How to Vacuum a Pool in 5 Easy Steps

To set up your pool vacuum, start by attaching the vacuum head to the extension pole. Next, remove your pool’s skimmer inlet basket or place the vacuum skimmer plate over the basket, depending on how your skimmer is set up. Connect one end of the vacuum hose to the skimmer and submerge the head in the water, holding the open end of the hose. Place the open end of the hose against a water return jet and allow it to fill with water. Once it’s filled, attach the open end of the hose to the skimmer.

Once the vacuum is assembled, choose your filter setting. Leave it on “filter” for light cleaning, or switch it to “waste” if the pool is very dirty, you’re trying to clear cloudy pool water, or you need to remove algae from your pool. If your filter is set to “waste,” you’ll notice the pool’s water level dropping as you work. Set up a garden hose to refill the water while you’re vacuuming. 

Starting at one end of your pool, use the extension pole to move the vacuum head along the bottom of the pool, working slowly and in a grid pattern so you ensure you don’t miss a spot. As you work, empty the skimmer basket as needed and keep an eye on the filter pump pressure. If the pressure climbs too high, stop vacuuming and backwash the filter to return the pressure to normal.

If your vacuum head gets stuck, cycle the filter off then on to break the pressure and release the vacuum head. If you lose suction while vacuuming, air has likely entered the system and you’ll need to disconnect the hose from the skimmer, refill it with water from a return jet, and reconnect it. Keep working until you’ve vacuumed the entire pool surface.

After you’ve finished vacuuming, it’s important to disassemble and store the vacuum properly to keep it in good shape and working properly. Remove the vacuum hose from the skimmer and disconnect the hose and extension pole from the vacuum head. Drain the water from the hose, then rinse the vacuum hose and vacuum with fresh water from the garden hose. Once all parts are dry, store them in a covered location out of direct sunlight. Don’t forget to disconnect the garden hose and store it, too.

If you switched your filter to the waste, remember to set it back to the standard filter setting once you’re done. If you didn’t switch the setting, you’ll want to backwash the filter to remove debris before restarting normal use.

To finish up your pool vacuuming session, clear the skimmer inlet of any debris that’s accumulated during vacuuming and replace the basket if you removed it before beginning. Use a pool brush on the extension pole to scrub any remaining spots that the vacuum couldn’t reach or didn’t remove. 

The water loss and replacement during vacuuming will affect the pool’s chemical levels, so before using your pool again, test the water and balance the levels as needed. Once the water is balanced, you’re ready to dive back in!