It would be fantastic if a swimming pool could maintain itself, allowing you to relax on a sun lounger instead. Unfortunately, that’s not the case—unless you can invest in a pool service to handle all the laborious tasks for you. Regularly vacuuming your pool is essential, with a frequency of about once a week being adequate for most situations. However, during particularly busy periods, after a storm, or if your pool is surrounded by trees, you may need to increase the frequency of vacuuming.
How Often Should You Vacuum Your Pool?
During the swimming season, you typically won’t need to vacuum your pool more than once a week under normal usage conditions. However, there are specific circumstances that may necessitate more frequent vacuuming:
Heavy Use
If your pool sees a lot of activity, especially from children, you may find it necessary to vacuum more regularly. Kids often jump in and out, bringing in dirt, grass, and other debris. It’s not just the children, though; adults can inadvertently contribute to the mess as well.
Fall
During the fall season, particularly if your pool is surrounded by trees, you will likely need to vacuum more frequently. Fallen leaves and organic matter that settle at the pool’s bottom can promote algae growth, which is something you want to avoid. Therefore, consider vacuuming and skimming leaves with a net 2-3 times a week in the fall.
After a Storm
After a storm, especially one with strong winds, debris and dust are likely to end up in your pool. It’s advisable to vacuum as soon as possible rather than waiting for your scheduled weekly clean. For example, in the Canary Islands, we occasionally experience a strong wind called Calima that blows dust from the Sahara Desert, requiring immediate vacuuming once it passes.
Algae
If you notice a build-up of algae, it will be necessary to vacuum more often, potentially using a “vacuum to waste” setting. In this scenario, make sure to brush the walls and floor thoroughly before you vacuum.
Establish a Pool Maintenance Schedule
Neglecting your pool between vacuuming sessions will only lead to more work down the line. It’s best to establish a routine that includes a few quick tasks, making maintenance easier and more efficient. Here are some helpful pool maintenance tips and checklists:
Daily Tasks
If possible, aim to complete these simple tasks daily—they should take no more than 5-10 minutes each. While our lives are busy, the more frequently you can perform these tasks, the easier pool cleaning will become, and the healthier your pool will remain.
- Use a pool net to skim leaves, insects, and other floating debris from the surface. This helps maintain a clean and inviting pool and prevents skimmer baskets from clogging.
- Visually inspect the pool for algae or any other obvious issues. If you notice any problems, plan for a more thorough weekly clean.
- Clear any leaves or debris from the paving around the pool to prevent them from being blown back into the water.
- If the weather is cool, consider covering the pool with a solar cover to preserve heat.
Twice Weekly Tasks
Alongside your daily tasks, you should also:
- Check the skimmer baskets and empty them if needed. If your pool is under trees, you may need to do this daily in the autumn.
- Brush the pool sides and bottom with a pool brush to eliminate any algae or dirt that may have clung to them.
- Clean the pool steps or ladder rungs to remove any dirt.
- Clear dirt from the pool’s corners or other areas where debris tends to accumulate and is not filtered out.
- Monitor the water temperature if you have solar heating; in hot weather, it can rise quickly. If it gets too warm for swimming, turn off the heating or remove the cover.
- If your pool is frequently used, check the water condition using a test strip and add necessary chemicals. Otherwise, it’s advisable to do this weekly after cleaning.
Weekly Tasks
This is the main cleaning work you need to perform to keep your pool in good shape. Once you establish a routine, it should take no more than an hour. Typically, my process takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. Ideally, you should perform this either before anyone swims or at least an hour after the last swim, allowing dirt to settle at the bottom.
- If the water level has dropped due to evaporation, use a hose to refill it to the correct level. If the pool is very dirty, you may need to vacuum to waste, requiring additional top-up afterward.
- If there are many leaves at the bottom, gently remove as many as possible with a pool rake or net, minimizing disturbance of fine dirt.
- Complete the twice-weekly tasks of brushing and emptying the skimmer baskets. If you can, wait 30 minutes after brushing to allow dirt to settle before vacuuming.
- Connect your pool vacuum to the pole and the vacuum hose, ensuring to remove air from the hose before connecting it to the skimmer or vacuum port.
- Vacuum the pool, taking care to avoid stirring up debris.
- If vacuuming on the waste setting, monitor the water level closely. Stop vacuuming if it reaches the bottom of the skimmer and refill as needed.
- After vacuuming, disconnect the vacuum from the pool.
- Check if the filter requires backwashing and rinsing. Vacuuming traps dirt in the filter, making it necessary to backwash once the pressure builds up.
- Inspect the pool pump strainer basket through its transparent lid for leaves and debris. If full, set the filter to closed, shut off valves to the pump, and empty the basket.
- Replace the skimmer baskets if you’ve removed them.
- Finally, check the pool water chemistry, measuring chlorine levels, pH, and alkalinity, and add chemicals as needed.
- Once all tasks are completed, you can enjoy a swim unless you’ve just shocked the pool. If you have, take this opportunity to clean along the waterline.
Every Two Weeks
It’s advisable to shock your pool every two weeks—or even weekly if it sees heavy use. This process helps eliminate contaminants and ensures the water remains clear.
As and When
Periodically check the pipework around your pool pump and any exposed areas for leaks. Examine your skimmer housings for cracks and ensure the skimmer weir operates correctly. If you have an automatic top-up system, occasionally tie up the ballcock to check for leaks by observing the water level over a week. While some water loss will occur due to evaporation, significant drops may indicate a need for further investigation.
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What Are the Benefits of Vacuuming a Pool?
Vacuuming your pool offers numerous benefits beyond simply making it look clean and inviting. Regular vacuuming reduces the need for chemicals to maintain water quality since chlorine and other sanitizers are consumed more quickly when they must combat dirt. By keeping your pool clean, you’ll save money on chemical costs. Furthermore, a cleaner pool minimizes the risk of algae growth, preventing that undesirable green appearance, especially on the pool’s walls.
My Pool Pump Has Low Suction
To effectively vacuum your pool, you need sufficient suction power. If you’re experiencing low suction, several factors could be at play:
- There may be an air lock in the system. Check the pump strainer through its transparent lid; if it’s low on water, that could be the issue. Try releasing air by opening the valve on the filter housing or adjusting valves into the pump.
- If your pool is particularly dirty, with many leaves on the bottom, check for blockages in the vacuum head or hose.
- Air could be entering the system; inspect your vacuum hose for holes or ensure that any connections are secure.
- Verify that the pool water level is adequate, not falling below the skimmer base.
- Ensure the pump strainer basket isn’t clogged, as this would restrict flow and reduce suction.
- If your pump loses suction during vacuuming, it might be due to excessive back pressure in the filter. Backwashing the filter could restore suction.
Why Is My Pool Dirty After I Vacuum It?
If you find that your pool remains dirty after vacuuming, consider the following possibilities:
- You may be vacuuming too quickly, causing dirt to stir up rather than collect. This can leave dirt suspended in the water, which will settle back down after some time.
- Your suction may not be strong enough to pick up all debris effectively. Consider shutting off other skimmers, or use a tennis ball to block off one skimmer to maximize suction on the vacuumed skimmer.
- Your filter may need backwashing, allowing dirt to escape back into the pool.
- Ensure you’re not vacuuming on the recirculate setting; this will send dirt back into the pool. Always use the filter or waste setting.
- Check for issues with your pump, such as a stuck impeller, which might be hindering performance. Switch off the pump, remove the strainer housing lid, and confirm that the impeller turns freely and is free of debris.
My Top 3 Pool Cleaning Tools
Here are three essential pool cleaning tools that I’ve found to be incredibly useful:
Step and Corner Vacuum Brush
This tool is invaluable for reaching areas that traditional vacuum heads cannot access effectively. The Aquatix Pro Pool Step & Corner Vacuum Brush is a great option.
Leaf Rake Net
If your pool often collects leaves, a reliable leaf rake or net is essential. The Stargoods Pool Skimmer Net is particularly effective at scooping up debris.
Robotic Pool Cleaner
While initially a significant investment, a robotic pool cleaner can save you time and effort. The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus is highly recommended across pool forums for its ability to clean not just the pool floor but also the walls and waterline.