Retaining a sparkling pool isn't as cumbersome as most homeowners think, but it does require a little bit of effort and hard work. The key to an immaculate pool is regular care and maintenance. While it makes sense to rely on a professional pool service to take care of murky water problems and to fix broken water pumps, you still need to do some things on your own to restore the clear sparkle of your pool. Follow these simple DIY tactics for routine pool maintenance.

Skim Debris

Skim the pool surface with your hands every few days to remove floating leaves and other accumulated debris. You should also use a leaf skimmer (a long-handle net) to remove bugs, leaves, flowers and other undesirable elements from the pool. Skimming for debris improves the pool's circulation system efficiency and reduces the chlorine amount for your pool.

Clean Pool Skimmer Baskets

Pool skimmer baskets are important parts of pool systems to prevent large debris from entering your piping. This will eventually prevent clogs and damage to equipment. Each pool has a few skimmer baskets. They are usually attached on the wall sides of pools aboveground. For in-ground pools, they are found in the pool deck. They must be cleaned regularly to help in circulation and reduce chlorine needs. You'll simply need to remove the skimmer basket and spray the inside with a forceful hose to extract stubborn debris. Replacement skimmer baskets can also be found easily at home improvement stores.

Ensure Regular Pool Vacuuming and Tile Brushing

Pools should be vacuumed weekly to keep your water clear. This also reduces the amount of chemicals necessary to keep it clean. If you have a manual vacuum, work it over the pool surface just like you would over a carpet. You should also brush your floor and wall tiles regularly to reduce the accrual of algae and calcium deposits. For fibreglass and vinyl walls, you may need a soft cleaning brush, while concrete pools require stiffer cleaning brushes to remove dirt. Tiles require soft brushes to avoid scratching and grout dislodgement. While this is an easy DIY task, it requires time, which you may not have. To avoid pool negligence when you're busy, consider hiring a professional pool service to maintain your pool regularly.

Keep you pH Level at 7

The water pH level is an indication of acidity or alkalinity of water at a particular time. A 7-pH level indicates neutral water. A level above 7 is an indication of alkalinity, while a level below 7 means that the water is acidic. Homeowners should aim for a pH level anywhere between 7 and 7.6. If you swim in water with a level above 8, you are in danger of acquiring skin rashes, while a level below 7 could cause eye stings. Heavy rain, lots of swimmers and undue use of chemicals can affect pH levels. There are special testing kits available at home improvement stores to test pH pool levels.

While these simple DIY tactics will preserve your pool brilliantly, a professional pool service may be necessary to undertake more complex repairs and maintenance work that are equally important for your pool from time to time.