Is Your Fountain Ready for Spring?
Essential Water Fountain Maintenance and Cleaning Tips

Preparing your fountain for spring and summer is essential if you want to extend its lifespan and ensure it performs optimally during the warmer months of the year.

Though water fountain maintenance may initially seem daunting, it’s often a simple (and even enjoyable) task.

Key Takeaways

• Ensure that your fountain and fountain pump are clean and primed for the hotter season – this is vital for their longevity and enjoyment.

• The Fall season can result in organic detritus build-up in fountains and water features; removing this debris protects system components.

• A basic fountain maintenance routine includes rinsing, scrubbing with a gentle cleanser and soft brush/rag, and re-rinsing while the pump and components are disconnected.

• A quality and environmentally-friendly algaecide can save you a lot of effort in terms of fountain maintenance.

• Many of these tips are taken from our extensive Cleaning & Care page. 

How Do You Maintain a Water Fountain? A Spring Maintenance Checklist

Whether you have a large fountain or smaller water feature, there are some universal steps to giving your fountain a spring clean-up. Here’s a simple ten-step guide:

1. Uncover the fountain: Remove the fountain cover and pack it away neatly for next fall. 
   
   

2. Empty and disassemble your fountain: Generally fountains should be emptied before winter to protect them against ice damage. If you live in a warmer region where freezing is not a concern, it’s still a good idea to empty your fountain before cleaning it. Deactivate and remove all system components to prevent contaminants from damaging sensitive equipment.  
   
   

3. Use water and a mild dish soap to rinse the fountain thoroughly: Whether your fountain has been empty for an entire season, or you’re just giving it a refresh before spring, you need to remove any algae and debris during your annual fountain maintenance. Avoid harsh, potentially corrosive, chemicals like bleach, and opt for a mild dish detergent or another mild form of soap.
   
   Fountainful tip: You can also try using specialized cleaning supplies like algaecides and stain removers specifically intended for use with these garden features.
   
   

4. Scrub the fountain with a soft-bristled brush: After rinsing the fountain with your detergent of choice, use a soft-bristled brush like an old toothbrush or a soft-bristled dish brush to scrub every nook and cranny of the fountain’s interior. Of course, the exterior also matters, but the interior is more critical, since any debris in the fountain may damage system components like the pump rotor. 
   
   

5. Rinse out the fountain with clean water: Next, use clean water to rinse out any soap residue or debris that remains from the cleaning process. If you don’t, the debris and soap residue may still damage your fountain.
   
   

6. Reassemble the fountain: Now you’re ready to reattach your pump and reassemble any other fountain components that you removed for cleaning. Ensure that everything is locked into place properly, not leaking, and installed in the safest way possible. 
   
   

7. Prime the pump: Many fountain pumps today are self-priming, but an unprimed water pump can fail quickly, so it’s best to be sure. Prime the fountain pump by pouring water into the basin until the pump is full and doesn’t contain any air bubbles. 
   
   

8. Refill the fountain: After priming the pump, fill the fountain to its normal capacity.
   
   

9. Switch on the fountain: You can now activate the fountain, keeping a close eye to ensure that the pump is working as it should, and everything else is in order.
   
   

10. Enjoy: If you’ve made it this far, you know how to clean a garden water feature properly. So, once you’re done, make sure you sit back and enjoy your clean, functioning fountain!
    
    Fountainful tip: Wait to clean and refill your fountain until all risk of frost and freezing has passed. Even a small amount of ice caught within the system can damage sensitive components like the water pump.

➤ Depending on the amount of falling debris and the frequency of wildlife interaction, you may determine that it's best to clean your water feature multiple times within a season. 

How to Clean a Fountain Pump

Now that you have water fountain maintenance under control, you may want to learn how to care for your fountain pump. Here’s a quick overview of how to keep it clean and running smoothly:

1. If you have an external filter (also known as a skimmer) to capture debris, empty it to prevent clogging.
   

2. Disconnect and remove the pump.
   

3. Use a toothbrush or soft-bristled brush to remove any debris from the pump's exterior.

4. If your pump is a sealed unit, you cannot clean its interior. However, many water feature pumps have an easy-to-access internal filter. If you have one of these, simply slide or click off the second half of the pump housing to access the filter pad.

5. Remove the filter pad and use a hose or faucet to rinse it out thoroughly.

6. Replace the filter pad and reassemble the pump before returning it to the water feature.

Water Fountain Maintenance Tips to Always Keep in Mind

While the sections above cover all the basics for cleaning fountains and fountain pumps, here are additional tips to make your life easier:

1. Covering your fountain with a mesh or plastic cover in the Fall can help to reduce debris trapped in the system.
   

2. Don’t opt for a sealed fountain pump, if you have a choice. A pump with a removable filter is easier to clean and can have a longer lifespan.
   

3. Consider using an algaecide regularly to prevent algae buildup and facilitate easier maintenance.
   
   
   

4. If you live in a region with hard freezes, empty your fountain before the first freeze.
   

5. Ensure that you deactivate all fountain components when performing maintenance.
   

6. Try not to situate your fountain underneath large trees that shed heavily.
   

Final Thoughts

Although the cleaning process is relatively straightforward, we realize that fountain maintenance isn’t for everyone. That’s perfectly okay, as long as you rely on knowledgeable experts who can take care of it for you. 

So, if you need help with your fountain, don’t hesitate to contact our team to get expert assistance before the heat of summer arrives!

If you're more of a DIY type or have already started the process and you run into an issue or still have a few questions, make sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. We might have already covered it.

And if you’ve been managing your fountain maintenance yourself, feel free to leave a comment below and share your experience with us. We’d love to hear your insights.