Pool Filter Maintenance

We all know cleaning and maintaining our pools is a definite must. If you let them go, it’s super expensive to bring them back— regular maintenance can save you lots of trouble, and money. This includes cleaning your filter!

How often you clean the filter really depends on how often the pool is used, and the size of the filter. I have a massive Pentair filter, it’s around 3 feet tall, and I clean it once a month. For smaller filters, you will want to clean them every 2 weeks. Cleaning your filter every week actually cuts back on how well of can effectively filter your pool water! For a filter to work well, it needs a base layer of dirt/ grime. The base layer acts like a dirt magnet, and small particles that usually slip through the filter will stick to the base layer. So, it’s ok to let your filter get a little gray, it just means it’s doing what it’s meant to do!

Cleaning a filter like mine is a pain. I have to take the cap off, heft out the filter, and then spray each pleat until it’s clean. However, I recently found a great way to clean my filter a bit quicker! In fact, I found an awesome filter cleaning tool on ToySplash.com,  that does a fantastic job of simplifying the task of cleaning the pool filter. It’s called the Water Wand, and it’s a hand held cartridge filter cleaner, by Swim Safe. It’s super easy to use, and has impressive results. You just attach it to your hose, and the individual sprayers clean each pleat for you! Pretty cool, right?

Aside from regular cleaning and maintaining, I also discovered a neat trick to doing an end of season deep clean on your filter. This involves a 5 gallon bucket, warm water, dish washer detergent, and 24 hours. However, summer just started, so I’ll save this for another time. Be sure to check back in the fall for this, especially if you’re one of the people who has to winterize their pool.

How do you tackle cleaning your filter? Any tips or tricks? I’d love to hear them… Comment below!