How to vacuum a pool: expert tips to keep your pool spotless - Livingetc

You may not think of vacuuming a pool as part of the overall maintenance of your pool area, but it plays an important part in maintenance. How else would you clean up the dirt and debris that gets into the water and collects on the bottom of the pool?

In most cases, pool vacuums are separate items that you can purchase and attach to your pool for easy cleaning, but there are built-in vacuums that you can try to enhance your pool ideas and make cleaning easier.

Here we ask the experts to tell you what you need to know about vacuuming a pool and how to get the best results.

How to vacuum a pool step by step

Vacuuming is part of the process of cleaning a pool and keeping it looking and performing its best. This is like.

1. First brush the walls

While some people choose to brush the pool walls after vacuuming, My Perfect Pool's Adrian Harrison (opens in a new window) suggests doing that first. "To minimize the risk of algae, tank walls and floors should be brushed weekly," he says. "Be careful around steps and in corners. After brushing, allow the water to settle and then vacuum the pool.

"Attach a brush to the telescoping pole and give the bottom and sides of your pool a thorough clean," adds Alicia Johnson, cleaning expert and owner of Los Angeles-based Cleaning Green LLC (opens in a new tab) . "The more effort you put into it, the cleaner it gets."

2. Assemble the equipment

"Just attach the vacuum head to your telescopic pole to get it ready for your pool cleaning," says Alicia, but now is also the perfect time to make sure your pool vacuum is in good working order. "If the skimmer basket is clogged with leaves and debris, the vacuum will have less suction," says Adrian. "Clean the skimmer basket before vacuuming to ensure the vacuum is 100 percent working."

3. Connect the suction hose

"Now you need to connect one end of the hose to the vacuum and the other end to your vacuum plate on the skimmer," says Alicia of Cleaning Green LLC.

4. Change filter settings

One of the most frequently asked questions about pool vacuuming is what setting to set the pool filter to.

"If you're looking for a lightweight vacuum, you might want to leave the filter setting on the diverter valve on 'Filter,'" says Alicia Johnson. Set your filtration system to the waste setting. This feature directs all water straight to the drain.'

Adrian Harrison agrees: "Using the 'Filter' setting on a dirty pool, say with algae, means the filter will quickly become clogged and need to be cleaned out."

5. Start vacuuming

The vacuuming process itself is as simple as vacuuming the carpet in your home. "Just as you would move the vacuum to clean a carpet, you move the pool vacuum in a slow and steady linear pattern," explains Alicia.

The emphasis here is on slowness. "A lot of pool owners vacuum quickly," says My Perfect Pool's Adrian Harrison, "but that only picks up debris that's settled on the bottom of the pool." Instead, move the vacuum slowly. It's much more efficient.

"If your pool is very dirty, you may need to make a few stops between cleanings to drain the pump filter before proceeding," adds Alicia.

You need to repeat the process until all the debris and dirt on the bottom of the pool is gone.

6. Put away your vacuum cleaner

Once you're done, you can put your vacuum cleaner away. "Start by unplugging the hoses and suction head, and also make sure to clean the bottom of your skimmer," says Alicia of Cleaning Green LLC. "If you change your filter pump's default settings, you must reset it."

(Photo credits: Jacob Burghart and Cris Nolasco)

What do I need to vacuum a pool?

You need certain equipment to successfully vacuum a pool, including:

Squeegee: " The type of squeegee you need depends entirely on the type of pool you want to clean," says Alicia. "You can always call your local pool professional for advice on vacuum head selection."

Suction Hose - Depending on the size of your pool, you will need a medium or long suction hose to ensure you can cover all corners.

Telescoping Pole: " Most telescoping poles on the market are a standard size and easily attach to a vacuum head, net, or pool brush," explains Alicia.

Skim-Vac - This kit helps with most above and below ground cleanings and allows you to use your pool's skimmer basket instead of the pool pump, which you would have to turn on and off manually.

How do you clean the bottom of a pool without a vacuum?

If you don't have a pool pump and filter to power a pool vacuum, there are alternatives you can try. "There are amazing alternatives, cordless vacuums and garden hose vacuums," says Adrian Harrison. "Cordless vacuum cleaners are particularly good at picking up fine dust. Garden hose vacuums use the pressure of the hose to suck up dirt. It is collected in a net.

It is also possible to get canister vacuum cleaners and cleaning robots. However, for a low-tech alternative, simply use a standard broom brush to sweep up any debris in a corner of the pool. You then have to dive into the water and use a dust pan and a brush to remove dirt.

Try Adblock (Why?)