It’s time to close up your pool and clean your pool equipment for the cold season, even if you’re in denial. Don’t worry, you will meet again soon when the warmer weather hits in the spring. Many pool owners casually toss all of their pool equipment, supplies, and chemicals into the shed. Think about all of your pool gear sitting there possibly wet, uncleaned, and not properly closed or tightened.
It is important to effectively take apart every pool piece and equipment you can and store it properly. This prevents dry rotting, mold and other bacteria, cracking, drying up, and other messy or smelly problems in the spring.
How to Properly Clean and Store Pool Equipment
Pool Floats and Toys
Make sure to completely rinse off, lay out to dry, and completely deflate anything that was blown up. It is a great plus to clean any masks, goggles, dive toys, basketball hoops, and other pool toys.
Specifically, you can dunk everything in a big bowl of water with some white vinegar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Then, rinse everything off and let dry completely to prevent mold and mildew from accruing.
Smaller toys can be stored in an airtight container. All floats and toys should be put in a dry location away from the elements.
Pool Vacuum Hose
Make sure there is no residual water before you store your pool vacuum away. Drain as much water as possible from the hose and let it air dry. The remaining water could freeze, expand, and eventually break the hose.
It is important to try to store the vacuum hose straight instead of coiling it, or you can take it apart. A coiled hose can kink up, making it difficult to straighten out months later. If a straight hose isn’t viable, take it apart piece by piece. This method ensures all water is completely drained and kinks are prevented. Store all of the pieces together in a sealed, plastic box.
Pool Vacuum
Drain all of the water from the pool vacuum itself and let it dry. Then, store it upside down somewhere away from the elements in a space that doesn’t get too cold or too hot. Investing in a storage unit or container is great, as this will protect your pool equipment from the elements such as extreme temperature fluctuation.
Other Pool Supplies
Your pool pump strainer, skimmer, and other various parts should also be dried off completely before storing away.
Pool Chemicals
This is the biggest responsibility out of all pool equipment, as chemicals can cause injuries if improperly handled or mixed. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a list of very important tips on how to handle and store pool chemicals.
- Completely close all chemicals and keep them in their original container with a visible label.
- Follow any local or state fire codes when storing away pool chemicals.
- Only store chemicals in a locked, cool, dry, well-ventilated location away from direct sunlight to avoid harm to pets and children. Most importantly, keep away from flammable materials, firearms, and grills.
- Keep different chemicals away from each other to avoid any chemical reactions. For example, chlorine should never be mixed with acid. Similarly, liquids should never be stored above or near any powders in case they leak and cause a reaction.
- No chemicals should be placed on the ground level or stacked.
For your convenience, the CDC has made a handy pool chemical safety flier that you can print out and post anywhere.
Frank Wall is Your #1 Source for Pool Advice and Supplies
Any pool owner knows that pool equipment, parts, and chemicals are not cheap. It is vital to effectively “winterize” all of your gear so you don’t have to rebuy everything. Can you imagine how expensive and stressful that will be?
Cleaning and gathering supplies, taking everything apart, and properly storing chemicals can be a process. Although, doing this essentially maximizes the life and performance of your pool equipment and ensures that your chemicals are safely stored.
Contact the pool experts at Frank Wall for more tips or any questions on how to safely clean and store away your pool equipment. If you do find yourself needing replacement pool parts, Frank Wall is your source for high-quality brands.