Having a pool sounds incredibly glamorous. You can’t beat hosting pool parties, doing laps after work or even spending your days just lounging by the pool.

But, in all of these dreams, people forget one crucial element of owning a pool: the maintenance.

When you do not maintain your pool, it’s bound to succumb to un-luxurious conditions such as broken filters, green water, and algae, which can quickly build up. Here are some tips on cleaning your pool surface.

Skim your pool often

Skimming debris and leaves off the water’s surface is a must and should be adhered to at all times. For your pool to be pristine, this should be done daily, and you can also use pool skimmers for insect prevention.

Take good care of your pool filter

The same way your kidneys get rid of dirt from your body regularly, your pool’s filters are responsible for getting rid of impurities from your pool water, such as leaves, dirt, and sometimes, small toys.

However, this is a pretty simple process that will involve removing the filter cap on the pool deck and then lifting the filter basket out and getting rid of the debris, then replacing everything.

Keep your chemical levels consistent

The chemical levels are the most critical facets in pool maintenance, and when the pool water is improperly balanced, it looks murky and can irritate the eyes and skin. It can also cause the pool to become the breeding ground for bacteria.

Test the water weekly, or get a company that offers pool cleaning services to do this on your behalf. Here are the most important chemicals;

  • Acidity/Alkalinity
  • Cyanuric Acid
  • Free Chlorine
  • Calcium Hardness
  • Total Alkalinity

Use baking soda if chemicals are too expensive

Pool cleaning devices such as pool chemicals can be costly. If you are looking for a bit of help with this, then sodium bicarbonate can help control the alkalinity in the pool and reduce the PH levels drastically.

 

Shock your pool when necessary

Other than chemicals, do not be afraid to perform a little shock therapy on your pool whenever necessary. This may seem like a public pool process only, but the pool’s surface does look horrible after a party, and it’s essential to do this to keep it clean.

The odds are that the pool water is murky due to bacteria, and you need to get rid of it immediately.

Shocking is a pool cleaning trick that refers to drastically raising the chemical levels such as Chlorine for a short time to keep the bacteria.

This is done by diluting between 3 and 5 times the average chlorine amount or any other chemical sanitizer in the water.

When you pour this slowly, the pool will filter and slowly refill the pool with clean water. Please remember too much shocking may end up damaging your pool’s siding, so it shouldn’t be an everyday thing.