Pool Cleaning Explained: Everything You Need To Know
A comprehensive guide to pool cleaning — types of cleaning, frequency, DIY vs. professional service, and what it takes to keep a Phoenix pool clean year-round.
Pool cleaning sounds simple, but it covers a broad range of tasks — from skimming leaves off the surface to rebalancing water chemistry after a dust storm. Understanding what “cleaning” actually involves helps you maintain your pool effectively and know when professional help makes sense.
The Components of Pool Cleaning
A properly cleaned pool involves four distinct categories of work: physical cleaning, chemical treatment, filtration maintenance, and equipment checks. Skipping any one of them leads to problems eventually.
Surface Skimming
The most visible task. Skimming removes floating debris — leaves, insects, pollen, dust — before it sinks and decomposes. In Phoenix, this is particularly important during:
- Spring — palo verde trees drop massive amounts of seed pods and flowers
- Monsoon season — dust storms deposit a layer of fine sediment on the water surface
- Fall — deciduous trees drop leaves into pools that aren’t screened
Skimming should happen at least weekly, and more often during heavy debris periods. A clean skimmer basket is equally important — a clogged basket reduces circulation and strains the pump.
Brushing
Brushing the pool walls, floor, steps, and waterline prevents algae from establishing a foothold. Algae attaches to surfaces before it becomes visible in the water. Regular brushing disrupts that attachment.
Key brushing targets:
- Waterline tile — prevents calcium and organic buildup
- Walls and floor — especially shaded areas and corners where circulation is weakest
- Steps and benches — textured surfaces trap algae
- Behind ladders and around fittings — often missed during casual cleaning
Use a nylon brush for plaster and pebble surfaces. A stainless steel brush is appropriate only for bare concrete or heavily scaled plaster — never use steel on tile, vinyl, or fiberglass.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming removes debris that has settled on the pool floor — dirt, sand, leaves, and organic material that the skimmer can’t reach. There are three common methods:
- Manual vacuum — connected to the skimmer suction line, you move it across the floor by hand. Thorough but time-consuming.
- Automatic suction cleaner — attaches to the skimmer or dedicated suction line and moves around the pool independently. Good for routine maintenance.
- Robotic cleaner — self-contained unit with its own motor and filter bag. Most efficient for regular use, no impact on the pool’s filtration system.
For heavy debris loads — post-monsoon dust, for example — vacuuming to waste (bypassing the filter and sending water directly to drain) is often the most effective approach. This prevents overloading the filter with fine particulate.
Chemical Treatment
Physical cleaning removes visible debris. Chemical treatment handles what you can’t see — bacteria, algae spores, and mineral imbalance. The core parameters:
- Free chlorine (FC): 2–4 ppm — the active sanitizer
- pH: 7.2–7.6 — controls chlorine effectiveness and surface protection
- Total alkalinity (TA): 80–120 ppm — buffers pH against rapid swings
- Cyanuric acid (CYA): 30–50 ppm — protects chlorine from UV degradation
- Calcium hardness: 200–400 ppm — prevents plaster etching or scale formation
In Phoenix, CYA and calcium hardness tend to climb over time due to evaporation and the mineral content of city water. This is why periodic drain and refills are necessary — chemical treatment alone can’t reduce dissolved solids.
How Often Should You Clean Your Pool?
At minimum:
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Skim surface | 1–2x per week |
| Brush walls and floor | 1x per week |
| Vacuum or run auto cleaner | 1–2x per week |
| Test and adjust chemicals | 1–2x per week |
| Clean skimmer and pump baskets | 1x per week |
| Inspect and clean filter | Monthly (or by pressure gauge) |
| Full chemical panel test | Monthly |
During heavy-use periods (summer in Phoenix), increase frequency across the board. A pool used daily by a family needs more attention than one that sits idle.
DIY vs. Professional Service
DIY Makes Sense When:
- You have reliable test equipment (not just strip tests)
- You understand chemical relationships (not just individual readings)
- You have time for weekly maintenance — consistently, not sporadically
- Your pool is relatively simple (no salt system, heater, or automation)
Professional Service Makes Sense When:
- You want consistent, reliable results without the time investment
- Your pool has complex equipment (salt cells, variable-speed pumps, automation, heaters)
- You’ve had persistent water chemistry problems
- You travel frequently or have seasonal schedule gaps
- You’d rather spend your weekend in the pool than maintaining it
The most common failure point in DIY pool care isn’t knowledge — it’s consistency. A pool that gets great attention for three weeks and then gets ignored for two weeks will develop problems every time.
Common Mistakes
- Adding chemicals without testing first — guessing leads to overcorrection and cascading imbalance
- Ignoring the filter — a dirty filter means poor circulation, which means poor sanitation, no matter how much chlorine you add
- Only cleaning what you can see — algae starts on surfaces before it colors the water
- Running the pump too few hours — the entire pool volume should turn over at least once per day
Want reliable pool cleaning in Phoenix without the guesswork? Contact Splash Mob Pools for weekly service that covers every aspect of pool maintenance.
