Ensuring your swimming pool’s interior is fresh and clean during the summer is no easy task, however, most first-time pool owners take a sigh of relief when the fall rolls around; thinking pool cleaning is over with until next year.

However, if you live in Atlanta, you know just how mild fall and even winter can be in the SouthEast, which (unfortunately) means swimming pool cleaning season is never truly over.

Luckily, you can call on the experts at The Pool Butler to handle your swimming pool cleaning for you this season and beyond, which will allow you to rest easy knowing all cleaning, maintenance, and swimming pool repair tasks are taken care of by a team of reputable professionals.

With that said, some pool owners may feel the need to handle swimming pool cleaning on their own, and while this is never recommended — as improper cleaning can lead to massive issues and damage to your pool — there are a few tips you can follow to help you effectively keep up with pool cleaning this season.

Keep in mind, swimming pool cleaning is a demanding and continuous task that typically calls for at least 4 to 8 hours of one’s time every single week, depending on the size of your swimming pool. This is yet another reason why swimming pool cleaning is best left to the professionals, as most pool owners simply don’t have the time necessary to dedicate to the proper swimming pool cleaning plan.

Nonetheless, at The Pool Butler, we’re here to help. Which is why we’ll be exploring some expert pool cleaning tips to help those DIY’ers out there:

Assuring You Have The Right Swimming Pool Cleaning Gear

Unless you’re a swimming pool cleaning professional — like The Pool Butler — chances are, you will not own the proper swimming pool cleaning gear.

While this may put you at a disadvantage when it comes to making your pool sparkle during the fall season and beyond, there are a few pool cleaning items you can find at a pool-supply retailer that will provide you with adequate results when used correctly.

These items include:

Leaf And Debris Skimmer –

Known as the quintessential piece of equipment when it comes to swimming pool cleaning — mostly due to the fact that it’s the first item you think of when someone mentions pool cleaning — a leaf and debris skimmer is the first item you should look to add to your pool cleaning tool kit.

This long-handled net will allow you to properly skim your swimming pool’s surface for large leaves and pieces of debris such as twigs and insects that may have fallen in your pool by accident or due to a recent storm.

Swimming Pool Vacuum – 

Yet another important piece of equipment you should look to add to your pool cleaning arsenal is a powerful swimming pool vacuum.

Standard pool vacuums will connect either to your swimming pool’s circulation system or (in some cases) the vacuum itself may include its own power supply. This tool is paramount to suctioning out dirt and debris that has built up at the bottom of your swimming pool.

When it comes to vacuums, any swimming pool professional will recommend purchasing an automatic model, which makes the job of keeping your pool’s interior clean entirely more convenient while being powered by your swimming pool’s motor; sucking up debris on its own.

Floor And Wall Brush –

Often overlooked when it comes to swimming pool cleaning tools, a wall and floor brush is an integral piece of equipment for keeping swimming pool’s clean and sparkling.

Made of nylon-bristle, this brush allows you to properly clean the floors and walls of your swimming pool, no matter if your pool is a fiberglass, painted, or vinyl swimming pool.

Pool Algae Brush – 

For swimming pool owners with pools made of concrete, you may find it necessary to utilize a special algae brush, which includes stainless-steel bristles that make it possible to clean plaster walls of algae and dirt; a difficult task when attempting to use other brushes.

Tile Brush – 

Another specialty cleaning utensil, when swimming pools have tiled walls, it’s important to purchase a special tile brush.

This handheld brush is perfect for removing deposits such as calcium scale without harming the tile’s grout. For stubborn, hard-to-clean spots on tile, you can also use a pumice stone.

Straining, Skimming, And Vacuuming Your Swimming Pool

By far one of the fastest and most effective methods for keeping your swimming pool clean is to skim your pool by hand.

With simply a few once-overs you will be able to remove floating debris on your pool’s surface such as leaves and insects before they get a chance to sink to the bottom. This increases the efficiency of your swimming pool’s circulation system while effectively reducing the need for chlorine.

You can also enhance your circulation system’s efficiency by ensuring your pool’s strainer baskets are consistently clear of debris, which will provide your pool with sparkling results.

For a proper clean, you should remove any debris that may cause obstruction to the water flow from strainer baskets at least once each week. This is especially true if your vacuum is connected to a mechanical swimming pool skimmer. Typically a strainer basket can be found inside the pool’s deck, however, it may be attached to the side if your pool is above ground.

In addition to skimming and cleaning your strainer baskets, you should also ensure to vacuum your pool on a weekly basis in order to keep water clear and to reduce the need for the addition of chemicals to sanitize your swimming pool. For those with manual vacuums, you should work the vacuum back and forth while making sure to slightly overlap on each stroke.

Keep in mind, it might be necessary to clean your pool’s filter every time you vacuum, depending on the amount of dirt and debris in your swimming pool.

Cleaning Your Swimming Pool’s Walls

Thoroughly brushing the walls of your swimming pool on a weekly basis will help to rid your pool of everything from algae to calcium scale buildup before these substances can cause serious damage to your pool.

For concrete swimming pools, lined with plaster, it’s recommended that you use a stiff brush; while vinyl and fiberglass pools should be cleaned using a brush with soft bristles. Tile should never be cleaned with a brush that is either stiff or abrasive in order to avoid scratching the tile or damaging the tile’s grout.

In order to effectively remove water-line swimming pool scum, you can use a chlorine-based liquid that is nonabrasive along with a sponge or tile brush. Pumice stones and nylon scouring pads work great for removing stubborn spots. Keep in mind, you should always use a cleaner that is recommended by your swimming pool’s manufacturer.

Hiring The Pool Butler For Professional Swimming Pool Cleaning In Atlanta

Now that you’re aware of just how much work, time and equipment is needed to effectively and thoroughly keep your swimming pool clean, you may find the job to be simply out of the question with your schedule.

Luckily, you can ensure your swimming pool stays clean all year long by hiring a swimming pool cleaning company in Atlanta, like The Pool Butler. At The Pool Butler, we’ve been providing professional pool cleaning services — in addition to regular maintenance and repair — for Atlanta residents for years.

We’ve built our reputation on not only providing the best swimming pool cleaning services in the state of Georgia — which can provide you with sparkling results all year long — but the best in customer service and affordability as well. Let us handle all of your swimming pool cleaning needs, while you and your family focus on simply enjoying your pool.

Contact The Pool Butler today to learn more about any of our swimming pool cleaning, maintenance, or repair services, or click here to see what some of our past customers are saying about their experiences with The Pool Butler.