Your pump and skimmer baskets are the first line of defense for keeping your pool clean. Anything that makes it past them will head straight to the pool filter.
How to clean the skimmer basket:
Turn off your pump
Pull off the skimmer’s lid, pick up the basket and empty out all the debris
Give it a good rinse
Place it back in position
Restart your pump
How to clean the pump basket:
If it was in use, turn off the heater and wait 5-10 minutes for it to cool down
Close the main drain and skimmer valves
Turn off the pump
Reach inside to grab the pump basket, then remove the debris inside
Rinse off the skimmer basket using a garden hose and examine it for damage
Return it to its original location—if your pump basket is a twist-in model, do not over-tighten
Check the pump lid and O-ring for signs of wear and tear, and smooth on some petroleum jelly if the O-ring appears dry
Return pump lid and O-ring to their original places, then check that the filter valve is set to “filter” position
Open the main drain valve and the pool filter’s air relief valve
Turn the pump and heater back on
Open remaining skimmer valves and close the air relief valve only when you see a consistent stream of water coming out of it
