How to Use a Manual Pool Vacuum
If you’re dealing with a dirty pool full of debris, leaves, or algae, a manual pool vacuum is one of the most effective ways to get your water crystal clear again. While automatic cleaners help maintain cleanliness, they sometimes miss stubborn dirt, leaving your pool looking cloudy. Learning how to vacuum a pool manually ensures a deep clean, especially after storms or heavy use. Here’s everything you need to know!
What you need:
1. A vacuum head, or vac head.
2. A telescopic pole to attach to the vac head
3. A vacuum hose long enough to reach every area of your pool
4. A skim vac or vacuum plate (if needed)
5. A scrub brush to attach to the pole
Why Use a Manual Pool Vacuum?
While automatic pool cleaners offer convenience, manual vacuuming is the best option in certain situations:
- After a storm – Heavy debris, leaves, and dirt settle on the pool floor.
- For stubborn algae – Some algae growth requires manual removal with a brush and vacuum.
- For cloudy water treatment – If using flocculants or clarifiers, manual vacuuming removes the particles that settle at the bottom.
- For spot-cleaning – If only certain areas need extra attention, a manual vacuum is more precise.
Pro Tip: If you’re struggling with recurring algae, check out our Green Pool Treatment Guide.
Step 1: Set Up Your Pool Filter Before Vacuuming
Let’s say you have a lot of leaves and other debris in the pool after a thunderstorm, or you use flocculant to clear up water-clouding particles. The storm debris and particle-laden flocculant will sink to the bottom of the pool, where they’ll sit until you vacuum them up.
To clear a large amount of debris like this from your pool, you’ll want to adjust your pool filter to compensate before you begin vacuuming. Depending on the size and style of your pool, the filter system will have two or more settings for controlling filtration.
Multiport Filters
These may offer several options, with special settings just for vacuuming, including one called “Waste.” This setting pumps water out of the pool while bypassing the filter and keeps you from clogging your filter with debris, flocculant, and dead/dying/annoyingly persistent algae.
Two-Position Valve Filters
Often called “push-pull” valve filters, these are more common on smaller pools. They won’t have a “waste” option. Instead, with this system’s only setting—” Filter”—all the water you vacuum will be pulled into—and cleaned by—your pool’s filter. The cleaned water is then sent back into your pool.
Step 2: How to Assemble & Connect Your Manual Pool Vacuum
1. Ensure the pump and filter are running.
2. Attach the vacuum head to the open end of the telescopic pole.
3. Attach one end of the hose to the vac head. If the hose is slippery, use a hose clamp to keep it in place.
4. Place the vac head, telescopic pole, and hose in the pool, making sure the vac head rests on the pool floor.
5. Place the other end of the vacuum hose against a return jet in the pool. This will push water through the hose and drive all the air out.
6. Triple-check to make sure the vacuum inlet is the only line open to the pump.
7. Attach the vacuum plate to the end of the hose you’d previously placed against the return jet, block the opening with your hand, and bring it over to the skimmer. Be sure to create a good seal, or suction will be lost.
If you’re not using a vacuum plate, remove the basket inside the skimmer and, using your hand, block the end of the water-filled hose. Then place the hose into the skimmer, making sure it’s firmly inserted into the suction hole at the bottom of the skimmer.
Step 3: How to Properly Vacuum Your Pool (Without Losing Suction!)
Once your vacuum is set up, it’s time to start cleaning. Follow these pro techniques for best results:
1. Start at the shallow end and work your way to the deep end. This prevents stirred-up debris from settling back.
2. Use long, slow, overlapping strokes to ensure you don’t miss any dirt.
3. Avoid lifting the vacuum head too quickly – this can release debris back into the water.
4. If suction is lost, check the skimmer basket and vacuum hose for clogs.
5. Run the pool pump for at least an hour after vacuuming to circulate the water properly.
If you'd like a professional to vacuum your pool, try connecting with one on our Dealer Locator.
