No Ducks. No “Droppings”. Just Warmer, Cleaner Water.
When I visit the homes of Crestwood Pools customers, I’m always reminded about the uniqueness of each property. Dogwood, Red Oak, Pine and Sycamore trees. Heavily populated blocks to spread out rural neighborhoods. Acres of flat land in one yard, and a nearby forest in another with a doe peeking out from behind a tree.
While I can assure you that I have never seen Bambi reclining in a pool lounger with a glass of lemonade, I have spoken at length with customers about how best to keep their pool a human-only domicile [save the family dog, of course].
Your property is unique to you, which is why I’ve created this helpful, printable list [see button below] on how best to keep mice, skunks, chipmunks, ducks, geese, snakes, frogs, squirrels, insects, spiders, lizards, raccoons, and bats [yes, I’ve seen almost everything, but definitely not a horse…yet] out of your swimming pool.
The below 10 techniques will help you keep your pool clean and pest-free.
1. Use a pool cover
The first option is to use an in-season pool cover—preferably a solar cover if you like a consistently warm swimming experience. Not only will it help deter ducks and geese from taking a swim, but it will also minimize water evaporation, thereby saving you money on your monthly water and electric bill.
2. Use an animal themed pool cleaner
When you’re not swimming in the pool, use an animal-themed pool cleaner [link to other blog]. Birds and rodents are easily intimidated by anything that is colorful and moving, and the attached hose is an extra deterrent. Plus, it adds a nice touch to your pool ambience, especially if you have a young family.
3. Buy an inflatable alligator raft
Inflatable chairs are great for the swimming pool, but if your kids are bugging [no pun intended] you to buy them a large inflatable raft in the shape of a shark, killer whale or alligator, spoil them and be the hero parent that we all know you are! The bright colors and size will scare off ducks, geese and other birds with ease. Better yet, I just found this non-raft option that will allow you to have fun with your neighbors.
Inflatable rafts that float in the swimming pool, look like an animal, is colorful and big… this is the most popular duck deterrent among my customers year-after-year.
4. Buy or adopt a backyard pet
4. Speaking of spoiling your kids, if you don’t already have a dog, now is the time to consider buying or adopting a dog—a family’s greatest animal detterent. And the icing on the cake is that they also sell leisure rafts for your dog to enjoy the pool, too. Who says man’s-best-friend can’t lay around on the job?
5. Install water-exit devices
If you choose to invite your pet dog into the pool, a safety device for pets that swim can also prevent you from finding drowned pests or animals. Water-exit devices such as Skamper Ramp, FrogLog and Critter Skimmer are just a few of the ways that help pets and pests exit your favorite place of leisure. A do-it-yourself option would be to tie a knotted rope, anchored outside of your pool while leaving some slack in the water for escape, and it can be a safety measure for novice swimmers, too.
6. Use scented fabric softeners
You know that smell that wafts up at you after you open a box of dryer sheets? Well, unless you have fresh-linen scented dryer sheets, pests, rodents and most animals also find the smell of dryer sheets to be too overwhelming. Gently rub the rim of your pool with a dryer sheet, or use a do-it-yourself option like this spray.
7. Place potted plants around the pool
Speaking of smells. Many of our customers choose to place potted plants on or around their Crestwood Pools. They’ll grow anything with a strong scent, such as basil and peppermint, in order to deter pests and insects… and to add to their favorite food dish or Mojito afterwards. Ask your local Home Depot, Lowe’s, or local Nursery staff for additional ideas.
8. Apply scare tape to your pool environment
Here’s one of my all-time favorites. Scare tape is one of the best, cost-efficient visual deterrents out there, especially for deterring ducks, geese and other birds. The applications are left to your imagination as I’ve seen people add it to rafts and the rim of the pool, and use it for decorations.
9. Trim trees and other plants near your pool
If you’re looking to enhance your yard’s overall landscape this spring, and if you find yourself surrounded by above-average wildlife, consider trimming trees that hang over your pool and/or building a Wildlife Pond. Animals and pests have been known to fall off branches into pools, and they prefer a simulated natural habitat with water over your swimming pool if given the choice…
10. Keep your pool area free of food
If your pool guests leave food lying around after a get-together, it will attract rodents and other animals. Don’t get me wrong, I love a pizza party as much as the next swimmer, but leftover crusts or even the smallest crumb will attract animals, so much so they may ignore the aforementioned deterrents. Keep your pool area free of food and drink trash.
Final thoughts on keeping a clean pool
But did you know that you can cross off the majority of these recommendations by choosing an On-Ground Pool?
On-Ground Pools… Better looking and more customizable than Above Ground Pools. Better looking, faster installation, and cheaper than In-Ground pools… and less mice, skunks, chipmunks, ducks, geese, snakes, frogs, squirrels, insects, spiders, lizards, raccoons, bats and other animals and rodents!
Click Here to Download Your 10 Ways to Keep Animals Out of Your Pool Checklist