Warm summer days have a way of inviting you to your fibreglass pool, especially if it is aesthetically pleasing and well-maintained. Over the cooler months, your pool may not have been used to a great extent. Sure, you might have kept it safe from dirt and debris, keeping it covered, but your pool could do with some summer prep. If you have children, they may be on their knees, begging to get into the pool at the first sign of warm weather. It’s a good idea to get your pool summer ready before this. These pointers will help you do this.
Give your Pool a Thorough Cleaning
The swimming season will soon kick into gear, and you don’t want your family waiting to plunge into a clean pool. You may think the pool is hygienic enough as it hasn’t been used, but make no mistake, it has to be given a once over with a cleaner. A robotic cleaner works fine, and if you have a self-cleaning system in your fibreglass pool, then you’re all set. In case you don’t have a self-cleaner preinstalled, you need to see that the surfaces of your pool are spotless and clean them manually. Brushing and vacuuming all surfaces will do the trick. Be sure to get at the spots that are hard to reach.
Handy Hacks
Like many folks, you may not have a great deal of time on your hands, so here are some pool hacks that might make your cleaning easier:
- The Leaf Blower is a Wonder – Turn on the leaf blower if you want to really speed up your cleaning. This will blow the leaves off your pool cover that may have collected over months. This is as important as cleaning the pool itself – if you let it be, the cover will breed algae and you’ll have trouble later.
- Pantyhose is Great for Debris – Debris may be in the form of dog hair, grass, and dirt. A skimmer basket may let these slip through. Line your skimmer basket with pantyhose to see that nothing gives you the slip.
- Tennis Balls Remove Oily Grime – Oil has a sneaky way of residing on fibreglass pool surfaces. All you have to do is throw two or three tennis balls into your pool. The plush, velvety tennis ball texture absorbs the oils. Oils are in the form of remnants of sunscreen, cosmetics, sebum, and sweat from previous use of the pool.
- Toothbrush and Baking Soda – Baking soda works wonders on bathroom tiles, so why not on pool tiles? On the tiles of the pool’s waterline, especially, baking soda is a great cleanser to ready your pool for summer. The water line is that area of the pool where the maximum amount of the force of the water is applied. Make a paste with water and baking soda. Use a sponge or a brush and get going! Tough spots and corners will get spic and span with a toothbrush, like if you want to remove grout around pool lights.
Check How Well your Pump Works
The first thing some experts believe you should do, even before you start the cleaning is to check on your pool pump. See that there aren’t any cracks in the pump. The filtration of the pump is also an integral part of the pump’s functioning. Check on that too. If, at any point, you are the least bit unsure of how your pool systems are working, calling in a team of pool repair technicians is a wise move. Hardware may have to be put right or replaced before you think of using your fibreglass pool.
Skimmer Box and Filter Cleaning
During long months of the pool being unused, skimmer boxes usually gather a large amount of debris. If you start to use your pool without cleaning it out, more debris will accumulate and make a mess. See that the filter isn’t choked with dirt. This will prevent the free flow of water, causing your pump to overwork itself and wear out soon.
Safety Measures
It’s a good idea to take a good look at your fibreglass pool‘s safety gear. If your pool has been left alone for a long duration, it makes sense to check on gates and fences of pools. See that they work, especially the gates. If there are stores of chemicals around, see that they are out of the reach of children.
Pool Chemicals Tested
It is imperative to get your pool’s chemicals to have an equilibrium so that it is safe for swimming. Pool chemicals should ideally be checked before every season. Regular fortnightly checks thereafter are mandatory as well. Again, if you aren’t certain of your pool’s chemical balance, you need to call in your maintenance team to professionally review it. The following should be considered before you dare to plunge in:
- PH Level
- Chlorine Level
- Hardness of Calcium
- Alkaline Level
- Stabilizer Level
A tip: Use a thick sock to act as your pool stabilizer. Typically, Cyarunic acid is used to maintain chlorine levels in the water, to prevent loss of chlorine due to sunlight. This tends to make the appearance of the pool water milky. This can look uninviting in a beautiful fibreglass pool. Throw a thick sock (tie one end with an elastic band) into your skimmer. The stabilizer will dissolve very gradually into your pool water. This will eliminate any cloudiness that appears as a result of it dissolving rapidly.
Clean your Pool’s Surrounding Area
To get your pool summer prepped, you need to take a long hard look at the pool’s environment too. This is especially crucial for the surface area that engulfs your pool. Surfacing tiles or flooring may have formed algae, staining, or even worse, cracks. According to the material used for the surface, there could be loose fittings or pavers and rot too. Decking and paving should be given a spotless cleaning. Anything that needs repairing should be tended to before summer starts.
Aesthetic Updates
Your pool furniture may have gone to the dogs if you’ve left it exposed. If it’s beyond repair, you may want to rethink just cleaning it. Think of investing in good daybeds, lounges, tables, chairs, and umbrellas. It is prudent to buy new furniture and maintain that in the future. You may have a glorious fibreglass swimming pool, but it won’t have any appeal without the right surrounding aesthetic.
