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Having a pool is a valuable asset, especially during the summer when you’re looking for a way to have fun and easily cool off. Many people love having a pool and love swimming, but like with most things, it’s the cleaning and maintenance that people tend to fall short on.

The problem is that if you love swimming and being in the water, it’s vital that you keep your pool clean, or else you can put yourself at risk. Dirty water is a prime breeding ground for all sorts of nasty algae, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms. If you slack off on cleaning your pool, then there’ll come a day when you can’t swim because it’s too dirty.

One of the reasons we often slack off on cleaning our pools is because it can require a lot of effort, and we often don’t have access to items like a pool vacuum, which simplifies the task exponentially. If you don’t have a pool vacuum for some reason or another, don’t worry. Here are some ways you can go about cleaning your pool without a vacuum.

Telescopic Poles

This is your one-stop-shop, Swiss Army knife of a tool when it comes to pool cleaning. As the name suggests, this is a pole that can extend and contract into itself so that you can reach down to the bottom of the pool and along the walls.

Additionally, the end is designed so that you can attach all kinds of different tools and attachments when it comes to pool maintenance. This includes nets for picking up various debris and objects that have fallen in, as well as brushes for scrubbing away muck and scum that may have built up along the walls and floor.

The size you get is, of course, mostly dependent on the size of your pool. Remember to take into account both how deep your pool is, as well as how wide your pool is, as you’ll want to be able to reach all the way to the bottom and to the center to make sure you can cover the full surface.

Also, remember that the longer the pole, the more unwieldy and difficult it can be to use, especially with the water resistance. For the average pool, we recommend that you get a pole that is 8 feet long when collapsed and 16 feet long when extended.

Skimmer Nets

Skimmer nets are probably the most common pool cleaning tool you’ve encountered, and you’ll use them more often than other tools. Whether you get the full net and pole setup or you purchase a net that can be affixed to your telescoping pole, you’ll have to choose between two types – flat skimmers and bag skimmers.

These two options both work quite well and will get the job done by scooping up any debris that may make its way down to the bottom of the pool. The difference is in their shape. The flat skimmer is a net that is pulled flat between the frame, while a bag skimmer is attached.

The bag skimmer can catch and carry more, so you can get more done in a single sweep, but with the flat skimmer, it’s easier to remove items, as debris doesn’t get caught up in the net, especially when the net of the bag is wet and clings to everything.

One final note – make sure you buy a heavy-duty skimmer net. Cheaply made ones break and tear very quickly, especially since you’ll be using pool skimmer nets so frequently. This is especially true if you live in an area where debris builds up very quickly or in large clumps, such as in an area with many trees where the leaves can pile up on the pool floor. It’s generally recommended that you skim the pool once a day to ensure that you remove the bulk of debris before it begins to build up at the bottom and cause issues with the quality and health of your water.

Pool Brush

Another tool you can purchase as one whole unit or as an attachment for that trusty telescopic pole is a handy pool brush. This brush does exactly what you think it does. You can scrub down the walls and floor of the pool, removing any muck, dirt, or algae that may be beginning to build up and form along the edges. The type of brush you use is important and varies depending on the type of material used to create the pool’s floor and wall surface.

• For unpainted concrete, you’ll want to use a brush with both nylon and stainless-steel bristles.
• For gunite surfaces, you’ll want to use a stainless-steel brush.
• For vinyl, fiberglass, or painted concrete surfaces, you’ll want to use a nylon brush.

Like your pool skimmer, make sure that you get a heavy-duty pool brush, as you’ll be using it fairly frequently, and when you do, you’ll be using it quite extensively. You don’t want a cheap option, as it will break easily and the bristles may break and come out. Also, the pool chemicals can have some nasty effects on the brush.

While you won’t be using it as often as the pool skimmer, you should aim to use your pool brush at least twice a week. The less often you do it, the more vigorous and in-depth your scrubbing will have to be. Make sure you cover all the walls and the floor as best you can with a general scrub.

Pay particular attention to the corners, ladders, steps, and other objects that might break up the relatively flat surface, as this is where algae tend to begin forming. Loosening it up makes it easier for your pool sanitizer to kill it.

Conclusion

You don’t need a fancy pool vacuum to enjoy the benefits of a pristine and crystal-clean pool. Sure, it makes the job a lot easier, but with these simple tools, you can get the job done well with a bit of elbow grease and attention to detail, as well as routine cleaning.