How to Vacuum an Above Ground Pool

Here is how to vacuum an above ground pool: start with your filter pump, because most frame and soft-sided pools run on a small cartridge pump that sets the limits for everything else. Brush the liner, fill the vacuum hose with water so it holds no air, connect it where your vacuum kit’s instructions say (a skimmer vacuum plate or the pool’s wall outlet fitting), and glide the head slowly across the vinyl floor. Rinse the filter cartridge when you finish. If your pump is too small to pull a vacuum hose, a battery vacuum or a garden-hose venturi vacuum cleans the floor without it.

Safety note: the filter pump runs on household power a few feet from a pool full of water. Bestway’s Flowclear filter pump owner’s manual says the pump must be unplugged before any maintenance begins and that the pump should not run while people are inside the pool. Follow the manual for your own pump, keep swimmers out while you vacuum, and call a licensed electrician for any outlet or wiring problem.

The general vacuuming steps are the same on any pool. This guide covers what changes on an above ground pool: the smaller pump, the skimmer that hangs on the wall (or no skimmer at all), the soft vinyl floor, and the choice between pump-powered, battery, and venturi vacuums.

What makes an above ground pool different

A small cartridge pump does the pulling

Inground pools usually have a large pump and a sand or DE filter. Many 15 ft frame pools come with a compact cartridge pump instead. Intex’s cartridge filter pump spec sheet lists models with flow rates from 530 up to 2,500 gallons per hour, and its Deluxe Pool Maintenance Kit page says the kit’s vacuum requires an Intex filter pump with a minimum flow rate of 800 gph. On that chart, the smallest pump sits below the kit’s minimum. Check your pump’s rating before you buy a suction vacuum.

A cartridge pump has no WASTE setting. Everything you vacuum ends up in the cartridge, so a heavy layer of silt can clog it partway through the job. Plan to stop and rinse the cartridge on a dirty pool.

The skimmer hangs on the wall, or there is none

Many above ground pools ship without a skimmer, and add-on skimmers mount on the wall. Intex’s surface skimmer page says it mounts to Easy Set or Metal Frame pool sidewalls and requires an Intex filter pump with a minimum flow rate of 800 gallons per hour. Without a skimmer, the vacuum hose goes to the wall fitting instead: the Intex Deluxe Pool Maintenance Kit page says its vacuum can attach to the outlet connector in the pool with a 24 ft 7 in hose. Your kit’s instructions decide which fitting to use, so read them before you connect anything.

The floor is soft vinyl

An above ground pool floor is a vinyl liner over a ground cloth or base layer, so it gives under a heavy head and can hold small wrinkles. Brush-bottom heads tend to glide over vinyl more gently than hard wheels. Do not lean on the pole to force the head down. A light touch keeps the liner from creasing and keeps the head from pulling air at a wrinkle. Dirt also tends to collect where the floor meets the wall, so give that seam a slow pass.

Choose a vacuum that fits your pump

Pump-powered (suction) vacuums

A manual vacuum head on a pole, connected by hose to the skimmer or wall outlet, uses your filter pump’s suction. It costs little and works well when the pump is large enough. The Intex Deluxe Pool Maintenance Kit page describes its vacuum as one that sucks debris off the pool floor and through the filter, and lists a 110 in telescoping aluminum pole for 18 ft diameter pools and above. On a cartridge pump, that means the cartridge collects every pass.

Automatic pressure-side cleaners are a step up and need more flow. Intex’s ZX100 cleaner page says the cleaner connects to the pool inlet fitting and works with pumps whose rating falls between 2,100 and 3,500 GPH of water flow. A pump with a lower rating is the wrong match for it.

Battery (rechargeable) vacuums

A battery vacuum has its own motor and debris filter, so it does not depend on the pool pump at all. That makes it a practical fit for small pools with a low-flow pump. Intex’s Rechargeable Hand-Held Pool Vacuum page says the unit is suitable for above ground pools up to 18 ft diameter, comes with two interchangeable brush heads, recharges with an included USB cable, and shuts off automatically when it is not submerged in water. The trade-off is capacity: the built-in debris chamber on a handheld can fill quickly on a leafy pool, so expect to stop and empty it, and plan around the battery’s charge.

Venturi (garden-hose) vacuums

A venturi vacuum connects to a garden hose instead of the pool pump. Water pressure from the hose typically creates suction at the head and pushes debris into a mesh bag. It needs no pump and no power cord near the water, which suits very small pools. It also adds some hose water to the pool while it runs, and fine silt can pass through the bag. It tends to work best on leaves, grass clippings, and sand, and it depends on decent household water pressure.

How to vacuum an above ground pool with the filter pump

1. Check the water level and the pump

Low water starves a small pump. Bestway’s Flowclear filter pump owner’s manual warns not to run the pump dry and to make sure both the pool’s inlet and outlet valves are fully covered by water before operating it. If the pool has a skimmer, the water should also sit well up the skimmer opening so it does not pull air.

2. Skim and brush first

Net floating leaves off the surface before they sink. Then brush the walls toward the middle of the floor so loose dirt settles where the vacuum head can reach it. On a pool under a maple or oak in the fall, skimming first saves several stops to clear the cartridge.

3. Start with a clean cartridge

A cartridge that is already half clogged leaves little suction for the vacuum. With the pump unplugged, open the filter housing and rinse the cartridge. Bestway’s Flowclear pump manual says to clean the filter cartridge with a garden hose and to replace it if it stays soiled or discolored. Close the housing and restart the pump as its manual directs.

4. Fill the hose under water

Air in the hose is a common reason a small pump loses suction during vacuuming. Attach the head to the pole and the hose to the head, then sink the whole hose so it fills from end to end. Intex’s FAQ on vacuuming with its maintenance kit gives the same fix for lost suction: soak the whole vacuum hose in the water to purge the air, then reconnect the vacuum hose and head underwater.

5. Connect the hose

Keep the open end of the hose under water as you connect it to the skimmer vacuum plate or the wall outlet fitting your kit specifies. Once suction takes hold, the hose stops drifting and the head grips the floor.

6. Vacuum in slow, overlapping passes

Work from the side farthest from the pump toward the connection point, so the hose does not drag across the area you just cleaned. Move the head slowly and overlap each pass. Fast strokes stir fine dirt back into the water, and on a pool with a small pump it can take a long time to settle again. Keep the head flat. If it tips at a liner wrinkle, it pulls air.

7. Stop when suction drops

On a cartridge pump, falling suction usually means the cartridge is loading up. Unplug the pump, rinse the cartridge, refill the hose, and continue. On an Intex sand filter pump, the same Intex FAQ blames trapped air: turn off the pump, open the air release valve on the side of the motor until only water comes out, purge the vacuum hose, then turn the pump back on and check that water comes out from the pool inlet.

8. Finish and clean up

Disconnect the hose, lift out the head and pole, and unplug the pump before you open the filter housing again. Rinse or replace the cartridge, then top the pool back up if the level dropped. Vacuuming is one part of a weekly cleaning routine that also includes skimming, brushing, and checking the water.

Above ground pools with a sand filter pump

Some above ground pools use a sand filter pump with a multi-position valve, which gives you more control. Intex’s sand filter valve chart lists FILTER for normal filtration and regular vacuuming of the pool, and WASTE/DRAIN for vacuuming directly to waste, lowering the pool water level, or draining the pool. The same chart marks CLOSED with “Do not use this setting with pump running.”

Use FILTER for routine dirt. Save WASTE/DRAIN for a heavy load you do not want in the sand, such as silt after a storm. Turn the pump off before you move the valve, watch the water level the whole time, and stop well before it falls toward the pump connections. Point the waste line where pool water is allowed to go under your local rules.

Lowering the water through the drain valve

Cartridge pools have no WASTE setting, so if a heavy cleanup or a rainstorm leaves the water too high, the pool’s drain valve is the way to lower it. Bestway’s owner’s manual for its Steel Pro and Power Steel frame pools describes the steps: unscrew the drain valve cap, connect the adaptor to a garden hose, put the other end where the water may drain (the manual says to check local regulations), and screw the adaptor’s control ring onto the drain valve, which opens it. The control ring also sets the flow. When you are done, unscrew the ring to close the valve, disconnect the hose, and put the cap back. The same manual says to drain the pool to the specified level if rain pushes the water above it. Other brands use different fittings, so follow the manual for your own pool.

Common mistakes on above ground pools

• Buying a suction vacuum the pump cannot run. Compare the vacuum’s minimum flow rate with your pump’s rating first. If you are choosing an above ground pool vacuum for a pump under that minimum, a battery or venturi model avoids the problem.
• Starting with a dirty cartridge. Suction is weak from the first pass, and the job takes twice as long.
• Leaving air in the hose. The pump gurgles, loses flow, and may stop moving water. Refill the hose under water.
• Pressing too hard on the liner. Heavy pressure can crease vinyl and lift the head at a wrinkle. Let the head’s weight do the work.
• Ignoring what is overhead. Bestway’s frame pool owner’s manual warns to be aware of overhead power lines when vacuuming the pool or using a telescoping pole.

Browse more cleaning guides in our pool vacuums and cleaners section.

When to call a pro

• The GFCI cuts power on its own. Bestway’s Flowclear pump manual says that if the GFCI interrupts power without anyone pressing its button, a ground current is flowing and there is a possible shock risk: do not use the pump, and have a qualified service representative correct the problem first. Call a licensed electrician for the outlet.
• The pump will not move water even with a full hose, a clean cartridge, and the inlet and outlet under water.
• The water level keeps dropping between cleanings, which can point to a leak in the liner or a fitting.
• Sand shows up on the floor right after you vacuum on a sand filter pump, which can point to a problem inside the filter.

FAQ

How do I vacuum my above ground pool without a skimmer?

Use a vacuum kit that connects to the pool’s wall outlet fitting, or skip the pump connection entirely with a battery or venturi vacuum. The kit’s instructions tell you which fitting to use. Fill the hose under water before you connect it either way.

Can you vacuum an above ground pool with a cartridge filter?

Yes, as long as the pump meets the vacuum’s minimum flow rate. All the debris goes into the cartridge, so start with a clean one and rinse it partway through on a dirty pool. Cartridge pumps have no WASTE setting.

Why does my above ground pool vacuum lose suction?

The usual causes are air in the hose, a clogged cartridge, low water at the skimmer or outlet, or a pump that is too small for the vacuum. Refill the hose under water, rinse the cartridge, and check the water level before you look for other problems.

Will a pool vacuum damage a vinyl liner?

A vacuum used gently should not, but heavy pressure, a damaged head, or sharp debris dragged across the floor can scuff or crease vinyl. Use a brush-bottom head, keep the pressure light, and pick up sharp objects by hand.

How often should I vacuum an above ground swimming pool?

There is no fixed schedule. Vacuum when you can see dirt or leaves on the floor. A pool near trees, a lawn, or a sandbox needs it more often than a pool in an open, screened yard, and many owners vacuum once a week along with skimming and brushing.

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