Regular cleaning and maintenance of your pool keeps the water clean and healthy, and helps you preserve your equipment over the long term. In this article, you'll find all the tips and tricks you need to adopt the right routine.
By establishing a weekly routine (or more frequently, depending on the number of bathers, how often the pool is used and the weather), you can take proactive measures before the water quality deteriorates too much.
On average, just 30 minutes of maintenance each week is all it takes to keep the water crystal-clear. All you’ll have to do is enjoy your swims!
In off-season, to prepare for active or passive winterizing of your pool, specific cleaning is required to protect your equipment from freezing.
There are only benefits to cleaning your swimming pool regularly:
When it comes to cleaning your swimming pool, a distinction is made between cleaning the water’s surface (to be done daily during the high season to remove leaves and insects) thorough cleaning weekly. The latter – which involves more thorough cleaning – covers the waterline, the bottom and the sides, which also need to be cleaned very regularly.
To keep your water healthy, you need to clean its surface daily of small impurities (insects, leaves) before they sink to the bottom. This will also limit clogging of your filter. To do this, use a telescopic landing net.
Define a maintenance day in the week and set aside 15 and 30 minutes to devote to your pool.
Start by cleaning the pump’s pre-filter after closing the valves.
There are several systems available to help you clean the bottom of your swimming pool.
Automatic cleaning : the advantage of a vacuum cleaner (hydraulic, pressure or automatic) is of course its autonomy and time savings! Depending on the model of your robot, the bottom of the pool is normally cleaned perfectly, while corners and edges often need to be brushed manually.
Manual cleaning : The vacuum broom (venturi broom) cleans the bottom of your pool while sucking dirt into the hose. The classic broom requires more time and elbow grease, and a landing net for the dirt, but it's a tried-and-tested method.
Tiled pool : to clean the bottom, use a brush or vacuum cleaner for larger surfaces. A more thorough cleaning is required when restarting your pool, using a high-pressure water jet such as a Karcher.
In addition to weekly maintenance, a thorough clean is required when the system is restarted and before it is put into storage for the winter.
The skimmer acts as a pre-filter before the water is drawn into the pump. It retains large impurities floating on the surface of the water. Regular maintenance is very important, because when the basket becomes blocked, the water no longer flows correctly to the filter pump, and the entire water filtration mechanism suffers.
Pour un nettoyage manuel, utilisez une brosse ou une éponge magique. En cas de saletés qui ne partent pas facilement, il existe des produits spécifiques pour le nettoyage des parois ou encore la pierre d’argent qui est efficace contre les tâches noires. Certains robots nettoient également les parois, mais cette solution plus coûteuse, ne vous dispensera pas complètement d’un brossage manuel notamment dans les angles et recoins.
However, avoid rubbing the walls too hard, especially if your liner covers the whole pool, as this could eventually damage it. Test in an inconspicuous area to find the right material, or ask your supplier for advice.
For salt water pools, regularly check that the cell is clean. Clean it if necessary. Finally, regular maintenance of the protective grille and heat pump fan is essential. Use a soft brush to remove impurities.
There are a number of manual and automated tools available for cleaning the bottom of your pool. Whatever the method, they are essential for regular pool maintenance.
Check the water level, which should be two-thirds of the way up the skimmer. Adjust it if necessary.
If you do not use a connected water analyser to monitor water quality, it is very important to check that the water is balanced. To do this:
Next, check the disinfectant level (chlorine, salt, bromine) using a suitable test strip or by measuring the ORP with an electronic tester or a connected water analyser such as ICO Pool. If necessary, add your usual product (chlorine tablets, salt solution, etc.).
ICO Pool V2 Essential + makes it easier to maintain your pool
Adjust the water filtration time according to the water temperature.
The rule is simple: filtration time = water temperature / 2
Depending on the measured pH, chlorine level, ORP and TAC, add your usual treatment products to adjust the disinfection (chlorine, bromine, salt, etc.), the pH (pH+, pH-) and the TAC (TAC+, TAC-)