The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Your Pool After a Pool Party
The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Your Pool After a Pool Party
Warm summer days provide the perfect setting for backyard raves and pool parties. Nothing beats the heat like spending the day swimming in cool, refreshing water and hanging out with friends. But once the last shell splash subsides and your guests go home, the not-so-fun part begins: cleaning the pool. So, to make cleaning up after your pool party even easier, we’ve put together this guide to help you get your pool back up and running as quickly as possible!
1. Clean and tidy your decks and patios
Storage boxes for pool party cleanup
Before treating your pool, clear decks and patios of clutter. Make sure all pool toys can be removed from the pool and give the pool float a quick rinse. Chlorine and other pool chemicals can eat away at the lining of your float over time, so it's a good idea to hose down and dry your pool float after each use. After all toys and floats are clean and dry, store them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Next, hose down the pool deck and patio to remove any debris and contaminants and prevent them from entering the pool. Use a pool brush to gently wipe away areas where food or drinks have been spilled. And be sure to spray water from the hose away from the pool!
2. Put back the pool equipment
Once your deck and patio are in order, it's time to turn your attention to your pool. Since you're a top-notch pool owner, we know you remember to get the chlorine to float out of your pool before guests jump in. Right? Now that the partygoers are gone, return the float to the water so it can do its job of disinfecting.
If you have an automatic pool cleaner, you can put it back in the pool to help with the next step, but you'll need to take it out later when you add chemicals to balance the water.
3. Skim, scrub, and vacuum the pool
Pool Brush for Pool Party Cleanup
Hopefully, you won't be too tired at the party, as this step requires some effort. Start by using a skimmer net to remove large debris from the water. Afterward, scrub the walls and floor of your pool with a brush to remove any dirt or algae. Don’t worry if your pool looks a little cloudy after brushing, that’s where an automatic pool cleaner or vacuum comes in handy. If you have a cleaner, let it run through a full cycle to remove dirt and debris. Or, if you have a hand vacuum, attach the hose and start cleaning slowly around the walls, floor, and steps of your pool.
4. Run pool pump and filter
Once the water is clear of all visible debris, turn on the pump and filter to begin circulating and filtering the water. Leave the pump and filter running continuously for at least 12-24 hours to ensure the water is thoroughly filtered and circulated. If your pool is particularly dirty or cloudy, you may need to run the unit longer. Check the skimmer and pump filter basket for any debris and empty it if necessary.
Leaving the pump and filter running for this long not only helps clean the pool water but also allows the newly added chemicals to fully integrate into the water. This brings us to the next step of pool party cleanup: testing, balancing, and shocking the water.
5. Test, balance, and shock water
With the pump and filter still running, test the pool water using test strips or a test kit and balance the following chemicals in this order:
Test Strips for Pool Party Cleanup
Total alkalinity: 80–120 ppm
pH value: 7.4–7.6
Calcium Hardness: 200–400 ppm
Cyanuric acid: 30–50 ppm
Once you've balanced the pool, it's time to bring out the big guns: the shock. Use enough calcium hypochlorite or sodium dichlorite shock to increase chlorine levels to approximately 10 ppm. This will provide your pool with ample sanitizing power, eliminating any remaining pool party contaminants. Remember to shock your pool at night to avoid UV damage and evaporation.
6. Start planning your next party!
Finally, once your yard is in order and your pool water is clean and balanced, it's time to plan your next backyard bash. Keep this pool party cleanup guide handy so you can keep your pool looking perfect all summer long.
