Pools are all a little different, and so are their maintenance needs.  However, we’ll let you in on a little secret, ready? The secret to a sparkly clean pool is routine pool maintenance. Should you desire to tackle pool maintenance on your own, below are 5 tips that can help.

1. Skim the pool.  Skimming helps remove unwanted debris from the pool’s surface. This is important, not only for looks, but to make sure that debris doesn’t sink to the bottom of the pool and become much more difficult to remove.

2. Brush the walls.  Although the walls may look clean, regular brushing the walls helps remove algae buildup and calcium deposits.  The material of your walls will dictate the type of cleaning tools you should use to clean those walls.

3. Vacuum the pool.  Just like we vacuum the floors in the house, the floors of the pool also needs to be vacuumed.  Remember that debris that sunk to the bottom because you missed skimming the pool the other day?  Well, it’s time to get that debris out of the pool as well.

4. Check the filters.  Just like any other filter, the filter of your pool also needs to be checked and cleaned regularly.  Cleaning the filter involves remove the debris from the filter and then rinsing the filter before setting it back into place.

5. Check the water level. California is still suffering a drought, so chances are that you’re not filling the pool regularly. Low water levels in the pool can reek havoc on your pool equipment, pool walls and the overall structural integrity of the pool itself.  When filling your pool, always remember to be mindful of water usage and regulations in place to to assist with the drought.