- 1). Remove leaves and other floating items the old-fashioned way: by hand. Just skim your hands through the water to pick up junk before it sinks or gets clogged in the plumbing. At least once a week, clean leaves out of the pool's strainers (the baskets that catch debris).
- 2). Prevent problems by brushing your pool walls weekly---it takes less work in the long run if you remove algae and other culprits early. Use a soft brush on tile or fiberglass walls and a stiffer brush on the walls of plaster-lined pools. If you need more oomph, use a nylon scouring pad and a liquid cleaner available from a pool-supply store.
- 3). Vacuum each week to keep the pool water clean. Cover the entire bottom of the pool with your vacuum strokes.
- 4). Keep your pool water sanitized to reduce algae and bacteria. Liquid chlorine is the most common sanitizer, although there are other, newer methods. Use a test kit to tell when you need to add chlorine---some people have to add it daily during high-use months.
- 5). If your pool water is cloudy, check your filter and clean it, if necessary. Different steps are required to clean sand, diatomaceous earth and cartridge filters (see Resources below).