There’s really nothing as pretty as a sparkling, clean backyard pool. When your pool is working properly and looking great, you’ve got a sweet spot to relax, exercise, and entertain. Whether you maintain your own pool or rely on your local pool pro to keep it in top condition, it’s a good idea to know what it takes to keep your pool clean. 

Are you new to pool ownership altogether? If you’re wondering how a pool works, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself by reading our blog article “Pool 101: Understanding Your Pool” and visit our webpage – How a Pool Works.

No matter if you’re a pool owner veteran, or a brand new pool parent, you should clean your pool on a weekly basis during the swimming season to ensure your water is clean and safe. Maintain your pool equipment to be sure it is working properly and keeping your pool healthy. Read on for more tips for maintaining a clean pool.

Maintain your Pool Water, Surfaces and Equipment

1. Maintain your Pool Water

Skim the Water
Skim the water on a regular basis, preferably every day, using a skimmer net on a long pole. Drag the net across the water surface to capture debris such as bugs, leaves, twigs, and more. Shake the skimmer net to release the debris into a container used for disposal. Use a leaf rake to remove debris that falls to the bottom of the pool before it becomes difficult to remove and causes staining. 

Test and Adjust Water Chemistry
Maintain the proper chemical balance in your pool by regularly testing and adjusting your water chemistry. Take a sample of pool water to your local pool store for best results. Shock your pool water if needed to maintain cleanliness.

Automation systems will monitor your pool chemistry for you. An automated system such as Hayward OmniLogic will keep tabs on your water chemistry.

pHin smart pool monitor with an app is another option for monitoring your pool chemistry. pHin continuously tests your pool water and provides simple dosing instructions. It’s easy to use and set up. pHin indicates the effectiveness of your sanitizer and the degree to which the chemicals work together to kill bacteria and other contaminants effectively.

Keep in mind that environmental factors, such as wind and rain storms, too much sun, droughts, and freezing temperatures can negatively impact your pool chemistry. Get tips for adjusting your pool to the weather here. 

Run the Pump
Run your pool pump every day to maintain the circulation system and to filter the water of dirt and debris.

2. Maintain your Pool Surfaces

Manually Brush the Surfaces
Maintain your pool’s walls, floors, ledges, coves and steps by brushing them frequently. Using a pool brush on a long pole, scrub the pool surfaces, slides and ladders to remove dirt, oil and algae at least once a week. Pay special attention to the water line where oil, dirt and bacteria tend to accumulate and form a scum line or ring. Brush the loose sediment toward the main drain at the bottom of the pool where it can be vacuumed up. Choose a pool brush with bristles designed for best use on your pool’s surface. 

Tip! Pay attention to the cleanliness of your pool deck area too. Leaves, dirt and debris on the deck are likely to find their way into your pool. Trim nearby trees and bushes too.

Manually Vacuum the Floor
Once you’ve brushed the pool surfaces, vacuum your pool using a manual (suction-side or pressure-side) pool cleaner. Attach your manual cleaner to your pool’s circulation system and vacuum the bottom of the pool. Similar to vacuuming your home, move the vacuum head slowly in an overlapping motion to pick up the debris. Dispose of the debris collected in the mesh bag.

Brush and Vacuum Automatically 
Alternatively, you can use an automatic pool cleaner for a quick and effortless clean-up. An automatic cleaner will do much of the cleaning, scrubbing, and vacuuming work for you. Simply plug it in and set the automatic cleaner in the water and soon you’ll have a clean pool. 

Choose from two types of automatic cleaners: 

• Energy-efficient robotic cleaners work separate from your pool’s filtration system. Robotic cleaners follow a programmed cleaning program for a complete clean. 
• Pressure-side or suction-side cleaners use your pool’s filtration system to propel the cleaner around the pool. Suction-side cleaners are the most affordable option. 

3. Maintain your Pool Equipment

There’s more to a clean pool than clean water and pool surfaces. Your pool’s equipment works hard to keep things healthy. Read about how your pool’s circulation system equipment works together in our blog article Pool Circulation Systems. Keep your pool pump, filter, and network of skimmers, drains, and returns in good working condition. 

• The filter captures dirt particles and keeps them out of the pool circulation system. Clean the filter on a regular basis using the method recommended by the filter manufacturer. 
• Debris gets caught in the skimmer and pump baskets too. Debris clogging the pump basket can damage the pump, so be sure to check the pump basket frequently. Empty the baskets out regularly and use a garden hose to force out any excess debris.

Simplify Pool Maintenance with Advanced Equipment

If you want to keep your pool in optimum condition, consider adding advanced equipment that makes it easier to maintain.

• Pump
  • Pool pumps are the heart of your pool’s circulation system. The pump creates a flow of water that allows sanitizing chemicals to circulate and moves dirt and debris out of the pool. Variable speed pumps deliver reliable performance and money saving energy-efficiency.
• Automation
  • Automation systems take a lot of the work out of owning a pool. They automate the work-intensive functions, such as sanitization, balancing pH, cleaning and filtration. In addition, automation systems can save up to 70% on your pool’s energy costs. See Hayward’s range of Pool Automation products here.
• Cleaner
  • Automatic pool cleaners do much of the cleaning work for you. An automatic pool cleaner will pick up dirt and debris quickly and efficiently, with little work on your part. Learn about Hayward’s range of automatic pool cleaners here. If you are considering purchasing an automatic pool cleaner, be sure to read our blog article “How to Choose the Right Pool Cleaner“.
• Sanitization
  • Automated pool sanitization helps you keep your pool super clean and hassle-free. Hayward’s salt chlorination systems turn ordinary salt into a self-regenerating supply of pure chlorine for clean and luxuriously soft water. In addition, Hayward’s UV and Ozone advanced water treatment system produces the ultimate in water quality and purity. Learn more about pool sanitization equipment here.

With the right pool equipment and regular maintenance, you can enjoy a sparkling clean pool, optimal swimming conditions, and a superior pool experience. Want to learn more? Visit our website and find a Hayward product dealer near you.

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