if necessary. Regular shock treatments free the water from algae as well as dirt, bacteria, and other organic materials that may have entered the pool. As mentioned above having a good circulation pattern in the pool is important. It will help evenly distribute chemicals and keep the pool algae free. The key to circulation is to move the most water around the pool in a pattern. If all your return jets are aimed up to agitate the pool surface you need to adjust them down to move the bulk of the water which is below the surface!
Pool Maintenance
If you plan on maintaining your pool yourself, you might want to read this blog? Your time is a valuable resource when it comes to keeping your pool clean and tested. The benefits of a good pool service, instead of going to the pool store and mixing and storing chemicals, are many. Read more about it in our previous blog article.
Testing the water weekly with a pool strip or more frequently if there is any odor or discoloration of the water or if the pool is getting heavy use is a necessary part of maintenance. Pool Troopers can help with testing the water as well as pool cleaning.
You should be cleaning your swimming area on a weekly basis or more if necessary. Depending on how much the pool is used and who uses it, including children and pets, pool cleaning needs to be done. Why not get help from Pool Troopers and make this part of swimming pool ownership easier? Then, sit back by the pool and enjoy.
