No matter how big or small your pool may be, it is important to keep it clean and free of debris and organic growth. This can of course be done with an automatic pool cleaner; however, it is also important to learn some valuable manual cleaning techniques in order to keep up a regular maintenance routine. Have a look at The Pool Team’s top manual cleaning tips and equipment recommendations.
Poles
The first thing you will need is a pole to attach either a brush or a manual vacuum to. The Aqua Pro Extendable pole is a great option as the pole extends to easily access those hard-to-reach areas of the pool, ensuring the entire pool is clean.
Leaf Skimmers
A vital part of regular pool maintenance is manually skimming the leaves and debris off the surface of the pool. If these leaves are left to float for too long, they will eventually sink to the bottom of the pool and can potentially cause staining of the pool floor and walls. The Pool Team recommends using The Aqua Pro Leaf Skimmer or Aqua Pro Leaf Rake to remove these leaves at least once a week. The Aqua Pro Leaf Skimmer is a shallow net that can be used to skim the surface of the water, whereas the Aqua Pro Leaf Rake is a deeper net that can be used to skim leaves not only from the surface, but from the pool floor as well. Simply attach the leaf skimmer or leaf rake to the extendable pole and skim the surface of the pool, catching all the leaves in the net.
Brushes
Regular brushing of the floor and walls of the pool is a necessary task when it comes to maintaining a pool. Dust and debris accumulate in a pool and over time, settle to the pool floor. Brushing the dust away prevents it from staining the pool floor. It is also important to brush away bacteria from the walls of the pool in order to eliminate and prevent algae growth. Simply attach the Aqua Pro Curved Brush to the extendable pole and brush away all the dust and bacteria. A stainless-steel brush can be used to thoroughly clean the mosaics or when resurfacing the pool, however, this brush should not be used for general maintenance as it can damage the surface of the pool.
Manual Vacuums
Manual vacuums are handy pieces of equipment for pool maintenance. A manual vacuum creates more suction than an automatic pool cleaner and can therefore be used when there is either too much debris for the pool cleaner to effectively collect or when the debris is too fine or too big for the pool cleaner to collect. A manual vacuum should also be used after adding a flocculant to the pool. After a flocculant has been added, all the dirt and debris will coagulate and sink to the bottom of the pool. If it is not removed by a manual vacuum on the waste setting, it can damage the pool cleaner as well as the filter. Simply attach an Aqua Pro 8 Wheel Sweeper to an extendable pole, attach the pool cleaner hoses to the 8 Wheel Sweeper, turn the system to waste and vacuum away! Watch this video to learn more on how to manually vacuum a pool.
Pro Tip
Use a HI Vacuum Sweeper to manually vacuum your pool as well as brush away the dirt and debris from targeted areas at the same time!
Contact a professional at any of The Pool Team stores for further advice on your manual pool cleaning solution. We stock all the parts you may need at all our stores!
