Let it do its thing.

Run the robot daily during peak season and clean its filter after each cycle. If you want it to work better, brush the walls and stairs first, and skim leaves off the surface before dropping it in. But honestly, you don’t need to do much.

Robot cleaners are designed to handle most of the work. The mistake people make is leaving them in too long or not cleaning the filter — that’s when they stop sucking properly. Just toss it in, let it run for a couple hours, and pull it out when it’s done. That’s the whole secret.

If your pool has a lot of debris, empty the basket more often. If it’s just fine dirt, you can get away with every other cycle. Don’t overthink it.

The best way to vacuum with a robot is to let the robot vacuum.