How to Clean an Extremely Dirty Pool

It's possible to clean a dirty swimming pool.

A swimming pool can be a great way to cool off during the hot summer months. However, a pool that is neglected for a long period of time can become extremely dirty. Always cover your pool in the winter and make sure you keep the correct amount and types of chemicals in the water to keep it clear and free of algae. However, if your pool has become dirty, there are ways to clean an extremely dirty pool.

Things You'll Need

• Pool net
• Pool brush
• Pool vacuum
• Pool testing kit
• Pool chemicals
• Algaecide

Instructions

1. Remove any floating debris from the water. Sticks, leaves and other debris make it impossible to swim in a pool. Debris can also clog your pool's filter. Fish any floating debris from the water with a long-handled pool net.

2. Brush the bottom and sides of the pool. Make sure to scrub algae from all surfaces of the pool. A long-handled pool brush can make this much easier. According to Pool Center, you should brush from the shallow end toward the deep end in overlapping strokes. In an extremely dirty pool, you may need to scrub each surface multiple times. The more algae you can scrub from the pool, the easier the final cleaning steps will be.

3. Vacuum the pool. This will remove any debris that were not floating on the pool's surface as well as all of the algae and other growth that you scrubbed from the pool sides and floor.

4. Test the chemical balance of the pool using a pool test kit. Record the alkaline level, pH level and calcium carbonate level. If any of these levels are outside of the range recommended for your chosen pool sanitizer, add the appropriate chemicals to balance the pool's chemistry.

5. Balance the chemistry of the water in the pool. According to Vision Pool Service, "You usually use chemicals different from your sanitizing system to adjust these values, but make no mistake--keeping these values in the correct range is just as important as your sanitizer itself." Commercial products are available to raise or lower any chemical levels that are not within an acceptable range. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when adding chemicals to your pool.

6. Filter the pool. Set your filter to run continuously. Backwash the filter to keep water flowing through it continuously. Check the filter daily and replace as necessary. When the filter is no longer removing a significant amount of contaminants daily, reset it from continuous mode back to its normal operation mode.

7. Add algaecide to the pool as a preventative measure. This will kill any remaining algae as well as help to prevent growth of any new algae in the pool.

Tips & Warnings

• Regular maintenance after cleaning an extremely dirty pool can keep it clean.

• Don't run your pool heater while cleaning your swimming pool. Warm water can encourage algae growth and make cleaning more difficult.

References

• Pool Center: Pool Janitor FAQ
• Vision Pool Service: Pool Cleaning Tips