As an in-ground swimming pool owner, you have the choice to either clean and maintain it yourself or turn it over to a professional. If you choose to clean it yourself, you should make sure that you know what you are doing and do so regularly.
For best results, you want to clean your pool at least weekly. You can do so by skimming your pool and using a vacuum to remove visible debris. You should then check the filter, and use a pH test kit to check the water. If the pH is unbalanced, add more chemicals or perform a shock treatment.
You may be wondering how you should go about cleaning and maintaining your in-ground swimming pool. Let’s look at some of the necessary steps that you should follow in this cleaning guide.
How Often Does an In-Ground Pool Need to Be Cleaned?
Most swimming pool cleaning experts recommend that you have a weekly cleaning and maintenance routine that you follow. Doing so will help prevent your pool from getting out of control for a lack of cleaning.
In most cases, there are some things that you should do daily and others that need to be done once or twice a week. Depending on the task, it is important to set up a schedule so nothing is missed.
For example, skimming the pool should be done daily to prevent debris from sinking to the bottom of the pool. Doing this can prolong the need to vacuum your swimming pool at least once or twice a week, depending on how much it is used.
Other parts of the pool cleaning routine such as brushing the sides and other surfaces can be done once or twice a week. This is because scum and build-up typically take longer to accumulate in these areas.
Finally, vacuuming your swimming pool should be done at least either every other day or two to three times a week. This will cut down on the time it takes to clean your pool overall and keep the chemistry more balanced.
Overall, ensuring that you are cleaning your in-ground pool regularly is an important task if you and your family will be using it daily. If cleaning is not done regularly, then eventually it will not be suitable or even desirable for anyone to want to go for a dip.
Supplies You Will Need
Before you can get started with cleaning your in-ground pool, you will need to ensure that you have the right equipment on hand. Whether you have had your pool for a while or are a new pool owner, you will need to know what supplies are needed to clean your pool thoroughly.
Wondering what supplies you will need to clean your pool? Keep reading to find out.
Telescope Pole
A telescope pole (on Amazon) is an important piece of equipment for your pool cleaning routine since most of the other equipment will attach to the end. This means that you will not need to be in the pool while you clean since the pole is designed to reach the entire length of your pool.
Pool Skimmer Net
To clean your pool, you will often start by removing any debris that has accumulated on the surface of your pool from the previous day. Using the pool skimmer net (on Amazon), which you can attach to your telescope pole, will allow you to quickly remove any debris from the pool.
Pool Brush
Another valuable tool you will need to complete the cleaning process for your in-ground pool is a pool brush (on Amazon). With this tool, you will easily be able to remove any scum and build-up that has accumulated on the walls and stairs of your swimming pool.
Pool Vacuum
A pool vacuum comes in handy to help you remove any debris that has fallen to the bottom of your in-ground pool. Since they come in a variety of types, you can choose to purchase one that fits your budget and lifestyle better.
Other Items as Needed
While the above-listed items are the most important supplies you will need to clean your swimming pool thoroughly, there may be other items that you need as well. Since part of your cleaning process should include testing the chemicals, you will need to ensure that you have those items ready as well.
How to Clean Debris From Your Pool
One of the first steps you will take in the cleaning process of your in-ground swimming pool is to use your skimmer net to clean the debris from your pool. This process is relatively simple if you follow the instructions carefully.
For the most part, cleaning debris from your pool includes skimming the net along the surface of the water. This process should be done thoroughly and slowly so that you are not missing any particles that are left behind.
Most pool cleaning experts recommend the skimming process be done daily. This will prevent excess debris from accumulating and falling to the bottom of your in-ground swimming pool.
Once you have gone the entire length around your pool, you should take a final walk around to make sure you did not miss anything. Keep in mind that the cleaner your pool is overall, the more comfortable it will be to swim in daily.
How to Use a Pool Vacuum
Using a pool vacuum is a great way to ensure that you do not have anything accumulating in your swimming pool over time. While this seems like a simple process, it depends on the type of pool vacuum you have.
One type of pool vacuum that is the most difficult and time-consuming is the manual pool vacuum. To use this type of vacuum, you will need to attach it to your telescope pole and go over the entire floor of your pool several times.
An alternative to using a manual vacuum is a robotic vacuum that you can place in the pool and program to do the work for you. Using this type of vacuum can save you quite a bit of time so that you can get back into the pool faster.
The biggest differences between the manual and robotic vacuum are the labor that is required and the expense to purchase them. Since the robotic vacuum is more expensive, some people choose to go with a manual vacuum instead.
How to Clean the Pool Filters
Another important factor to consider when you choose to clean and maintain your in-ground swimming pool yourself is that you have to know everything about the process. This includes knowing that even if you do all the work mentioned above if you do not keep your filter clean, your pool will be a mess.
Because of this, you will need to follow specific instructions to ensure that you are cleaning not only your pool but the filter regularly as well. This will provide you with the cleanest and safest swimming experience possible.
Cleaning the pool filter will depend entirely on what type of filter you have and the process for doing so. For the most part, you will want to watch for the psi level to be greater than 10 as an indicator of whether you need to clean the filter or not.
In most cases, cleaning the filter involves ensuring that it has been left on while you are using the pool at all times. Additionally, you will need to make sure that no debris is caught in the filter cartridge to get the best results. Finally, it is important to not only clean the filter regularly but to backwash it from time to time to make sure it stays clean.
How to Test and Treat Your Water
Once you have thoroughly cleaned your in-ground swimming pool and filter, then it is time for you to ensure that the chemicals are in balance. This additional step in your routine will make sure that your swimming pool is safe to swim in for days to come.
The first thing you will need to do to test and treat your water is to ensure that you have a pH testing kit (on Amazon) on hand. You can choose to either purchase the strips or use a more expensive type of digital testing kit. Keep in mind that the digital testing unit is much more reliable than the strips.
Whichever method you choose to use, you will need to ensure that the pH level in the swimming pool is between 7.2 and 7.8. If your numbers are either higher or lower than the recommended amounts, you will need to choose the various types of treatment to make it come back into balance.
How to Remove Algae
No matter how hard you try to keep your in-ground swimming pool in the best condition possible, there are times that you may have to contend with algae growth. When this occurs, there are specific steps you can take to remove it from your pool.
One of the best ways to remove algae from your pool is to use your pool brush a few times a week to scrub the sides and bottom of your pool. You will need to do this aggressively if you have a build-up of algae on your pool’s surfaces.
Once you have removed the algae from your pool using a brush, it is recommended that you give your pool a shock treatment to prevent it from growing back.
