Pool cleaning supplies
Regular pool maintenance is vital for the health and longevity of your pool. Cleaning your pool requires several tools and a few that are interchangeable depending on whether you prefer to clean manually or use an automatic cleaner.
Check out these recommendations to understand what you need for pool cleaning, as well as learn some background information that will be helpful when you’re purchasing equipment.
Why should you clean your pool?
Cleaning is vital for sanitation and keeping your pool in good condition long-term. If you want your pool to be a safe place for family and friends to swim, keeping clean water is very important. Owning a pool is a responsibility, and you should maintain it with proper sanitation and pH levels. You must also focus on debris removal for an optimal swimming experience.
Pool cleaning supplies: A checklist
Pool filters
You’ll start with a pool filter, which you should run up to 12 hours per day. It will clean the dirt and debris from the pool water and cycle it back into the pool without contaminants. It’s crucial for sparkling water, but it’s not the only thing that matters. In addition to this, it will be necessary to clean your filter regularly to avoid build-up. You will also need to backwash (change the water direction) your filter occasionally.
Pool cleaner
You’ll want to clean your pool at least once per week. It gets rid of stubborn dirt or algae that sticks to the bottom and sides of your pool. There are a few different cleaners, including robotic, pressure and suction cleaners.
Brushes
Use a pool brush to keep the sides from collecting bacteria. It’s a brush with a long pole that you need to buy individually. The three types are nylon, steel and combination. Use it once a day to keep everything as clean as possible.
Net skimmers
Another essential task is manually removing leaves, twigs and other stuff that falls into the pool and sits on the surface. Use a net skimmer to get rid of these scraps so they don’t sit in the water. You can rotate the skimmer around the pool to grab larger debris and keep it from possibly clogging the filter.
Cleaning chemicals
Lastly, test your water weekly to make sure it’s balanced with the right amount of chemicals and pH levels. You may need to add chlorine or other products depending on the levels of alkaline, chlorine, phosphates, calcium, sanitizer and other chemicals. Your pool’s pH balance should be around 7.4-7.6, but always consult your pool manuals for exact pH and sanitizer amounts for safety.
Best vacuum pool cleaners
DOLPHIN Nautilus CC Robotic Pool
This highly-rated tool is a filter, vacuum and cleaner all in one. It’s a robot cleaner that will make pool maintenance a breeze and does most of the work for you.
Sold by Amazon
Polaris F9550 Sport-Robotic Pool Cleaner
This user-friendly pool cleaner has a remote control. The system makes it simple to create a cleaning schedule and lets you know when to empty the filter.
Sold by Amazon
Best pool brushes
The wall whale classic is a strong pool brush perfect for getting rid of dirt and debris. The fin helps to keep the brush close to the pool floor and sides.
Sold by Amazon
This Blue Devil is an inexpensive pool brush option. This model is suitable for cleaning corners, and it’s an excellent starter brush if you don’t want to spend a lot.
Sold by Amazon
Best net skimmers
Milliard Pool Leaf Skimmer Net
Overall, this skimmer is a budget-friendly option. The net is replaceable, making it easy to keep your pool clean without switching out the entire skimmer.
Sold by Amazon
The Hydro Tools skimmer is a good product for quick clean-up, although the shorter handle makes it ideal for hot tubs and smaller pools.
Sold by Amazon
Best pool cleaning chemicals
HTH 52032 Super Green to Blue Shock System
While this is not the only type of chemical you should have on hand for your pool, it helps eliminate algae and is helpful to keep around. It will shock the pool with chemicals to cleanse the water.
Sold by Amazon
These can help keep the right amount of chlorine in your pool, which aids in sanitation and keeping algae at bay. For use with a pool floater or feeder.
Sold by Amazon
HTH 67053 Alkalinity Up Pods Balancer
To keep your pool’s alkalinity levels balanced. It’s a very user-friendly item that you can simply place right into the pool when needed.
Sold by Amazon
Other products
This test kit helps you discover the levels of pH, chlorine and bromine in your pool water. It’s an affordable product favored by many. You’ll need something like this before adding chemicals to the pool.
Sold by Amazon
U.S. Pool Supply Pool Floating Collapsible Chemical Dispenser
The U.S. pool supply chemical dispenser is ideal for balancing chemicals in your pool and releasing the right amounts of chemicals at the correct times. You set it in the pool, and it will float around, releasing the appropriate amounts of chemicals.
Sold by Amazon
Hayward CL200 In-Line Automatic Chemical Feeder
The Hayward chemical feeder is similar to a pool floating dispenser, but it releases chemicals automatically and collaborates with other parts of the pool maintenance system.
Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Alex Loredo writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2021 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.