How to prepare your pool for spring

After a long, cold and wet British winter, it seems that spring is finally here – better late than never, we suppose. And as the days get longer and temperatures (gradually) start picking up, swimming pool and hot tub owners across the land all start to think about getting their pools back into tip top condition.

Clearing and cleaning your pool needn't be a pain – it’s simply a case of knowing what to do. Here are our top tips to get a pool back into shape:

Clean outside the pool

Before even thinking about your pool, you need to ensure that the surrounding area is clear from debris and looking good. Take a broom around the outside and prune any plant beds or overhanging trees that could cause any more mess in the next few months. Doing this will ensure you enjoy a fresh, enjoyable area in the coming months and won’t see any dead leaves or dirt making its way into a pool as you’re cleaning it.

Plus, be sure to clean all your pool equipment – there’s nothing worse than getting a fresh, clean pool murky with unwashed ladders and dirty swimming kit.

Check for cracks and damage

Hopefully if you've been caring for your pool and treating it throughout the winter you won’t have any new damage, but it’s important to take a detailed look at the edges of the pool as well as the pump and filter. Any areas that are damaged or worn will need to be replaced or fixed, and if you've noticed any scale or stains on the sides or bottom of the pool then give them a bit of shine with household cleaner and a pool brush.

Clean the cover

If your pool cover has done the job it’s meant to do, it should have a healthy accumulation of leaves, dirt and gunk on it which need removing. If you’re cleaning after a dry spell, this can be swept and hosed relatively easily, but wetter weather will have turned your cover into a gunky mess, which will require more intensive hosing using a pressure washer.

Fill the pool halfway

Next, fill your pool to the halfway mark and sift out any debris or dirt that didn't get cleaned from the floor, then get the filter running up to speed for about 16 hours. After that, you can test your pool using a kit and ensure that the chlorine content, pH level and alkalinity are at safe levels, and use the appropriate shock treatments to get it ready for use. Once you've tested again and it all looks good, then you’re free to take a dip! Enjoy!

For all the chemicals that you need to get your pool ready for the fun summer months, check out our spring pool starter kit at Online Pool Chemicals.

Image: Arnold Pools