Cleaning the pool is something we would love to leave to the professionals like the people do on television. The costs of employing a professional pool cleaning service can really add up over the course of the season making this an unattractive option for most. While it is not the best job in the world, keeping your pool clean is far from torture.

To clean the surface of your pool, a leaf rake is employed. Now I am not talking about the kind of rake that you use to collect leaves with. A pool leaf rake uses a net on the end and is generally attached to a long pole that you can use to reach into the pool with.

What is the fastest way to clean your pool? Begin by walking along the sides of your pool and picking up pool debris with your net. Do this a few times so that you can pick up leaves and nasty insects. It is a good idea to empty the net if the debris fills it and then get back to raking to avoid losing picked up debris to the water.

For the middle of the pool, just stick the leaf rake into the center. You are going to want to have the net upside down for this. Then, just pull the rake towards you while keeping the head at a slight angle. Repeat until all surface debris has been removed.

The water surface is done so the next thing to do is to vacuum the bottom of the pool. Connect the hose to the vacuum and place the unit in the water. Adjust the hose so that it fills with water. You need do this first to avoid the vacuum taking in air during the first few moments of cleaning. This will give your vacuum a longer cleaning life. Vacuum the pool floor until it is shiny and clean to your satisfaction.

Brush the walls on the side of the pool after you vacuum the pool floor. You might think you should do this before you vacuum because some debris will fall to the pool bottom. That could happen, but it is much slower when you brush first and wait for the debris to land on the pool bottom before vacuuming. If you have more time to spare then brush first. It is your choice. If you do decide to brush first then wait about a half hour after brushing to commence vacuuming.

You want to start with your brush at the side of the pool with the head facing downward and even with the tiles. Begin with a downward brushing motion but be sure that you keep the brush straight until you reach the bottom. Then, pull the brush back up towards you while carefully moving it over the width of the head. This way, you are certain that you are not missing spots. Repeat all the way around the pool until completed and then simply do the same for the steps.

Presto. You now have a clean pool. That wasn't so bad. Was it? The best thing is to clean periodically to avoid massive debris build up. Follow the steps listed above and you will be well on your way to a pristine clean pool that will have your neighbors green with envy.

Reprinted with permission.