How to maintain your pool

How to maintain your pool

Steve, Team Member
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Project Overview

Keeping your pool looking good doesn’t have to be hard work. Regular maintenance once a week will make sure your pool is ready to swim in, when you want to. We’ll show you how to keep your pool clean, what things you’ll need and how to check your chemical levels.

Continue to step-by-step instructions

Step by Step Instructions

1 Scoop leaves out of the pool
2 Brush the pool
3 Vacuum the pool
4 Test your pool water
5 Adding chlorine to the pool
6 Tip for salt water pools

  • Step 1. Scoop leaves out of the pool

    If leaves are left to settle at the bottom of your pool for too long, they will breakdown and stain the bottom of your pool. Simply scoop them out when they’re floating on the surface. This will also make vacuuming the pool much easier.

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    Person scooping leaves out of the pool

  • Step 2. Brush the pool

    After scooping the leaves, brush the floor and sides of your pool. Regular brushing prevents algae, removes dirt and keeps the pool surface smooth to ensure a long lasting finish. Have the pump running when you brush, so that any debris will be pulled into the filter, and removed from the water.

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    Person brushing the floor of the pool

  • Step 3. Vacuum the pool

    Even after scooping out the leaves, there will still be debris left in the pool. Connect the pool vac and give it a thorough clean. This shouldn’t take too long and will leave your pool looking great.

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    Person vacuuming the pool

  • Step 4. Test your pool water

    To keep your pool healthy to swim in, check the chemical levels in it once a week. Backwash the filter before you carry out the tests. There are several pool test kits that tell your pH and chlorine levels. Follow the instructions on the kits to conduct the tests and add the recommended amount of acid or chlorine.

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    Person testing pool chemical levels

  • Step 5. Adding chlorine to the pool

    If you need to add chlorine, there are several ways of doing it. There are liquid chlorines, powdered chlorines and chlorine tablets. The tablets make it easy to add chlorine to the pool. Simply drop the tablet into the dispenser, put the lid on and let it float in the pool. For the other chlorines, follow the instructions on their packages.

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    Person adding chlorine to the pool dispenser

  • Step 6. Tip for salt water pools

    If you have a salt water pool and it’s been raining heavily, turn your filter off. Fresh rainwater is lighter than the salt water in your pool so it will sit on the surface. This means the rainwater will be drawn in through your filter and dilute your salt water and you will then have to add more chemicals.

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    Swimming pool

Tools and Materials

Tools

  • Leaf scoop

Materials

  • Chlorine
  • Pool brush
  • Pool hose
  • Pool salt
  • Pool testing kit
  • Pool vacuum

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