How to Prepare Your Pool for a Quarantine-cation
Many of us are days or weeks into quarantine or social distancing thanks to Coronavirus/COVID-19. Depending on how things pan out, we may have to continue spending more time at home in the weeks and months to come. We want to help you make the most of that time and your space and have been helping customers stock up and prep for a fun-filled summer at home! Thankfully, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that pools and spas are safe, which means pool owners have a lot of fun and relaxation waiting right in their backyards! Plan ahead this year to ensure you have all the supplies and pool products you need to make the most of your quarantine-cation.
Step 1: Open your pool.
If you’re in a warmer climate where temperatures are consistently high enough (above 70 degrees) for swimming, go ahead and open your above ground pool for the season. If it’s still a little chilly where you live, have no fear. Warmer weather will come soon enough and there’s still plenty you can do right now to prepare for pool fun!
Whether you’re opening your pool now or you still have to wait a while, now is the time to get any pool parts and accessories you may need — including pool liners, filters systems, covers, and other accessories. Here at LinerWorld, our office staff is working remotely, our warehouse has been reorganized to keep our team safe and healthy, and products are getting to our customers efficiently. That being said, things are changing quickly and our supplies are limited. More pool owners are focused on stocking up earlier in the season this year, so plan ahead to ensure you have everything you need to enjoy your pool all summer long!
Step 2: Clean and sanitize your pool and patio area.
Of course, during this quarantine time, cleanliness, sanitation, and proper pool maintenance are more important than ever. Here are some great cleaning tips and reminders for all pool owners. Before swimming and spending time poolside, we recommend cleaning and
sanitizing everything in an effort to keep everyone safe and healthy.
- Per the CDC, properly disinfecting your pool with chlorine should remove the virus that causes COVID-19. Check out our pool maintenance guide for more insights on pool cleaning and water chemistry.
- Regularly clean your deck or patio area with bleach or other cleaners recommended by the CDC. This includes patio chairs, tables, door handles, pool ladders or stairs, and other areas where there’s frequent contact.
- Clean off all pool toys and accessories using a bleach-based solution as well. We recommend doing this before and after every use.
Step 3: Create the right ambiance
Staring at the same sights gets incredibly boring after a while. Even if you don’t leave the confines of your house and backyard, you can still make it feel like you’re on vacation in a new, exotic place with the right ambiance. Here are some easy ways to help transform your deck and patio area into a fun “destination” — without ever leaving your house!
- Create a “quarantine-cation” playlist and set up some speakers outside.
- Pull out those twinkle lights from your holiday storage boxes and add a little sparkle to your backyard. They’re great for stringing along the doorways, fencing, trees, and shrubs — just make sure they don’t get too close to the water.
- Grab the art and craft supplies from storage and go nuts creating signs and other decor items to add some color to the backyard. Pinterest is another great resource for fun DIY projects for your pool or patio made with materials you already have around the house.
- Prep the gardens and plant some spring flowers and vegetables. Many seeds and flowers can be ordered online or picked up using curbside service at the stores. As temperatures get warmer, you may be able to bring some of your indoor plants outside as well.
- If you have stones, bricks, or concrete areas, you can break out the sidewalk chalk to add some color and fun to your backyard.
Overall, it’s a chance to be creative and have fun decorating your backyard. If your kids are home due to schools being closed, it’s a great way to get them involved and keep them occupied as well.
Step 4: Pull out the pool games, floats, and toys.
It isn’t a “vacation” without some fun activities, right? We always say that the best way to have fun in the pool is by stocking up on games, floats, and pool toys.
- Toys and games, such as our dive sticks, are a great way to improve your swimming skills and make it fun to stay active and healthy during this time.
Shop Now:
Set of 3 Neoprene Dive Sticks
Set of 2 Neoprene Paddles & 2 PVC Balls
Neoprene Catch Ball Set
Neoprene Glove & Ball Set
- Comfortable and relaxing floats are perfect for a relaxing afternoon of social distancing and soaking up the sunshine in your pool.
Shop Now:
Swan Float
Unicorn Float
Giant Unicorn Boat
Donut Float
Easy Couch
Aquadoce Deluxe Pool Lounger
Water Hammock
- Of course, family-friendly water games, like Marco Polo or Sharks & Minnows, never get old and can be modified or played together to allow swimmers of all ages and abilities to play along.
Step 5: Plan some educational activities.
With so many kids out of school right now, including our own, we know it’s important to make sure their kids are healthy and staying sharp academically. Thankfully, your swimming pool is a great place for some fun and practical educational activities that are easy to adjust based on your child’s age level! Here are a few ideas:
- Teach kids chemistry by discussing the pool’s water chemistry, adding chemicals (as needed), and doing water testing activities.
- Have an impromptu art class by talking about various shapes, colors, and unique patterns found in your pool liner or have them draw their own pool liner design!
- Test their math skills by having them solve pool-related equations, such as figuring out the volume of the pool.
- Replace gym class with fun pool exercises and backyard games that help to burn energy and build muscle.
This is only the beginning. Beyond the pool, there are also plenty of additional learning opportunities surrounding the plants, wildlife, and other natural elements in your backyard.
Step 7: Disconnect for a while
This is a stressful and uncertain time for all of us. If you’re feeling anxious, we encourage you to make your home a safe haven and respite from the craziness. Consider making your pool and backyard a social media and news-free zone where you can just kick back, relax, and enjoy being with your loved ones.
If you’re in need of a new pool liner, parts, and accessories, we’ll continue to do our best to serve you and your family moving forward!
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PS: Got questions about how LinerWorld is handling the COVID-19 situation? Learn more.
