Cartridge Filter Cleaning.

If you have a cartridge type filter you'll want to clean it once a week. This will prolong the life of the filter and give you a cleaner pool in the process. The best thing to use is a brass "jet" nozzle you can purchase at a garden store. It is screwed on to the end of the hose and creates a 1/4 inch high pressure stream of water which is very effective at getting all the dirt and sand accumulated in the interior pleats of the filter cartridge.

Every six months you should clean and then soak your fillter in trisodium phosphate, a degreaser, known as TSP. You can buy TSP at any hardware store. This removes built up oils and residue from suntan oil, body oils and make-up that can severely reduce the filter cycle. Take a 5 gallon bucket, fill it with water and add 3-4 tablespoons of TSP. Stir it up and put the filter in the bucket. Soak for 1 hour. Flip the filter over and repeat. Rinse off and re-install and you are ready for another six months of service.