Tips on Pool Cleaning

Keep your swimming pool clean and clear with a few simple tips.Swimming pool and pool house image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com

Owning a pool is a rewarding experience and a worthwhile investment for entertaining during the hot summer season. However, the process of cleaning and maintaining a pool requires quite a bit of attention from the owner. While maintaining proper pH and chlorine levels goes a long way in keeping water sanitary, other hands-on tips help pool owners keep their pools clean and safe.

Skimming

Keep the surface glistening with proper skimming.Pool image by Mike Dos Santos from Fotolia.com

Skimming the surface of the pool's water with a net is one of the most commonplace and necessary pool cleaning procedures. When skimming the pool, keep a garbage can or receptacle nearby for offloading debris; don't redistribute leaf debris into lawns or gardens next to the pool as the debris will dry and blow back into the water. Instead reuse the debris in areas removed from the pool, such as the front lawn.

When skimming, scrape the pool's tile line as this rim attracts many small bits of leaves and dirt. Use a pumice stone or tile brush for detailed cleaning. For white buildup around the rim---calcium buildup---use tile cleaner. If you find scum or dirt on the water's surface, use a spray bottle to spritz the same tile soap onto the water, which will move the scum toward the edge of the pool for easier skimming.

Maintaining proper water levels is key to keeping a pool clean; the cycle of losing and replacing pool water keeps it from becoming stagnant and dirty. Pool water levels fluctuate based on water temperature, air temperature and humidity levels. One-quarter inch of water loss per day is acceptable.

When servicing the pool, add about an inch of water to make up for evaporation. If you're concerned about water loss, mark the water level using a nonpermanent marker or grease pencil, and inspect the levels again in 24 hours. Conversely, try using a bucket to test water levels; simply place a bucketful of pool water on a pool step, mark the water level on the outside and inside of the bucket and check it one day later. If the water level indicated on the outside of the bucket has dropped more than the one on the inside, the pool may have a leak.

Algae buildup, which creates unsanitary and unsafe slippery surfaces in addition to causing potential allergy problems, is often the bane of clean-minded pool owners. Prevent algae with proper water balance. Maintain a phosphate-free body of water with balancing chemicals; algae feed on phosphates, so rob them of their food source. Clean common brown algae stains via "shocking" the pool with chlorine---providing it with a super-saturated amount of chlorine, making swimming dangerous for a time--and routinely circulating the water. If algae routinely reoccurs in certain spots, your pool's circulation system is probably to blame. If the circulation system is missing spots, install eyeball fittings in the system's return lines to create water movement over the dead spots.