Cleaning involves more than just scrubbing the pool walls. The addition of certain chemicals will help keep your water stable, so it doesn’t damage your pool equipment.
Step 1
Remove, clean and store pool ladders, diving board and other pool accessories.
Step 2
Clean pool walls and floor with a pool brush.
- Use a pool skimmer to remove debris from the water.
- Also clean the skimmer baskets.
Step 3
As needed, add scale, stain and metal control chemicals. Scales are heavy deposits of calcium that can damage your filter system, so preventive action is best. Refer to product instructions for specifics.
Step 4
Add granular chorine and let it circulate for six hours.
Step 5
Add algaecide as recommended to prevent the growth of algae on the walls and floor of the pool.
Step 6
Clean the pool filtration system:
Cartridge filters: Replace the filter as indicated by the filter pressure dial or the filter manufacturer. Some cartridge pool filters can be manually cleaned a few times before replacement.
1. Remove the filter and spray with water
2. Soak the filter in a filter cleaner.
Sand filters: Backwash the filter following the manufacturer’s directions. Need for backwashing is indicated by the filter pressure dial. Replace the sand bed as recommended. The following are typical steps for cleaning the sand:
1. Close the valves into and out of the filter.
2. Add filter cleaner at full strength to the filter top through the inspection port, anode port, sand fill or pressure gauge hole, whichever is applicable.
3. After one hour, open the valves and backwash the filter thoroughly.
4. Remove the drain plug.
5. Drain the filter and turn the multi-port valve to the closed position.
D.E. (diatomaceous earth) filters: Backwash the filter following the manufacturer’s directions. Need for backwashing is indicated by the filter pressure dial. Add additives or replace the D.E. as recommended by the filter manufacturer. Typical cleaning steps are as follows:
1. Remove the filter and clean with a filter cleaner to eliminate buildup of grease, oil and scale.
2. Inspect the septa for tears or stretching, and repair or replace as needed.
3. Clean the inside of the filter tank.
4. Reinstall the filter.
5. Make sure the drain plug is closed.