How to Clean a Pool Manually: No Need for Automation

Maintaining a clean swimming pool is one of the most critical aspects of pool ownership. It’s not just the pool water that needs testing, but the actual pool itself should always be as clean and clear of debris as possible.

While automatic pool cleaners and robots are available, they might not currently be in the budget. Not to worry, however, as you don’t need automation to get your pool spotless! It’s fairly simple to clean a pool manually.

Getting the Right Pool Cleaning Equipment

Before scrubbing and brushing can occur, you will need to gather the necessary equipment. The good news is you may already have what you need. If you don’t, here are the basics needed:

Telescopic Pole

The telescopic pole will be your jack of all trades and the central part of the manual pool cleaning process. It is a nearly universal attachment to your brush, skimmer net, and vacuum (ensure they all can attach to the pole you buy).

These poles can range from 2 feet and extend up to 20 feet long! However, any extension between 12 and 16 should be enough to reach every corner of your pool.

Pool Brush

The pool brush is an attachment to scrub your pool’s walls, floors, and steps. It will disperse dirt, algae if it’s on the walls, and other organisms into the water so the pool’s chemicals and filter can take care of it.

It’s essential to take note of the different kinds of brushes. Depending on the type of pool surface you have should determine what type of brush.

• Nylon brush: Nylon brushes should be used for vinyl, fiberglass, and painted concrete pools
• Stainless steel brush: These should be used on gunite and unpainted concrete pools, though you can also use nylon on unpainted concrete surfaces if you prefer

Skimmer Net

A skimmer net will most likely be the most used cleaning tool. While it typically works best attached to a telescopic pole, you can use it as-is to skim the surface of your pool if it’s reachable.

Use it to scoop out any debris that can fit in the net: remove leaves, frogs, bugs, worms, dirt, grass clippings, you name it!

There is a bit of variety of choices regarding skimmer nets. You can get more durable, heavy-duty nets if you have a lot of leaves during the season.

Also, using a flat surface skimmer is recommended, making it a bit easier to scrape the bottom of the pool.

Vacuum Head and Hose

Vacuuming will be the most important part of cleaning the pool. It gets everything else out of the pool and into the filter that the skimmer net may have missed. Typically, manual vacuums come in two types:

• Roller (on wheels): Typically used for concrete and gunite pools. It also can be used with fiberglass.
• Brush: Used for vinyl and fiberglass pools.

Almost all manual vacuum setups require a pool hose that attaches to the suction portal of the skimmer housing. This sucks any debris and organics directly through your filtration system, from the pool pump to the filter and then back into the water.

Sometimes debris gets caught in the pump, which can cause some issues with the impeller and motor. We recommend manually vacuuming with a skimmer vacuum plate and socks. Putting a sock around the skimmer basket and laying the plate on top will catch the more oversized items before they can get to the pump.

The Manual Pool Cleaning Process

Cleaning the pool is pretty simple; it might just take a few hours, depending on how big and dirty the pool has gotten. Typically, the cleaning process is as follows:

1. Empty the skimmer baskets: Take the baskets out of the skimmers to empty all the leaves and debris caught.
2. Skim the pool surface: Use the skimmer net attached to the telescopic pole to remove leaves, insects, and other debris from the water’s surface. The goal is to get the water as clean as possible and remove the oversized items that might not be able to fit into the pool skimmers.
3. Brush the walls and floor: Attach the brush and scrub the walls, floor, and steps of the pool. You want to scrub every inch of the pool surface to disrupt any dirt, debris, and potential algae that could be present in the water. This includes a scrubbing of the tile line. If it is easier, remove the brush from the telescopic pole for better leverage.
4. Vacuum the pool: Lastly, attach your pool vacuum head to the pole and the hose to the skimmer. If you use a vacuum plate and socks, set those up before attaching the hose. This process should be slow and methodical to ensure all contaminants get picked up.

Don’t Forget the Filter!

You aren’t done yet! As the water clears from dirt and debris, your pool’s filter may show signs that it is “full.”

It might make more noise or decrease water pressure back into the pool. A sure sign that it’s time for a filter cleaning is its pressure gauge reads 8-10 PSI higher than normal ranges.

Depending on what type of filter you have — sand, Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.), or a cartridge filter — will determine if it needs to be backwashed or cleaned.

Turn off the pump and clean it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once that is complete, your pool should be as good as new!

Keeping Your Pool Clean

Ultimately, a deep pool clean should be part of a weekly routine (except for the filter, which can be done on an as-needed basis).

If skimming or brushing is needed almost daily based upon factors out of your control, it might be time to start thinking about a pool robot to save you some time and energy.

Lastly, a clean pool also means the decking and surrounding areas. Pressure-washing the deck, blowing the leaves, and cutting the grass are all part of making your pool look great!