If last year taught us anything at all, quality time with friends and family is really special. If that includes entertaining your guests around your home swimming pool, we have written this article especially for you. To get the most out of yours and ensure good, clean fun, the right maintenance is essential. If you’re one of the lucky 200,000 homeowners with a pool in the UK, here are 10 tips to keep your pool and porcelain tiles looking their best.
1. Invest in a great pool cover
If you have a swimming pool or are thinking about purchasing one, a good cover will be hugely beneficial to its upkeep. One of the biggest issues with pools is dirt and debris in the water, so a cover will keep this problem to a minimum.
2. Ensure porcelain tiles are properly cleaned after laying
Most problems with porcelain tiles stem from the wrong type of cleaning, and specifically what happens after they are laid. To ensure your tiles fully perform, ask your tiler to use DETERDEK PRO and CR10 which will remove any post-installation dirt. They’ll ensure your tiles are always easy to clean going forward and prevent them from hazing or developing streaks. Due to hard water and minerals, limescale is also a problem many pool owners face, but thankfully, DETERDEK PRO is also effective as a limescale detergent.
3. Use a concentrated cleaner to avoid slippy patinas
Around a swimming pool space, the last thing you need is a buildup of slippy patinas. When used for regular maintenance, FILA’s CLEANER PRO is a concentrated cleaner that will avoid this from developing.
4. Perform routine vacuuming and skimming
Floating debris should be tackled as soon as it’s spotted, and each time you intend to have a swim by skimming the surface with a net. Vacuuming should also be done every once in a while as unsanitary water can lead to a dirty pool and a build-up of algae.
5. Balance the pool water’s pH
When it comes to pool water pH, getting it right is one of the key principles of maintenance. If the water is too acidic, your metal finishes can corrode, but if it’s too alkaline, there can be issues with scaling due to the calcium salts in the water. The ideal pH rating of a swimming pool is anywhere between 7.0 and 7.6.
6. Use a limescale detergent on swimming pool grime
If the pH of your swimming pool water isn’t quite right, the chlorine can become ineffective. As mentioned above, there can also be issues with scaling due to calcium salts in the water – not something you’d want to take a swim around, right? Thankfully, FILA’s DETERDEK PRO is a limescale detergent that effectively eliminates residues from calcium salts. DETERDEK PRO can also help to remove signs of engobing on ceramic and porcelain tiles to keep your pool area looking brand new.
7. Only use equipment designated for swimming pool cleaning
When it comes to the maintenance of porcelain tiles around a pool area, it’s important to use cleaning equipment that has been designed for this purpose. You should also take care when using a brush and pole around the pool liner as any sharp edges can potentially cause tears.
8. Perform an annual deep clean with a degreaser and cleaner
With their anti-slip properties, textured porcelain tiles make a great poolside choice. The one drawback, however, is that although they provide grip, they can be hard to keep clean as their rough surface easily traps dirt. With a yearly deep clean you’ll see fantastic results, especially with FILA’s degreaser and cleaner PS87 PRO. A 3-in-one product that also removes stubborn stains from porcelain tiles, this professional cleaner will ensure your poolside looks flawless for longer.
9. Clean the filtration system
It’s worth mentioning here that your pool’s cleanliness really does depend on the filter. The filtration system works to remove dirt and debris from pools, but to be effective, it will also need cleaning from time to time. There are a number of different filter types, depending on your pool, and it’s a good idea to understand the differences in order for it to do an adequate job. These include a Cartridge filter, Sand or Glass, and Diatomaceous earth.
10. Service the machinery
Last but not least, when it comes to swimming pool care, regular servicing must be carried out. After all, it’s no good religiously cleaning the filter and your porcelain tiles if your pool’s mechanics are a second thought.
Swimming pool porcelain tiles? Try the FILA poolside toolkit
Thank you for reading our post; we hope you enjoyed; why not dive right in with a poolside toolkit for porcelain tiles? To learn more about any of the FILA products we have mentioned in this post, talk to our technical team for more assistance. Thanks again.
