Cleaning Your Pool in 3 Easy Steps

If you have your own pool, there are some steps that are required for cleaning and maintenance. Monitoring chemical, alkaline and calcium levels weekly, monthly and quarterly in addition to cleaning it can be quite the task. Maintaining your pool can be tricky especially if you don’t have the proper pool supplies. The results are beautiful, shimmery pools that are safe and enjoyable.

Steps to cleaning a pool requires proper cleaning supplies and knowledge on what is used to clean a pool.

1. Check the water chemistry. Healthy pools should be serviced on a weekly basis for total chlorine and PH levels. Total Chlorine should equal anywhere from 1.0 to 3.0 parts per million. The PH levels should be at 7.2-7.8 ppm. The alkalinity should be checked monthly and levels vary on the type of pool you have. For gunite and concrete pools levels should be between 80 and 120 ppm. Painted, Vinyl and Fiberglass pools should maintain levels of 125 and 170 ppm.
2. Equipment check and basket cleaning. 
   1. Clean out the pump basket which can collect debris and leaves. You can also check it for wear and tear as this sometimes happens.
   2. Check pump Lid-O-Ring for any breaks or tears. The lid-o-ring is essential for keeping water out of the pump.
   3. Make sure to check timer or automated system which will tell you if something is off such as PH levels, etc.
   4. Check the motor for any unusual noises.
   5. Check the chlorinator. The chlorinator, also known as the salt cell, produce the correct amount of hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite which are sanitizing agents that are commonly used in swimming pools.
   6. Check your filter pressure. Most pools operate at or around 10 psi (pounds per square inch). Anything that runs too high will put strain on your system’s pump and filter.

3.   Cleaning the Pool.
    1. You’ll want to spray the pool with diluted tile soap, this will remove the glare and clump together surface debris. Then skim the pool with your pool skimmer. It is important that all your pool maintenance tools are well kept.
    2. It is important that you scrub the tiles with the appropriate tile cleaner. Some good ones to use are: Arrow scale off, Seaklear thick tile and vinyl cleaner or Bio-Dex to name a few. Most importantly you want to make sure that the tile cleaner you choose has muriatic acid. So never attempt to clean the your tiles from the inside of your pool. Try a nylon bristle brush and scrub in a circular motion.
    3. Vacuum your pool.

Calcium Hypochlorite is used to sanitize pool water and kill algae. Make sure that your chlorine levels are at 5 ppm after shocking your pool and before taking a dip. There you have it; pool cleaning 101.

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