Top Tips to Keep Debris and Animals Out of Your Pool

Your pool is most likely one of your most precious assets and one you probably want to spend time enjoying, whether that’s with a relaxing glass of wine at the end of a long day or socializing with friends and family on a warm summer afternoon.

Either way, that time is going to be far better appreciated if you’re not sharing the water with other elements of your outdoor space, whether that’s twigs, leaves, and other debris from the plants and trees in your backyard or – even worse – the local wildlife.

In this article, we’re going to provide some top tips on how you can keep these types of unwanted invaders out of your backyard swimming pool water.

How to keep leaves, twigs, and other debris out of your swimming pool

• Install an automatic pool cover

The most surefire way of keeping unwanted debris out of your pool is to keep it covered. That’s fine over winter or at times of year when you’re only using your pool once or twice a week, but it can be a bit of a drag if you’re going in every day. So, while we’d certainly consider a good automatic pool cover an essential purchase, it’s probably not going to solve all your issues.

• Keep nearby plants and trees trimmed

Prevention is always better than cure, so if you – or, even better, your gardener, if you’re lucky enough to have one – can put aside regular time to remove leaves, twigs, and branches before they have a chance to fall in or near your water, that’ll save you from having to fish them out later.

• Buy a robotic cleaner

Okay, so strictly speaking, this isn’t keeping debris out, but it is making sure it’s dealt with quickly and with minimal effort on your part. They’re not cheap, so you can stick with a skimmer net – which is more than worth the small amount you’ll have to pay for it anyway – and a standard manual vacuum cleaner if you prefer. You will need both, though, because you won’t catch every bit of debris with the skimmer before it sinks to the bottom.

• Take advantage of weekly pool cleaning and maintenance services

Along with all those other essential tasks that are needed to keep your pool in top condition – from keeping the chemicals balanced to checking your equipment – our team will carry out vacuuming and brushing as part of your weekly pool maintenance service.

How to keep animals and other wildlife out of your pool

Even more than twigs and leaves, you really don’t want your pool to become popular with your local wildlife, whether that’s frogs, lizards, chipmunks, ducks, bugs – or even big and/or really scary things like alligators and snakes!

• Install an automatic pool cover

This should work just as well for wildlife as it does for debris, but with the same drawbacks we’ve already outlined above.

• Build a perimeter fence around your pool

A perimeter fence should keep the larger and/or flightless creatures from getting to your pool. However, it is going to materially affect how your outside space looks and can be used and you may prefer not to have such a dominant feature added. Remember, however, that a perimeter fence is also a good safety feature, because it can prevent younger members of the family from wandering too close to the pool when you’re not around.

• Motion-sensitive sprinklers

Most creatures are going to be scared off by a sudden dousing – even the big, scary ones! – and motion-sensitive sprinklers in the right locations are the ideal way of doing that. 

• Natural repellants

Surrounding your pool with the smells creatures hate is a great way of turning them away before they get too close to the actual water. Spraying a mixture of lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus or jalapeno, cayenne, onion, and water around the pool area will deter many of the creatures that might otherwise be tempted in.

• Avoid attracting those critters in the first place

It may not be the water that’s necessarily drawing that unwanted wildlife in to start with. Avoid feeding pets outside and be careful about where you hang any bird feeders. Some animals, such as squirrels, mice, and rats, may be drawn in by such free treats, while snakes could be attracted by the presence of those smaller mammals. Snakes also like long grass to hide in, so keeping your lawn well mown is also a good idea. 

Keeping your pool water in the best possible condition doesn’t just make the swimming experience infinitely more enjoyable, it also prevents bacteria and other dangerous organisms from taking hold. 

You can keep your pool clean and healthy with weekly pool cleaning and maintenance services from the experts at Pulliam Pools – call us today to find out more or schedule a free custom quote in your backyard.