HOW TO PREP FOR A POOL PARTY

  • Gunite Swimming Pool at Movie Night

While a pool is a great attraction for guests and an even easier reason to throw a party, there is a lot of preparation necessary to set the right vibe. Here are a few tips for planning a great pool party that will leave you and your guests happy:

Test Your Equipment
Running thorough tests on all of your pool equipment is key in ensuring that lights and heaters work prior to your party giving you a window to fix anything necessary beforehand. This can help cut down on stress and make sure that you aren’t running around the morning of your party or even during, in front of guests when it may be too late to get it fixed.

Cleaning

Well ahead of the party date, start a cleanup regimen by keeping skimmer baskets clean and all other debris clear of your pool water. This will minimize the amount of day before cleaning that is necessary. A week before, give your pool a thorough brushing and vacuuming to prevent any algae from developing. If you own a pet, it is also a good idea to stay up on poop scooping so that you do not have guests running into messes during the party.

Water Quality

It’s a good idea to check your water quality with a home test kit at least a week before party time. This will give you an opportunity to get on a treatment plan, if necessary, to balance your pool water and make it safe for swimmers. The day before the party, go ahead and give the pool edges and bottom a good scrubbing before shocking the water one more time to make sure you have crystal clear water the day of. It is definitely recommended that you run your pool pump as much as possible in the couple of days leading up to the party to make sure that any chemical treatments have time to run their course.

Deck and Ambience

The morning of, go ahead and give your deck a good scrub and hose off any of the waterproof poolside furniture to get it ready for guests. For added ambience, LED string lights can be hung from the rafters of a patio or pergola or even wrapped around a tree to add touches of brightness and warmth for when the sun goes down. A fire pit or chiminea is another great addition for the late night guests to sit and relax around once all of the kids have gone to bed.