General Pool Cleaning and Maintenance
General Pool Cleaning Procedures
Additional Cleaning
Surface Skimming
Dirt floating on the surface of the water is easier to remove than to remove it from the bottom. Remove floating debris off the surface, using a deep net. As the net fills, empty it into a bin. Do not empty your skimming debris into the garden as the debris is likely to blow right back into the swimming pool as soon as it dries out.
If there is scum or general dirt on the water surface, squirt a quick shot of tile cleaner over the length of the pool. The cleaner will spread the scum toward the edges of the pool, making it more concentrated and easier to skim off.
Water Levels
If you add an inch or so of water to the pool each time you service it, you will probably keep up with normal evaporation. If you wait a to long until the level is several inches low, it will take hours to fill. Never leave the water on to fill by itself as it may take longer than expected and you may forget to turn it off.
After heavy rain you might need to lower the pool level. In this case, use your pool pump to run the pool circulation system and turn the valves to waste. If you use this method, remember to return the valves to normal circulation and close the waste valve to ensure that your pool stops draining.
Vacuuming
If the pool or spa is dirty you will need to vacuum the bottom of the pool sending dirt and debris to the pool filter
- Close the skimmer and drain valves and open the vacuum valve so that all suction is concentrated at the vacuum port
- Attach your vacuum head to the pole and attach the vacuum hose to the vacuum head. Slowly feed the hose straight down into the pool; water will fill the hose and displace the air. Make sure that all air is out of the hose to ensure it does not get drawn into the filter system. If air reaches the pump, you will lose prime. If this occurs, remove the vacuum hose, re-prime the pump and then try again.
- To vacuum a pool or spa, work your way around the bottom and sides of the pool. If the pool is very dirty, vacuum slowly to pick all the dirt. Moving the vacuum head too quickly will stir up the dirt rather than suck it into the vacuum. If the pool is very dirty the strainer basket may get clogged. When suction becomes weak, stop vacuuming and empty the strainer basket.
- When you are finished, turn off the pool pump, remove the vacuum and change all the settings back to normal pump operation.
- After removing the equipment from the pool, check the pump strainer basket and filter for any debris and clean if needed.
Daily Maintenance
Pool Filter should run at least 8 to 10 hours per day (24 hours per day is best). Set your pool timer or remember to run the pool manually if you don’t have a timer. If you are not running your pool 24 hours per day, it is best to have it running during the daylight hours (instead of night).
Make sure your skimmer baskets are empty and clear of leaves or other debris.
Chlorine must be added to the pool daily in one of the following ways.
- Best method is to use a chlorine floater with slow dissolving chlorine tabs inside it. Keep Floater in pool at all times and refill it weekly or as needed.
- Next best method is to place slow dissolving stabilised chlorine tablets in the skimmers once per week
- Next best method is to manually add either Granular Chlorine to pool skimmer every day.
- All methods of adding chlorine to the pool have their positive and negative aspects. All in all, the simply floating chlorine floater is a time tested method and ensures that you ALWAYS have a good chlorine level. Sometimes simplest is the best.
Remove as much debris as possible from the pool or spa cover before removing it. A quick sweep or hosing can remove the debris near the pool. If the cover is a floating type without a roller system, be sure to fold or place it on a clean surface. Otherwise, when you put it back in place it will drag leaves, grass, or dirt into the pool. If it is a mechanised cover system, any small amount of standing water on top of the cover will slide off as you roll it up. If there is large amount of water the motor will labour and can be damaged. Also be careful to avoid abrasive or sharp surfaces as you drag the cover off of the pool.
Tiles and Liner Cleaning
If you are doing this as part of annual maintenance always do the tiles first as and dirt removed from the tiles as they are being cleaned and can settle in the bottom of the pool. If you need to remove stubborn stains it is better to use a bristle brush rather than a pumice stone (as some company recommend) as the pumice itself breaks down as you scrub, depositing debris into the pool.
Use the tile soap and tile brush to clean the tiles. Apply a squirt of tile soap directly to the brush and start scrubbing. To remove stubborn stains and oils, mix one part muriatic acid to five parts of soap. When cleaning tile, scrub below the waterline as well as above. Evaporation and refilling can change the water line. Never use really abrasive brushes or scouring pads to clean tiles or liners as they may cause tears or scratches.