No one wants to swim in a pool with dirt, leaves, or algae. These spread germs to the swimmers and cause diseases. It is mandatory for a pool owner to clean the pool thoroughly to maintain hygiene. Cleaning floating particles with sieves or other tools is not so difficult.
But the challenge comes with cleaning the bottom of the pool. Many people think it is rocket science to clean the pool surface bottom but some people find it troublesome. But if you know how to clean the bottom of a pool properly, it won’t be that challenging and this is an important part of pool maintenance.
Why is Cleaning the Pool bottom Important?
Chlorine and shock users often think about why they should clean the bottom as they are sanitizing water. Well, think of it this way. When you take shower with shampoo or soap, icky soap scum build-up though these are cleaning materials.
Similarly, when using shock or chlorine, it keeps the water sanitized and clean. Yes, it keeps the wall and bottoms free from germs as well. But it won’t keep your pool floor clean forever. Slowly, dead algae and dust will grow up in the bottom. Leaves will accumulate in the bottom as well. Also, shock and chlorine do not clean leaves or debris. Clean pools are also helpful for healthy chlorine levels.
So, no excuse! Cleaning the bottom is extremely important.
How to clean the bottom of the pool without a vacuum
If you don’t have a vacuum, even then it is possible to clean the bottom. Follow any of these methods.
1. Leave rake
A leaf rake is a simple yet effective tool to clean large dirt such as leaves, or flower petals. Remember to gently and carefully clean the bottom to prevent any scratches. Also, collect the debris before removing it for the best result.
2. Brush
The brush is the most traditional way to clean debris, algae, or leaves from the bottom. Pick the right pool brush for scrubbing the bottom. For instance, a bristly brush will be suitable for hard and concrete floors. Similarly, for vinyl lenient lining surfaces, a rubber or softer nylon brush is perfect.
3. Tennis ball
To remove lotions or oil coming out from swimmers, use a tennis ball. Simply throw a few tennis balls and wait for a few hours. These balls will collect all the oil or lotions magically. When these balls look dirty, replace the ball.
4. Shock
You can shock your pool as well to kill germs or kill algae from the bottom. For that, follow the methods below.
- Use precautions such as gloves and goggles
- Create a mixture of one pound of shock to 5 liters of water.
- Apply it to your pool
- Open the filter and keep it running for at least 12 hours
- Use a clarifier to remove cloudiness from the water
- For excessive algae or dirt, double the dose
How to Bring Out and Clean Stones from the Bottom of the Pool
If the little stones sunk under the pool then we will suggest you use a sweeping brush with a long hand and push those pebbles. When you accumulate all of those pebbles then use a dustpan (also with a long hand) shown below.
You will use it because a vacuum won’t be either strong or applicable to pick up stones. Besides, when you will use a vacuum then this may cause damage by stones. Last but not least, the stone you want to collect or remove from the pool sounds awkward when you will use the skimmer.
How To Clean Dirt From The Bottom Of The Pool?
How do I get the dirt off the bottom of my pool? If this question arises in your mind, this chapter will help to answer that with a step-by-step guide to removing dirt from your pool bottom.
01. Brush Your Pool
It’s a good idea to start by brushing up every side of your pool. Use a pool brush to scrub the pool walls to let the dirt loose into your pool bottom. Don’t hesitate to brush the pool bottom in this stage, which will stir up the dirt into water. Your filter can easily remove some of the dirt. Brushing up the bottom will also reduce the stress of your pool vacuum as it will break down the sticky dirt.
02. Fish Out The Large Debris With A Pool Net
Remove large specks of dirt like leaves, stones, and other debris from the bottom of your pool using a pool net. We recommend you fish out as much as those chunks of dirt with a pool net. In this way, you can prevent the pool filter from getting clogged by those leaves & dirt. As a result, the pool filtration system can efficiently pick up the tiny particles & dirt from the bottom to leave your pool sparkling clean.
03. Set Your Vacuum Either On Filter or Waste
Set your pool vacuum to Filter if there is a small amount of dirt left on your pool bottom. On the other hand, we recommend you set your vacuum to Waste if the pool bottom is jammed with a lot of dirt & particles.
Note: The Waste setting of your pool vacuum allows water to enter the filter. So, you must bypass the filter media to send the water out of your pool filtration system.
Keep in mind that vacuuming your pool on the waste setting will bring the water outside of your pool. It means the level of your pool will go down when you use the Waste setting. So, you need to top up your pool with water. Connect the hose with your pool and fill up your pool with water.
04. Attach Your Vacuum To The Hose
Attach one end of the hose to your vacuum head and leave the other end of the hose to your pool. Hold your vacuum vertically to let the air out of your hose. You can see the water bubbles up, which means the air is getting out of the hose. When the bubbles stop, connect the hose with your pool skimmer.
05. Turn On Your Pool Pump
Ensure you set your multi-port valve to Filter or Waste. If you set it to the Waste setting, you should open the waste outlet valve to allow water to flow out. Then, turn on your pool pump.
06. Start Vacuuming Your Pool
Now, vacuum the bottom of your pool gently to pick up dirt from the bottom. Don’t try to make the vacuuming process faster as it will disturb the dirt and settle on the bottom later. It means you need to vacuum your pool again.
You will notice significant water level dropping if you vacuum your pool using the Waste setting. In this case, you need to stop the vacuuming process halfway and top up your pool with water. Then, restart the vacuuming process.
On the other hand, you will lose suction if you set the vacuum to Filter and vacuum your swimming pool with it. This is because the filter gets clogged by dirt & debris. To regain the suction, backwash your filter to release the blockage.
Don’t forget to inspect the strainer basket in the pump housing if you lose suction when vacuuming on the Waste setting. If it gets filled with dirt & debris, clean the basket.
07. Turn Off Your Pool Pump
Once you vacuum out all the dirt, debris, and particles from the pool bottom, turn the pool pump off. Then, detach the hose from the vacuum head. Lastly, pull out both the vacuum and the hose from your swimming pool.
Note: If you have a sand filter, backwash it by turning the pump on for a few minutes. Then, turn the pump off and set the sand filter to Rinse.
On the other hand, you need to clean the filter manually if you have the cartridge filter. Once you clean it, put it back and set the valve to Filter.
How To Clean Bottom Of A Pool Using Multiport Valve On A Pool Filter
If you have a sand filter or a DE filter, you can easily get rid of dirt from the bottom of your pool with ease. The multiport valve of your filter will make it easy to remove every speck of debris from your pool bottom.
The multiport valve of your sand filter has different settings: Filter, Waste, Backwash, Rinse, and Recirculate. Each of the settings is used to meet different purposes.
Among them, the Filter and the Waste settings will help you remove dirt & dust from the pool bottom. Below, we will let you know how to use these settings to clean the bottom of your pool.
Using The Filter Setting:
The Filter setting of your sand filter is the primary or default function to clean your pool water. Just turn your multiport valve to Filter. Then, this filter will eat tiny particles and dirt to keep your pool bottom crystal clear. It can even filter out bacteria depending on the type of pool filter you have.
Using the Waste Setting:
The sand filter will make it easy to remove dirt from the bottom of your pool when vacuuming your swimming pool. Just set the multiport valve to Waste. Then, your pool filter will suck away leaves, particles, and other debris from the pool bottom. Keep in mind; that you must bypass the filter media as the Waste setting allows the water to enter your pool filter.
Note: The water level of your pool will drop when you filter your pool on the Waste setting. So, insert a hose into your pool before beginning the vacuuming workflow to top up your pool swimming pool with water. Also, you need to balance the water later after completing the vacuuming process.
Other Tips to Clean the Bottom of Your Pool
Maintaining the Chemical Levels in Your Pool
Chemicals are undoubtedly one of the most vital aspects of pool care. Water that is out of balance looks murky, irritates the skin and eyes, and breeds bacteria. So, in such cases, you can test your pool water at least once every week to have a clean-looking pool bottom.
Here are some of the chemicals that you can consider for your pool:
Cyanuric Acid: Chlorine is protected from sunlight by cyanuric acid. Outdoor. This helps to keep the bottom of your pool clean, safe, and germ-free.
Acidity and Alkalinity: A balance of acidity and alkalinity is required to avoid the pool bottom from degrading.
Calcium hardness: Proper calcium hardness prevents plaster deterioration. Aim for 220–350, but less for vinyl-sided pools. This will keep your pool shiny and classy.
It’s simple to test your pool water. Get some testing kits and fill them with pool water. Close the vials and add the solution to your testing kit. After some time, you’ll notice the sample water changes color, allowing you to compare it to the colors on the testing kit.
Adjust the values to achieve the ideal balance. Well-balanced water should have crystal clear, unscented, and leave no residue on the skin. So, in this way you can look after your pool, especially the bottom.
Try Baking Soda
Pool chemicals may be pricey, so baking soda can be an affordable option to maintain the bottom of your pool.
Most pool stores recommend using sodium bicarbonate to manage alkalinity without lowering the pH. In fact, normal baking soda works just as well as sodium bicarbonate at a quarter of the cost.
Every baking soda carton has “sodium bicarbonate” listed as an ingredient. So, now, if you have a tight budget, that shouldn’t affect the beauty of your pool as you have baking soda to help you out.
An Absorbent Tennis Ball
When most people think of tennis balls in their pool, they imagine a “catch” game. However, these gadgets are multi-purpose. For instance, when you jump to your pool, sunscreen, hair products, and natural skin oils can all be left in your pool water when swimmers exit the pool.
So, to take all these oils out of your pool, toss a simple tennis ball in the water. The tennis ball’s fibers will assist absorb oils and create a slick sheen on the water.
Hand Method
The common problem with swimming pool owners is not cleaning the pool constantly. The cleaning process is not for holidays only, whenever you will find a little amount of trash feel free to clean. As it is easy to clean the small amount of debris so you can use your bare hands. You don’t need to apply a vac for that instead, you may use a firm brush and a gentle brush. By the way, you can attach a garden hose to it.
Tips to keep your pool bottom clean
Prevention is always better than cure. Follow these maintenance tips to prevent algae, dirt, and leaves from growing in your pool.
- Clean the filter and pump regularly since these two play the most vital role to keep your pool clean.
- Test your pool water regularly to get an idea about your pool condition
- Shock or sanitize your pool regularly to prevent algae and germ buildup
- Try manual cleaning on a regular basis
- Keep an eye on your pool to know its condition
Final word
We all want to swim in a fresh and hygienic pool. The dirt bottom of your pool can spread germs and make people ill. Cleaning regularly is the only solution, but unfortunately, most people ignore cleaning the bottom of the pool. Without cleaning the bottom, keeping your pool in good shape is impossible. We have explained several ways; some are convenient where some are effective for special purposes. So use any methods you find helpful and comfortable and keep your pool clean always.