How to Clean a Paddling Pool?

There’s nothing better than watching your children have fun splashing around in a paddling pool but there’s one thing you need to know to keep them safe. How to clean a paddling pool?

Firstly, empty your paddling pool of water, then dry off any excess, and using a cleaning solution of vinegar and water or bleach and water clean the sides and bottom of the paddling pool. Rinse clean and then dry.

In a nutshell that’s the simple way to clean your paddling pool but to make things a little easier we’ll break this process into a step-by-step guide to explain it in a little more detail.

Step-by-Step Guide – How to Clean a Paddling Pool?

1. Empty all remaining water from the paddling pool.
2. Dry off any excess water with a towel.
3. Mix a solution of vinegar and water consisting of 10 parts water to 1 part vinegar or if you prefer 25 parts water to 1 part bleach.
4. Using the cleaning solution sparingly clean the sides and the bottom of the paddling pool with a brush. Any green or slippery part to the paddling pool may need a little more elbow grease.
5. Once clean, use a hosepipe to thoroughly rinse the inside of the paddling pool.
6. If you used a bleach cleaning solution use soap to thoroughly wash the pool before rinsing with the hosepipe.
7. Leave the paddling pool to dry or dry off with a clean towel.

Finally, remember that the bleach and Vinegar cleaning solutions can cause damage to clothing and grass so ensure that you are wearing old clothes and that you are careful about where you pour the water.

What Happens if you Don’t Clean a Paddling Pool?

Failing to clean a paddling pool could lead to a number of stomach upsets and bugs. Whether your draining and filling your pool each day or emptying it you put it away, failing to clean your pool properly after using it could make you ill.

Bugs and bacteria can remain on paddling pools for some time and so unless you clean your pool after use, the next time you fill it up you could become sick.

How Often Should you Clean a Paddling Pool?

OK, so you now know that you should give it a clean, but how often should you clean a paddling pool?

A paddling pool should ideally be cleaned before and after each use but it will depend on whether you are planning to leave it inflated for a number of days.

There are a variety of ways that you can keep paddling pool water clean if you intend on leaving it filled for a number of days. We cover this in our how to keep paddling pool water clean article.

If however after you have used it, you do not empty your paddling pool it will eventually end up being filled with green slime and algae. This will then be a breeding ground for bacteria that can cause a number of stomach upsets and illnesses if not dealt with correctly.

If you have a small paddling pool and you intend on emptying each day, they once empty simply dry it off and using an antibacterial spray, give it a light coating, and wipe it down to kill any bacteria on the paddling pool.

When you have finally finished with your paddling pool and your intention is to pack it away then you should thoroughly clean it before doing so. This will ensure that all bugs and bacteria are kept at bay ready for its next outing.

We’d always suggest storing your paddling pool somewhere dry and covered as this will mean when you next take it out it won’t be filthy and will just need a light cleaning before use.

If you’ve enjoyed reading this article don’t forget to take a look at our others including How to Blow up a Paddling Pool