During the fall, we spend a lot of time sharing how pool owners can clean up their pools and spas.
It makes sense. With summer over, you’ll want to scrub away three months of solid use. And with winter coming, it makes sense to spruce up the backyard spa.
But aren’t we forgetting a few things? Add these to your pool maintenance checklist:
- Start with a quality pool towel, hopefully 100 percent cotton. It feels the best when you step out of the swimming pool and it withstands the laundering you need to do to keep it fluffy after every single use. Shake it out–and even vacuum it, if you’ve been to the beach–before washing it in hot water and air-drying it in the dryer. And though you might be tempted to throw in some fabric softener, don’t do it! It diminishes the towel’s absorbency.
- Now, about those bathing suits. Don’t wait for the laundry. Rinse your suit in cool water as soon as you leave a chlorinated or salt-water pool. It’s not just a matter of cleanliness: Chlorine and salt take the elasticity out of a stretchy suit. Don’t throw it in a heap afterward. You can hang it to dry or launder it according to directions.
- Finally, think about what all that chlorine is doing to you. Begin by taking a quick shower before swimming. By getting your hair wet, you’ll lessen the amount of chlorine that is sucked into your strands. Afterward, shower again, this time with a loofah glove to exfoliate dead skin cells.
There, aren’t you feeling cleaner already? Repeat as needed!
