The picture on the left shows how I set up the job. By locating the trash can and myself, as in the top picture, midway along the side of the pool, I can clear the entire pool cover of leaves and trash from one location.

Once most of the leaves and trash have been removed, I set up this siphon arrangement. The step ladder and a 2 1/2 inch C clamp provide a handy third hand if one has to do this task by him/her self. Once the vacuum hose is fully charged and all air bubbles removed, one simply drops the vacuum hose by the step ladder and the process starts.

The reason that I use this siphon arrangement is that water drains more slowly than it would if a pump were used. This allows me more time to clean the pool cover in place, therefore eliminating the possibility that dirty water will be dumped in the pool as the pool cover is removed. This technique seems to work best as I work from above the pool using the deck or a step ladder. The final step in the cleaning process is to rinse the vacuumed area with the garden hose.

Once the pool cover is cleaned and removed, I take it around front and dry it off in the drive way. Here I am using my leaf blower to speed up the process. The cover must be completely dry or mildew will result while it is stored over the summer.

For safety's sake, I use hearing and eye protection when I use power tools.

A co-worker of mine once removed his pool cover on a hot and sunny day and left it on his lawn for only twenty minutes. The result was that he had a large scorched spot that lasted for several weeks.