Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating low pressure and a pump which draws liquid material through an inlet tube from the bottom of a tank and expels it from the tank. A priming apparatus is disposed between the air impeller and the interior of the pump to place the interior of the pump in air flow communication with a low pressure area generated by the air impeller. With the interior of the pump in air flow communication with the low pressure area generated by the air impeller, the pump is able to draw liquid material received by the tank up through the pump inlet to prime the pump.