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How Clean a Pool Filter Cartridge with Muriatic Acid

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How to clean filter cartridges I like hanging on Reddit because I think it such a great place to get information on almost any topic you want. I recently came across a question on how to clean an above the ground pool filter with Muriatic acid. So I did a quick research. 

Frequent cleaning of the pool filter cartridge is necessary to keep to maintain its efficiency. Although there are many filter cleaning solutions in the market, most of these solutions are not able to remove micro-organisms such as algae. 

To remove microorganism you need other solutions such as muriatic acid. You might be asking what is muriatic acid? Muriatic acid is just a fancy name for hydrochloric acid. Muriatic acid has lots of commercial and domestic uses, and it’s readily available in home supplies stores. 

How to Clean pool filter cartridge with Muriatic acid.

  • The first step is to shut down the pool pump and the water supply. It’s important that you first turn off the water supply to ensure that before the pump to make sure water drains off the risk of shock while removing the filters. 
  • The second step is to free up the air relief valve in order to release the pressure on the filter system. This is done by releasing the pressure valve. You will hear a sound like that of a depressurizing tire. 
  • Now you’re ready to get into the filter housing by unscrewing the lid. 
  • Before you clean the filter with muriatic Acid, you need to thoroughly clean the filter with a hosepipe to remove debris such as rocks and dead leaves. 
  • After getting rid of all the debris, I recommend you use some of the commercial filter cleaners that are available in most home supply stores.
  • Next, use clean water to remove all the chemicals. You can use a garden hose to rinse. 
  • Take large water content such as basin and fill it with water and 5% muriatic Acid (Hydrochloric Acid). Leave it inside for some time. Note you should leave inside until fizzling stops. 
  • Remove the filter from Acidic solution and rinse with lots of water. Then return the filter. 

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) on Pool Cleaning. 

Can I Clean pool filter cartridge with bleach?

Although just like Hydrochloric acid, bleach is able to kill algae. It’s not advisable to use bleach because it tends to damage the filter fibers. Manufacturers of swimming pool filters advise against using bleach to disinfect the filters because most bleaches contain sodium hypochlorite which tends to be too corrosive.

Can I clean the pool filter cartridge with vinegar?

You can use vinegar to clean pool filters. Having said that, you should know that vinegar is not as effective as muriatic acid. Unlike home bleaches, vinegar does not damage the filter fibers. However, you should know that vinegar tends to take a lot of time to completely get rid of contaminants such as calcium. When using vinegar, you let the filter stay in the vinegar solution for a longer time.

What  Pool cartridge filter cleaning tools do I need?

The first tool you need is a garden water hose to make removing debris such as rocks and dead leaves easier. 
You need filter cleaning tools such as aqua comb pool cleaner which you can get at your local supply store. 
You can also use a filter flosser
You also need muriatic acid

Can you pressure wash pool filters?

You should never pressure wash your filter cartridge. This is because all filter cartridges are made with fibers that are not very strong to withstand the pressure. When you pressure clean the filter, you damage the paper which is meant to trap the debris and expand the small hole. This reduces the effectiveness of the filter.

Can you clean a pool filter in the dishwasher?

It’s not recommended you clean pool filter using a dishwasher because it’s not effective in removing all debris and other contaminants trapped in the filters.

How to clean above ground pool filter

Just like inground pools, filter cartridges are also found in above ground swimming pools. It’s important to ensure you buy quality filters, to begin with, to avoid the cost of replacing later on. In addition to that, always make a point of regularly clean filter for the above the pool filter.  The step involved in cleaning above ground filter cartridge. First, remove the filter. Next, clean the filter using a garden hose. You can use a pool filter cleaning tool to clean the filter. Finally, submerge the filter in an acidic solution and rinse with clean water.

How does the sand filter work?

Sand filters are some of the most effective filters. They work by grinding sand to the consistency of 0.23 in radius. This is big enough to trap debris and dead leaves while letting water pass through.  Although sand filters are very effective, they don’t work with any debris that is less than 40 microns. Another disadvantage of a sand filter is unlike filter cartridge, they require regular backwashing to remove debris that is trapped inside.

Conclusion

It’s important to clean a pool filter with a disinfectant such as muriatic acid to get rid of micro-organism such as algae. It is important to ensure you have turned off the pool pump before you attempt to remove the filter cartridge. Before using the Muriatic acidic solution to clean the pool filter cartridge, use clean water using a hosepipe to remove debris that is stuck inside the filter. You should never clean filter cartridge using bleach because it tends to corrode the filter membranes. Finally, you should not pressure wash pool filters to avoid the pressure damaging the inner membranes. 

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ABOUT LEON SMITH

Leon Smith Profile Leon is a Thirty-something-year-old blogger from Mauritius who is currently studying for a Master’s degree in chemical and processing Engineering at the University of Eldoret in Kenya.