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Cleaning Equipment
 Along with the
joy, excitement and long lost relatives
that come with pool ownership there are
also the maintenance challenges. There
are many tools and items available to
make your pool owning experience less
troublesome. Even if you have an
automatic cleaner, you will need the
basic equipment. Telescopic pole, skim
nets, pool brushes and a
test kit are a must for
any pool owner. The following is a glossary with descriptions of swimming pool and spa
cleaning equipment.
 Telescoping Pole
The first
thing you need.
Tele poles, as they are
called, come in a variety of lengths and quality. The best ones are made from fiberglass,
but most are aluminum. They usually extend and then twist lock in place. Most tele-poles
have 2 holes at the end that are designed to accept a wide range of accessories that we
will discuss below.
 Vacuum Heads
 The easiest way to make a dirty pool look
good is a good vacuuming. All pools need to be vacuumed on a regular basis. The
vacuum
head attaches to the pole, and then a vacuum hose is attached to the vacuum head. The pole
and vacuum head are then lowered into the pool. Click onto “How to Vacuum My Pool” for
more information. There are two different types of vacuum heads. One has wheels and is
weighted for concrete pools (left). The other is designed for vinyl lined pools, and has brushes
instead of wheels (right).
 Vacuum Hose
In order to vacuum debris from the pool
walls and floor, you will need a
vacuum hose.
The vacuum hose connects to the vacuum head
and telescoping pole (both above). Then, lowered into the pool. You then need to fill the vacuum hose
with water, and then plug the end into the skimmer suction hole or a dedicated vacuum
line. The water and debris are pulled into the filter pump basket via the swimming pool
vacuum hose. After you vacuum, you will need to clean the basket and backwash the filter.
For more information,
Click Here.
 Leaf Traps
The
leaf trap is a canister that is placed at the
end of the vacuum hose just before the pool skimmer. Inside the canister is a large basket
that will trap the leaves and debris before the “pool trash” gets to the pump.
Great for leaves, acorns, pebbles and palm tree debris.
 Skimmer Nets
The most popular pieces of equipment around
the pool are the skim net
(left) and
leaf rake
(right). The skim net is a flat mesh net that attaches to
the tele pole. It should be used on a daily basis to remove debris floating on the pool
surface before it can sink to the floor. The leaf rake is also a mesh net, but is much
deeper. Great for scooping debris from the pool floor for a quick cleaning before guests
arrive for instance.
Pool Brushes
One of the most overlooked maintenance steps of
pool care is brushing. Swimming pools should be brushed at least
 once per week.
Brushing
removes algae and other films and dirt on pool walls and pool floors that can’t be
removed by vacuuming. A weekly brushing will avoid “slimy” walls and slick film
that is common with pools and spas. There are several types of pool brushes. Stainless
steel is perfect for plaster or concrete pools. Stainless brushes should not be used on
vinyl pools. Plastic bristle brushes can be used on any type of pools, and are ideal for
above ground and vinyl pools. There are also brushes designed for getting into pool
corners and steps. Don’t forget to brush your pool weekly!!
 Leaf Bagger
One of the best inventions for swimming pool
cleaning since the telescopic pole is the
Leaf Bagger. Sometimes called the Leaf Master,
The Leaf Bagger is a jet style vacuum that uses water pressure from your garden hose to
create a Venturi affect. The high pressure water pushes the debris into a large bag. The
leaf bagger is ideal for a quick spot clean or cleaning a pool floor full of leaves.
Available with a leaf bag, or a very fine mesh
bag.
 Stain Master
The
Stain Master is a siphon driven device that
can siphon muriatic acid from a bottle on the pool deck to a stain on the pool surface.
Sometimes called the Acid Wand. Perfect for small localized stains. Rust stains, leaf
stains, acorn stains. Read directions, and follow all safety guidelines.
 Pumice Stone
Another method for removing localized stains on
concrete pools is the pumice stone. Pumice is a light porous glassy lava stone that can be
rubbed over a pool stain to remove it. You can get a pumice stone that can attach to your tele-pole or a pumice stone that has a handle you can swim with. Works great on cement
stains, berry stains and paint.
 Tile Brushes
A clean tile band is a very
important part of the way your pool looks. As part of your weekly maintenance schedule,
you need to scrub the tile band with tile cleaner and a non abrasive brush.
Tile brushes
come in a variety of and shapes, or you can just use a plastic bristle brush.
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Pool Cleaning Equipment, Please click
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