Summer has always held a special kind of magic that sets it apart from every other season.
As children, we eagerly anticipated the dawn of its longer days. Yet, unlike the other seasons, summer never quite loses its magical quality. Even as adults, we share a love of sparklers on dimly lit lawns, chasing lightning bugs at dusk, barbeque, and banana pudding.
Among the season’s favorite past times, few can compare to splashing around a swimming pool on a hot summer’s day.
If you’re lucky enough to own a swimming pool, then you know the magic of summer even better than most. Although, owning a pool isn’t all fun and games.
Pool maintenance is the not-so-fun price that pool-owners pay. But, maintaining a swimming pool doesn’t have to be hard.
Read on for our no-sweat tips on how to maintain a pool the easy way!
15 Tips on How to Maintain a Pool the Easy Way
Most of us grow up envisioning owning our very own dream house, complete with a beautiful, sparkling swimming pool in the backyard.
Ever wonder what keeps people from buying a home with a pool once we have the power to make this dream come true?
One of the most-cited reasons for not buying homes with swimming pools is the common misconception about the upkeep and maintenance that’s required. But, according to recent research, which indicates a rise in the number of homes with pools, this might be changing. In 2017, a whopping 10.4 million of homes in America had a pool.
Maybe it’s because buyers are learning how to maintain a pool the easy way.
If you’re a homeowner with a pool, you’re in luck. We’ve got the best tips for easy pool maintenance below.
1. Absorb Excess Oils With a Tennis Ball
There’s more than one way to get the muck out of your pool.
Instead of stressing anytime your teen’s oil-slathered friends take a dip in the family pool, just throw a tennis ball in. These fuzzy yellow balls will soak up icky oils and residue left behind by swimmers’ sun lotion, greasy fingers after lunch, and more.
2. Powerwash the Deck to Make Your Whole Backyard Shine
Want to make your pool look shiny and new without ever touching it?
When spring rolls around, spend an afternoon power-washing your pool deck. You’ll be amazed at how this will brighten the whole backyard.
When summer arrives, your pool will look like it had a makeover during its offseason.
3. Schedule an Annual Maintenance Check Before Pool Season
Don’t be naive and think that you can do it all on your own. Whether you think your pool needs one or not, schedule an annual professional maintenance check-up.
Of course, this can be done any time of the year. But, scheduling before pool season will open up more time for swimming when the temps start to heat up.
4. Winterizing Your Pool Will Lighten Your Summer Workload
When the season closes, don’t skip essential steps to winterize your pool. Taking care to maintain your pool all year long will ensure that you aren’t in for any major maintenance surprises when you get ready to jump in next year.
5. Use a Window Screen to Skim for Debris
Keep an old (or new) window screen handy for a super-fast way to skim the pool’s surface for leaves and debris.
Got kids? They’ll actually think that this pool chore is fun. And, as every parent knows: when the kids think a chore is fun, that means less work for you.
6. Tap Into the Multiple Benefits of Baking Soda
Pool owners will rejoice at the powers of this inexpensive pool helper. It even performs double, or actually, triple, duties.
It can be used to scour the gunk off of dirty pool tiles. In addition to baking soda’s multiple cleaning uses, it helps maintain your pool’s appropriate pH levels.
Baking soda works to raise the alkalinity of imbalanced water. Increased alkalinity is especially problematic after it rains.
Rain can seep in even if your pool stays covered and lower its alkalinity. But, one of the great properties associated with baking soda is its ability to keep pH levels in the pool’s water balanced.
7. Blow the Top Off
It can be difficult to stay motivated to keep your pool’s cover clean, especially during the fall and winter seasons when your pool is not often in use. But, it only takes a few minutes to clear the top off with your leaf blower.
This trick need not be reserved just during fall and winter. It can clear away the debris after a windy summer thunderstorm, too. In fact, you can use this handy hack anytime throughout the year that your pool cover needs a quick, but effective sweeping.
8. Check for Cracks Intermittently
Keeping cracks in check will save your pool from potentially morphing into a money pit.
Throughout the year, check your pool’s foundation, wall, and deck for signs of cracks or surface damage. If small cracks are caught early enough, it can save you from having to fork over thousands of dollars to repair later.
The cost of repairing cracks can quickly compound. It doesn’t take long for one tiny, and relatively inexpensive, fissure to transform into a major problem with a pricey fix.
9. Keep Brushes Handy to Make Scrubbing a Breeze
Keeping brushes nearby makes it easy to scrub away water stains on your pool floor, mildew around the border, or smears of dirt and grime that may be lurking beneath the water’s surface.
Once the stain is out of sight, it also tends to scoot out of mind. When brushes are kept within reach, you’re much more likely to care of a problem area as soon as it’s spotted.
If you have frequent family or friends that swim, invite them to be on brush patrol as well.
Brushes of varying sizes, such as long-handled utility brushes coupled with toothbrushes and handheld scrub brushes can be placed poolside in coordinating containers to avoid the appearance of clutter. This will also encourage guests of all ages to get in on the scrubbing action.
If you brush away ugly spots while perched atop a float on a sunny afternoon, the work doesn’t seem bad.
10. Hose Down Your Pool Filter
When you break out your hose to rinse off the deck, be sure to give your pool filter a shower as well.
Simply remove the filter and blast it with the hose’s water pressure on its highest manual setting.
Hosing down both at the same time cuts the time and effort it takes to divide the two tasks in half. And, if you practice giving your filter a once-over when spraying down the deck, it serves as a reminder to check the filter for clogs and residue.
11. Make Cleaning a Part of Regular Pool Activities
You can easily incorporate cleaning duties into your regular swim time with just a little effort. As previously mentioned, you can tend to tasks such as scrubbing and cleaning your pool filter anytime you decide to go for a dip.
Other tasks, such as vacuuming your pool, skimming its surface, and checking for cracks can be incorporated into everyday pool visits as well.
Those with families should ask that they share the responsibilities associated with the pool’s upkeep. When everyone pitches in, it’s easy to stay caught up on your pool to-do list.
12. Provide a Clear Path
You can minimize muck tracked in your pool by dirty feet if you keep a broom close by and sweep grass or any other accumulations on the pool’s pathway.
Does the path to your pool include grassy areas or gravel?
Use stone pavers to forge a do-it-yourself pathway that you can easily sweep clean.
13. Post Pool Rules in Clear View
If you often have visitors frequently swimming in your pool, it’s best to post your pool rules in plain, open view. This will remind guests to be considerate and make your expectations clear without coming across as a nag.
14. Watch Water Levels
It’s normal to for your pool to lose water during the evaporation process, especially on hot, summer days. But, if you notice that you regularly have to refill due to levels that are exceedingly low, you may have a more significant issue on your hands.
If this happens, your pool ought to be checked out to ensure that water is not escaping through a leak. Should you discover a leak, make arrangements to have it restored right away.
15. When in Doubt, Go Pro
Much of a pool’s basic maintenance can be done with little to no professional knowledge or expertise. But, certain tasks are best when performed by actual experts in the pool industry.
If you encounter an issue with your swimming pool that calls for understanding beyond what you’re comfortable with, it’s probably time to call a professional to handle the problem at hand.
Want More Great Pool Maintenance Tips?
If you want more tips on how to maintain a pool, we can help.
Our pool professionals can show you what products are best for keeping your pool in top condition, month after month.
Visit our blog to find out how to prepare your pool for ultimate summer fun and maintain its condition all year long!
