HOW TO CLEAN A POOL AND PREPARE IT FOR SUMMER
How to clean a pool
Proper pool maintenance is crucial to being able to enjoy it in complete safety with no health risks at all.
Therefore, one of the initial steps is relying on the best construction materials such as Gres de Aragón extruded stoneware and clinker.
Besides being ultra-resistant, long-lasting and non-slip, covering your pool and the surrounding area with our material will ensure low maintenance and a near-zero porosity surface; in other words, an antibacterial surface which doesn’t absorb any stains or moisture.
But, once it’s built…how do you clean a pool? Gres de Aragón would like to offer a few tips to prepare your pool for summer and keep it impeccable throughout the season.
All pools, whether they operate with a skimmer or have an overflow edge (including “lake effect” pools or infinity pools), have a constant water renewal system that guarantees the surface always remains clean.infinity swimming pools), operate with a constant water renewal system, guaranteeing the surface always remains clean.
Despite this, and depending on the weather outdoors and maintenance done on the pool year round, the system may not be enough. Impurities may accumulate, first on the surface and then on the bottom. And that’s when cleaning the pool becomes essential to preventing the proliferation of all types of fungi, algae and other microorganisms.
In this post, we’re going to focus on some of the the most common problems when trying to figure out how to clean a pool: cleaning the pool bottom and cleaning the pool surface.
Keys to cleaning the bottom of your pool
Tips on how to clean a green pool without draining
If the pool cleaning process is not done periodically and throughout the year, a green tone in the water is normal with the passing of time.
This is because, as a result of the lack of daily cleaning of the water renewal and filtering system, the water becomes stagnant which causes the growth of algae on the walls and bottom. The proliferation of this algae gives it the green tone.
However, there are also other causes that can turn pool water green despite doing habitual maintenance.
A lack of chlorine, any problem in the filtering system, a very high temperature, errors monitoring the PH in the water and the use of inappropriate products for pool cleaning can also cause the water to go green.
Now that you know the causes, to clean a green pool in a sustainable way without draining it, we’ll give you all the steps to follow so the water will look crystal clear once again for completely safe use:
1. The first thing you have to do to clean a pool is check the pool filtering system, making sure it’s clean and works properly.
2. Then, you have to clean the bottom of the pool. The most comfortable and safest way to do it is using a robotic vacuum or a pool bottom cleaner for a quick and thorough cleaning. Having corner angles, corner coves and corner pieces such as those manufactured by Gres Aragón in the same finish as the tiling, which round the intersections between the walls and floor, truly makes the task easier.
3. The third step is cleaning the walls. The best thing when it comes to cleaning a pool is using an anti-algae brush with strong bristles as they adhere so well you won’t have to endlessly scrub and scrub. If your pool is tiled with Gres de Aragón material, no worries! It will remain intact despite any bottom and wall cleaning. And for treatment bioklinker treatment used on all Gres Aragón materials is antipathogen and helps keep your pool clean longer. Another advantage of our materials is the possibility of using smooth finishes on the walls which are compatible with non-slip bottoms. These finishes in places where non-slip surfaces are not necessary make cleaning so much easier.
4. This step is super important when cleaning a pool. Now’s the time to measure the pH in the water and test the alkalinity. Remember it should always be between 7.2 and 7.8; if it’s above or below this, you must use a specific product to balance it.
5. To get rid of all the algae and microorganisms for crystal clear water once and for all, you must do a shock chlorine treatment to clean the pool. It’s best to do so a couple of times. If there’s a large concentration of algae, 3 or 4 times is recommended. With this step and the previous one, the resistance of Gres Aragón materials really helps given that they can withstand chemical attacks in high concentrations, whether acid or basal. This means you can quickly complete the treatment without worrying about fading the look of the tiling.
6. Once you’ve finished all these steps for pool cleaning, it’s time to turn on the filter so it can begin working to remove the algae from the water. You’ll have crystal clear water after 4-5 days of filtering.
7. The final step is to again measure the pH in the water. Once it’s completely clean, you have to again make sure the pH is just right.
Clean the pool corners
To keep your pool absolutely clean, you must pay special attention to the corners. These areas tend to accumulate impurities and residue which can become a breeding ground for fungi and algae. The best way to clean the corners of a pool is by using a brush with strong bristles. Brush vigorously in several directions to make sure you get all the impurities off. You should also use a pool vacuum to help suction up any loose residue for more effective cleaning.
When it comes to Gres Aragón swimming pools (ACEPOOL), we have a series of special pieces (corner angles, corner pieces, corner coves...) to avoid sharp corners and create more rounded finishes. These characteristics make these areas more accessible and, therefore, easier to clean.
Recommendations for cleaning the pool surface
How to clean the pool coping
The coping or upper edge of the pool also needs special attention. This part can accumulate impurities, algae and chemical residue which affects the look and hygiene of the pool. To clean the coping, a specific pool cleaner or water with mild soap is recommended. Use an appropriate brush to prevent any surface damage. After brushing, rinse well with clean water to remove any remaining detergent or impurities.
Now that you know how to clean a pool and the bottom, you should do regular maintenance so it doesn’t get green again.
Besides keeping the filtering and pool renewal system active, you should also increase the surface cleaning. This is particularly true in spring/summer with all the pollen and mosquitoes.
In this case, you can choose a manual leaf net or a floating surface cleaner depending on your preferences. Do daily cleaning or space cleanings out a bit depending on the level of impurities, use and weather.
Here are a few documents with additional information on how to properly clean and care for non-slip ceramic tile pieces and a few generic tips on ceramic floor tile, depending on the type of stain.
IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT RENOVATING YOUR POOL AND YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THE BEST MATERIAL TO BUILD IT, DON’T THINK TWICE ABOUT CONTACTING US. WE’D BE HAPPY TO ADVISE YOU.