Today we are going to teach you how to use a manual pool vacuum! If you wonder why we prefer starting with a manual first instead of a robotic pool cleaner, well here what the problem is:
If your pool hasn't been used for a long time and you're renovating it now, you will first need a manual pool vacuum because the green infestation is a boss level treatment to the automatic pool cleaner!
Things you're gonna need:
- Vacuum Head - Here, our team did some research and found the best one on the market - Amazon's choice! This one is with a standard hose attachment diameter of 32mm or 38mm.
- Telescopic Pole - You're going to attach this to the vacuum head.
- Vacuum Hose - American made, 30 feet long which should cover all areas of most pools
- Skim Vac ( Vacuum Plate ) If needed - This is the safer way not to damage your skimmer.
NOTE: Those items are just examples, feel free to find the best ones that will suit your pool's needs!
Make your pool filter start working
If you're doing weekly cleaning maintenance for your pool, the standard filter setting will do a great job for you! But if you have many leaves and stuff like that, consider using flocculant clear up water-clouding particles. The flocculant will make all that stuff to sink down the floor so you can vacuum them later. Now adjust your filter system to compensate before you begin vacuuming.
Assemble the Manual Pool Vacuum
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 your vacuum loses suction, follow the prep steps again to restore it )
- Make sure that the pump and the filter are running
- Attach the vacuum head to the open end of the telescopic pole
- Attach one end of the hose to the vacuum head
- Place this invention of yours in the pool, making sure that the vacuum head lies on the floor
- 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
- Triple-check to make sure the vacuum inlet is the only line open to the pump. If not, particles and debris will also be sucked in by the pump and undo all your hard work.
- 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 your vacuum loses suction, follow the prep steps again to restore it )
- NOTE: You'll see bubbles rising from the vacuum head on the floor of the pool. Once the bubbles stop, all the air is out of the hose.
Vacuum Your Pool
Make sure to do this process slow and patiently, so you don't leave any debris behind. Oh, we forgot to say, make sure you don't have any other essential tasks before getting yourself involved with this job! If you get your full attention to cleaning the pool debris, this is the only way to keep your pool clean. Sounds simple right? Yes, it is! If you go nice and slowly, this will help keep the debris steady because if you go fast, you will kick up the waste, which will reduce the visibility and take hours to settle down again! If you've got a load of debris, you'll likely kick up a cloud no matter how careful you are, but there's no need to do more work for yourself by hurrying. If the water does become cloudy, give it a couple of hours to resettle, then come back and vacuum again, repeating as necessary. If the vac head becomes stuck, switch off the pump for a second to break the vacuum force and set it free. Also, be sure to monitor your pool filter's pressure gauge as you vacuum. If the pressure rises above the levels recommended by the manufacturer, take a break, and backwash your filter.
After You Vacuum Your Pool
When you finish cleaning up your pool, detach the vacuum head from the pole and drain the water out of the vacuum hose. Attach your cleaning brush to the pole, and use it to scrub away any algae, dirt, and debris from the sides of the pool.
If you used the "Waste" setting to vacuum the pool, make sure you switch the valve back to the "Filter" setting and keep adding fresh water to your pool until the water level is restored.
You're now a professional pool cleaner!
If you don't like vacuuming manually
We're living in modern society and if we can afford a pool, we can also afford to buy a robot cleaner to do the job for us, right? Here we will show you some of the many pool cleaners.
Robotic Pool Cleaners
The cute little robots are independent and vacuum your swimming pool using electricity. All you have to do is empty the built-in filter bag when they get full of debris.
Pressure-Side Pool Cleaners
These cleaners hook up to your return line and use the water pressure from your filter system to power a self-contained automatic cleaner around the bottom of your pool to pick up debris into a filter bag.
Suction-Side Pool Cleaners
This is just an automatic version of vacuuming your pool manually. They hook up the same way you do when you vacuum your pool manually. The biggest difference, however, is that they move around the bottom of your pool by themselves. That way, you don't have to stand there in the hot sun and do it yourself.
However, we recommend if you're going to make this investment, that you go for a pressure-side or robotic cleaner.