How to vacuum your pool step by step

How to vacuum a pool through the filter: setting up the vacuum, getting the air out of the hose, when to use the WASTE setting and the mistakes that damage the pump.

2 min read

Vacuuming removes the dirt the net can't catch: dust, small leaves and dead algae. With normal use, once a week is enough. After heavy rain or a green-pool treatment, vacuum as soon as the dirt has settled.

Before you start

• Brush the walls a few hours beforehand so the dirt settles on the floor.
• Check the skimmer basket and the pump's lint pot are clean.
• Fit the vacuum head to the pole and attach the hose.

Turn the pump off before moving the filter valve or connecting the hose to the vacuum point.

Step by step

1. With the pump off, set the valve to FILTER (light dirt) or WASTE (heavy dirt, such as after green water: the water goes straight to waste without clogging the filter).

2. Put the vacuum head on the floor and feed the hose in gradually so it fills with water and pushes all the air out.

3. With the hose full, connect the end to the vacuum point (or the skimmer vac plate, depending on your pool).

4. Turn the pump on and move the vacuum slowly, in overlapping strips. Moving fast stirs the dirt up.

5. If suction weakens, turn the pump off and empty the lint pot.

6. When you finish, turn the pump off, set the valve back to FILTER and, if the pressure has gone up, backwash.

Vacuuming to WASTE lowers the water level. Top it up afterwards: the water should sit halfway up the skimmer opening so the pump doesn't suck air.

Common mistakes

• Air in the hose: the pump loses suction and can overheat running dry.
• Vacuuming green water on FILTER: the dirt goes back into the pool and clogs the sand.
• Vacuuming straight after adding chemicals: wait for the product to work and the dirt to settle.

An inflatable or plastic pool with no filter isn't vacuumed this way: use a small manual vacuum or change the water.