Today we are going to show you some tips on how to keep a kid pool clean.
Keeping dirt and debris and other organic contaminants out of your kiddie pool is important to keep the water healthy for swimmers. The maintenance of your kiddie pool depends on your unique circumstances, including your climate, how dirty the pool gets — and with what — and how much water the pool holds.
1. Drain and refill the pool
If your kid’s pool is pretty small, and draining and refilling it doesn’t feel like a colossal waste of water, then the best way to keep the kiddie pool clean is to drain it when the water’s dirty, scrub it down with a plain old kitchen brush and some mild dish soap, and refill it. Consider using the pool water to water the plants in the yard.
Some of the nicer, full-featured inflatable pools include a drain plug to make regular draining and refilling easier. Just remove the plug and drain, or connect a garden hose if you want to avoid erosion or over-saturation.
2. Cover the kiddie pool when it’s not in use
Use a Pool Cover: Some Intex inflatable pools have covers available that cover the pool like a fitted sheet, nice and tight. You could also use a basic tarp, and a few bungees or bricks to hold it in place, or use a small solar cover, and warm the water by letting in the sun, while blocking out leaves, dirt and animals.
3. Skim the pool every day
One other tip for keeping the pool clean.One easy way to ensure the kiddie pool water stays clean is to remove the floating debris like bugs, leaves, and other dirt. Simply use a handheld net each day to remove the debris.That will also help the water to last longer.
4. Vacuum the bottom of the pool
Eventually, there will be debris accumulated on the bottom of the kiddie pool. You can try using the net to clean the bottom, but it is likely that it will not completely suffice.You will need a little gadget that vacuums the bottom of the pool to help keep it cleaner longer.
5. Keep sunscreen build up off the sides
What do you do right before the kids head outside to splash? Cover them in sunscreen of course! The damage caused to our skin from the sun and summer heat is well documented, so using the best sunscreen is important. No matter what sunscreen you use, you will surely see an oily film on the top of the water surface soon after the kids enter the pool.There is nothing inherently bad about this, but over time you will see a build-up of sunscreen oils on the sides of the pool.There are two ways to combat this build-up. You can either scrub it off when you are draining the pool, or prevent the build-up in the first place. To prevent the build-up, we recommend the “Scum Ball” which is a special sponge-like ball that absorbs the oil before it can build up on the sides!
6. Use chemicals formulated for small pools.
When should you use chemicals in a kiddie pool?
According to the CDC, you should never use chemicals in a “small plastic or inflatable kiddie pool”, and for two reasons:
Even though you carefully measure and add household chemicals like bleach or borax — or a pool disinfectant like chlorine or bromine — to the kiddie pool, the minute your kids dive in, they jack up all your math, because who’s to say how much more of what you should add?
Small pools for kids generally don’t come with any sort of filter, and your kids are in and out of the pool all day, traipsing in all sorts of filth and shedding dead skin cells along the way, and all of this debris accumulates in the water and “can use up disinfectant needed to kill germs.”
For “larger plastic or inflatable pools”, says the CDC, you’ll need filtration plus disinfecting.
7. Keep the kids feet clean before entering
How many times do the kids get in and out of the kiddie pool? Lots! And each time they exit and enter the pool they bring new debris on their feet. Simply set this feet cleaner outside the pool and have the kids step thru it before getting into the pool! Make it a pool party game!
If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!