6 Pool Maintenance Tips

Having your own backyard oasis with a pool is a dream for most homeowners. It’s fun, glamorous, and so convenient when you can jump in for a refreshing dip during those hot and humid days. But of course, like everything, it requires maintenance. So if you’re having a pool installed this year or if you simply want to prioritize the tasks involved, here are a few pool maintenance tips to keep in mind.

Skim the Pool Every Day

Skimming the pool to remove dirt, leaves, and other debris is a typical part of regular pool maintenance, but it’s an important one to emphasize here. As a pool owner, it’s a crucial step to include as part of your daily routine. Skipping this even for a few days can give algae and bacteria a chance to flourish, resulting in greenish stains growing along the pool walls. To make your life easier with less work involved, skim away any debris daily.

Scrub Away Stains Once per Week

It can be challenging to keep your pool constantly free from debris and leaves, depending on where you live and how much vegetation surrounds your pool. So when you do start to notice any stains emerging, tackle them right away. Ignoring it will only make it worse, and it’ll require more effort to clean. So instead, grab your scrubbing brush once a week and use a little elbow grease to get rid of any spots that start to develop on the pool walls or steps. This will keep your pool looking clean and pristine. As an extra tip, if there are any stubborn stains that won’t scrub away easily, fill an old sock with chlorine and place it on the stain for at least an hour or two. This will help to dissolve it.

Clean Out the Filter Basket Every Week

The pool filter has an important job to do. It’s essentially like the kidneys of your pool, capturing impurities and preventing them from landing in the water. Unfortunately, a lot of gunk can collect in the filter basket, so don’t forget to remove the cap and empty out any debris in the basket once every week.

Be Consistent With the Chemicals

Balancing the chemicals and having the correct and consistent amount is imperative for maintaining safe, clean pool water to swim in. Without this, you’ll be left with murky water where bacteria can thrive. That’s why we recommend testing the water every week using a testing kit from your pool installer or local pool store.

Top Up the Water Level

The water level in the pool is constantly fluctuating due to the heat and evaporation, heavy rainstorms, and any big, splashy cannonballs. In most cases, the water tends to decrease during the summer months. When this happens, use your garden hose to top it up to keep it around the halfway point from the opening of the skimmer.

Throw in a Tennis Ball to Reduce Oils

All of the sunscreen, tanning oils, and hair products can leave an oily residue behind in the water once the kids, neighbours, or anyone exits the pool. One simple trick to help eliminate this is to toss a tennis ball into the water. This will help to absorb the oily residue and reduce that sheen that typically gets left behind.

If you’d rather dedicate your time this summer to relaxing and enjoying your pool time instead of working on it, give us a call at Benson Pools. We can take care of all the tedious maintenance work, so you can just focus on making the most out of your summer weekends.