How to Reopen a Swimming Pool After Five Years of Neglect

Open the valves for your swimming pool to empty out the water. Get the last few inches out with a pool pump. Empty the water into a storm drain or in the appropriate location according to your city's ordinances.

Scrub the side walls of your swimming pool with a nylon scrub brush. Rinse and pump out remaining water.

Put on protective clothing to cover all your skin. Also, put on a respirator, face mask, goggles and thick-soled rubber boots. The acid you will be using is very dangerous.

Turn on your hose. Do not attach a nozzle. Wet about a 10-foot area of your pool's wall. Keep the hose on.

Mix a solution of equal parts water and muriatic acid (also called hydrochloric acid) for pool cleaning. You can purchase the acid from a pool supply store or from local pool cleaning businesses.

Dump the acid over the side of the pool wall. After half a minute, rinse the acid off with your hose.

Continue wetting the walls, pouring the acid and rinsing it away until you have cleaned all the walls.

Add 2 tbsp. of soda ash to the bottom of your pool for every gallon of acid that you mixed with water and poured onto the sidewalls. You must complete this step to neutralize the acid.

Pump out the neutralized acid and water mixture from the bottom of your pool using the pool pump, and dispose of it in a storm drain or according to your city's ordinances.

Rinse the walls and floor of your pool once or twice more. Then pump out the water as before.

Close the valves of your swimming pool to refill with water. Once filled, apply appropriate pool chemicals for your climate and region. Consult with a local pool supply store.