How bleach, distilled water, and pantyhose can protect and preserve your water fountain The water fountains we carry at SimplyFountains.com will provide your home or workplace with enduring beauty and tranquility, but there are a few simple steps you should follow to prolong the life of your water fountain. Banish algae Unless you're a flamingo or a tadpole, "algae" is never a good answer to the question, "Guess who's coming to dinner?" To avoid unwanted sights and smells at your dinner parties, treat your water fountain to a few drops of bleach, or anti-algae or anti-white scale water treatment. Do this no more than once a week, and use just one drop per gallon of water, otherwise your water fountain will mutate. Actually, bleach often contains chlorine, so too much of it would make your water fountain smell like a public swimming pool. Bleach can also have a bleaching effect (natch) on your water fountain's finish, so water clarifier might be a better choice. |  |
Clean regularly
Indoor floor, tabletop, and wall fountains should be given a full cleaning every four to six months. Outdoor fountains require more frequent cleaning. Remove all water from the fountain and wipe it clean with a soft cloth and material-appropriate cleaner.
Find the water fountain pump, take it apart and clean it, too. Don't worry: it's like Lego for grownups. However, if you're concerned about how to put the water fountain pump back together again, take a picture of it with your phone or camera before disassembly. Then you can email it and say, "I need another one of these."
Hate cleaning your floor or wall water fountain? Use distilled water. It won't leave hard water buildup.
Water regularly
Yes, water fountains need to be watered. Yes, that sounds repetitive. However, water evaporates, so outdoor garden and wall water fountains, in particular, need to be replenished regularly. A water fountain should contain enough water to keep its water fountain pump fully submerged. This will prolong its life and save you money. If your pump is noisier than usual, then either it needs to be cleaned or the water level is too low.
Another outdoor water fountain maintenance trick: put your pump in sheer pantyhose and tie off the end(s). The pantyhose will act as a filter. It will also make your friends wonder what you're up to in your spare time.
