The Best Way to Clean Your Swimming Pool Basin
It’s true that thoroughly cleaning your swimming pool basin is a job of work, but it’s necessary. This is especially true in places such as Singapore, whose warm climate allows the pool to be open nearly all year. The good news is that technology continues to make pool cleaning a little less arduous than it used to be. Here’s how to clean a swimming pool basin.
Gather Your Equipment
Certain equipment helps you clean your pool more efficiently. They include:
- Hand or leaf skimmers
- Pool vacuum, including equipment such as a telescopic pole, vacuum head, hose and plate.
- Pool brush
- Testing kits
As with the tools you use for gardening, painting or maintaining your home, you should buy sturdy, good-quality tools.
Remove Debris Right Away
One thing you’ll need to do to clean your pool is remove any debris. Remove it by hand or via a hand skimmer while it’s still floating on the surface of the water. Debris that sinks to the bottom of your pool is going to be that much harder to take away.
Clean Out the Strainer Basket
You’ll also need to clean out the strainer baskets once a week or so. You’ll find your pool’s strainer basket in its skimmer. To clean it, turn off the pool’s cleaner pump, and shut the drain and skimmer valves. Take off the pump lid, remove the strainer, then gently wash it out with a garden hose. Remove larger pieces of debris by hand then let the strainer dry. Because it takes a while for your strainer to dry completely, it’s a good idea to have at least a pair of them if you want to keep your pool open. When the basket is dry, check it to make sure it’s sound, then reinsert it. Check to make sure the O-ring and the lid of the pool pump are also in good shape, then put the lid on. Make sure it’s tight but not too tight. Some pool contractors recommend lubricating the O-ring with vaseline before replacing it.
When the strainer basket has been replaced, turn on the pump, let it run for a couple of minutes, then open the skimmer valves one by one. Wait till you see water coming out of the air relief valve, then close it, and turn the cleaner pump back on.
Vacuum Your Pool Basin
Another cleaning task you should do at least once a week is to vacuum your pool. There are three basic kinds of pool vacuums.
- Suction-side. This vacuum uses the pool’s filter pump to pull debris through the vacuum hose into the skimmer.
- Pressure-side. This type of pool vacuum uses water pressure to pull in debris. Unlike the suction-side vacuum, it’s powered by a separate pump. This puts less stress on the pool’s filter but uses more energy overall.
- Robotic. These vacuums don’t depend on your pool’s systems to work. It plugs into your home’s electrical system, so you can use it when your pool is closed. A robotic vacuum operates rather like the robotic vacuums in your home. Sensors allow it to run over the basin’s walls and floor and clean them. Some pool experts believe robotic vacuums are the best, though they’re expensive. Others believe they are only good for light cleaning, and you’ll still need to vacuum your pool basin manually.
To vacuum your pool manually, you should first assemble the vacuum, then attach it to the skimmer after taking out the strainer basket. Make sure there’s no air in the vacuum hose.
You can choose “filter” or “waste” for the filter valve setting. The first setting is for light cleaning, while the second removes larger pieces of debris. The “waste” setting sends dirty water down your sewer pipe and may even lower the level of your pool water. You may need to use your garden hose to keep the water level from dropping as you vacuum.
When you start to vacuum your pool, handle it the way you handle your indoor vacuum. That is, move the vacuum at a leisurely pace and make sure the passes overlap. Vacuum until you’re satisfied that the pool basin is clean.
After that, disconnect the vacuum, clean out the skimmer, and check the filter pressure. If it’s made of sand or diatomaceous earth, backwash it if it’s 10 pounds per square inch above the clean starting pressure. Then, test the pool water to make sure levels such as pH and alkalinity remain balanced.
Brush After Vacuuming
If your pool basin has algae, brushing your pool may be necessary even after a thorough vacuuming. Algae is tough to get rid of with just a vacuum, and it may take a pool brush and elbow grease to get remove it. The same is true with mineral deposits. Brushing your pool regularly also prevents etching and stains. Experts recommend a stiff-bristled brush for a concrete basin and a brush with softer bristles for a basin made of fiberglass, vinyl or tiles.
Aside from brushing to remove algae or limescale, you’ll need to brush your pool basin after you add chemicals to it. You’ll need to brush even more frequently after your pool is replastered or pebbled. Some experts even recommend brushing a pool twice a day for as long as three weeks after it’s been so treated.
Some tips when it comes to brushing your pool include starting at the same point and moving in the same direction each time to make sure you get good coverage. The same starting point should be the pool steps. Steps need to be brushed because they’re tough to vacuum properly.
Keeping your pool basin clean is one way to make sure it’s safe and fun to swim in. If pool basin cleaning seems too laborious, don’t hesitate to call a pool specialist for help.