Domakihub A Weekly Pool Maintenance Routine That Actually Works
Five consistent steps each week keep your water safe, clear, and chemical-balanced all season long.
Reviewed by Domakihub pool pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
A pool is one of the most valued features of a Greek home, holiday villa, or hotel — and one of the easiest to lose to algae, scale, and murky water when maintenance slips. The video above shows the full routine in real time; this guide breaks it into five repeatable weekly steps with the chemistry targets that matter in Greece's warm, high-UV climate. Follow it consistently and 15 minutes a week is genuinely all you need.
Why Consistency Beats Correction
A pool that is checked and treated every week rarely needs emergency intervention. Problems like algae blooms, cloudy water, or scale deposits are almost always the result of skipped weeks — not bad luck. In the Greek summer, with water temperatures regularly above 28 °C and intense direct sunlight, conditions for algae to establish can develop in as little as 48 hours once chlorine drops below the safe threshold.
Establishing a fixed day and order of tasks removes the guesswork. Professionals who service villas and hotel pools follow the same sequence every visit for exactly this reason: a repeatable routine catches problems before they compound.
What You Need Before You Start
Keep a small kit poolside: a digital or strip test kit (OTO or DPD for chlorine, pH strips or a drop kit), a telescoping pole with a skimmer net and vacuum head, a wall brush, a backwash valve key, and your weekly chemicals — chlorine (tablets or granular), pH minus or pH plus, and algaecide for rotation every 4–6 weeks. In Greece, most pool shops stock all of these, and many villa supply chains deliver to island addresses. Having everything within arm's reach is the single biggest factor in whether the routine actually gets done.
The 5-Step Weekly Pool Routine
- 1
Test the Water First
Before adding any chemical, test free chlorine (target 1–3 ppm), pH (7.2–7.6), and — every two weeks — total alkalinity (80–120 ppm). In Greece's summer heat, chlorine burns off faster than the label suggests. Testing before treating prevents overdosing and gives you a baseline to compare week over week. Do this step before swimmers enter and before the sun reaches the pool, as UV degrades free chlorine readings.
- 2
Skim, Brush, and Vacuum
Remove floating debris with the skimmer net, then brush walls and the waterline tile from top to bottom so loosened algae, oils, and scale fall to the floor. Follow immediately with a manual or automatic vacuum to pull the settled debris out. Skipping the brush step leaves biofilm on surfaces that no amount of chlorine will fully reach. For holiday rentals with heavy guest turnover, run the vacuum twice weekly during peak season.
- 3
Clean the Filter and Check the Pump
Inspect the skimmer basket and pump pre-filter basket and empty both. If you run a sand filter, check the pressure gauge — a reading 8–10 psi above the clean baseline means it is time to backwash (typically every 1–2 weeks in summer). Cartridge filter owners should rinse the cartridge with a garden hose monthly and deep-clean it every 3 months. A dirty filter is the most common reason a pool stays cloudy despite correct chemistry.
- 4
Adjust pH, Then Add Chlorine
After testing, correct pH first — add pH minus (sodium bisulfate) if above 7.6, pH plus (sodium carbonate) if below 7.2 — and wait 30 minutes before adding chlorine. Chlorine is significantly less effective outside the 7.2–7.6 range: at pH 8.0 roughly 80 % of it is inactive. In Greece's limestone-rich tap water, pH tends to rise, so pH minus is the more frequent purchase. Once pH is correct, dose chlorine according to the volume of your pool and the test result deficit.
- 5
Record and Review
Write down the date, test results before and after, and any chemicals added. A simple notebook or notes app works fine. This log is invaluable the first time the water goes off: you can trace exactly when chemistry shifted and why. For hotels and professional rentals it also satisfies the documentation requirements many local health inspectors request during seasonal checks in Greek municipalities.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Get a vetted pool pro in your city — one number, booked in EN/EL/DE.
FAQ
- How often should I shock my pool in a Greek summer?
- Shock (a large dose of chlorine, typically 5–10 ppm) is recommended every 1–2 weeks during July and August when UV is strongest and bather load is highest. Always shock after a heavy rain, a pool party, or any visible cloudiness. Shock at dusk so sunlight does not burn it off before it can work.
- My pool pH keeps rising even after I add pH minus — why?
- High total alkalinity is the most common cause. When alkalinity is above 120 ppm it acts as a buffer that pushes pH back up within days. Lower alkalinity first using pH minus added slowly in front of a return jet with the pump running, then retest alkalinity and pH before proceeding. Greek mains water is often high in carbonates, so this is a very typical problem.
- Can I reduce maintenance time with a robotic cleaner?
- Yes — a robotic pool cleaner handles the vacuum step autonomously, cutting the weekly hands-on time to under 10 minutes. It does not replace skimming, brushing, filter cleaning, or chemistry checks, but it is the single best investment for holiday rentals or hotels where a pool technician visits less than twice a week.