You also may consider brushing the pool sides and bottom with a nylon bristle brush to help circulate the pool water, and sweep down any algae growing in the pool. This would be the time to remove any debris with a strainer net. Remember, also, that water clarity is not a good indicator of water quality.
It is very important to drain the kiddie pool completely after every use. Allow it to fully dry under the heat to get rid of any moisture left. For cleaning, you can use bleach or vinegar (diluted in water) to disinfect it.
Concoct a White Vinegar Solution
Make a white vinegar solution by adding 1 quart of white vinegar to 1 quart of water in a bucket. Soak a soft sponge in the solution and then use it to scrub the interior of the pool. Make sure to get in all the cracks and crevices of the pool to ensure you are cleaning it thoroughly.
Baking soda will raise the total alkalinity of the water. The alkalinity keeps the pH stable which then allows the bleach to remove more bacteria and contaminates. About a 1/2 of a teaspoon of baking soda will treat 26 gallons of water.
Chlorine In Small Inflatable Pools
For small inflatable pools that you don't want to empty and refill so often, you can add a small amount of bleach to the water to sanitize it. Add about a 1/4 tsp for every 10 gallons of water, or for medium sized inflatable pools, add 2 1/2 tsp for every 100 gallons.
Blow-up kiddie pools are small enough to be emptied and cleaned after each use. Dump or drain the water, then wipe down the empty pool with a solution of bleach and water (read the label for cleaning ratios) , wearing rubber gloves while cleaning. Or, use gentle dish detergent to cut through the dirt.
A rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs. of baking soda per 10,000 gallons of water will raise alkalinity by about 10 ppm. If your pool's pH tested below 7.2, add 3-4 pounds of baking soda. If you're new to adding pool chemicals, start by adding only one-half or three-fourths of the recommended amount.
Method 2: Using Vinegar Solution
Begin by mixing one portion of white vinegar and two parts of clean water in a spray bottle. When the solution is prepared, spritz your inflatable and use your sponge to scrub off all the dirt. Then, rinse your floaty with a hose and sit it out in the sun to dry.
Not ideal. More importantly, however, Tim points out that 'there is little evidence or scientific proof to show that Epsom Salts acts as a disinfectant, which could leave harmful bacteria lurking in the paddling pool, even after cleaning has taken place.
Many of us want to cool off in a backyard pool, but we also want to make sure there are no dangerous bacteria lurking in these pools that do not have any filtration system in place. You can use Clorox® Regular Bleach2 to treat the water in a child's wading pool.
Draining & Refilling an Inflatable Pool
If you don't have a drain plug in your kiddie pool, but you have a nearby hillside, you could use a garden hose to siphon most of the water out, to a point where you can flip it over to empty fully.
Use 1 part bleach to 20 parts water. Soak your rag in the solution and wipe the pool clean. Avoid using paper towels when using a bleach solution to clean the pool. They won't hold up very well and will just create a bigger mess for you to clean up.
To keep the pool clean without a filter, it is necessary to use chlorine with a flocculant or to use a flocculant chemical. This product groups the impurities that float in the water, causing them to fall to the bottom of the pool so that they can be removed later with a cleaner.
It is important to know what exactly bleach is before you put it in your pool. Household bleach, Clorox and liquid chlorine can all be used to sanitize a pool. They are all types of chlorine. Household bleaches such as Clorox usually contain about 5-6% available chlorine, about half that of pool liquid chlorine.
Depending on how much you have added and the size of your pool, it is generally safe to wait about 4 hours after adding liquid chlorine or until levels reach 5 ppm or lower.
You can use either a chlorinated product or a non-chlorine shock oxidizer to break down combined chlorine in the water. Shocking the pool can also remove excess bather waste and visible algae. Shocking should be done when combined chlorine levels exceed 0.5 ppm.
Skimmer Net
With excessive debris in the water like leaves, pine needles, and dirt, the pool walls will get slimy and grow mildew faster.
Salt is often presented as a healthier alternative to adding chlorine to a kiddie pool, since saltwater is gentler on the skin.
The water of your paddling pool can also be maintained using Milton Sterilising Fluid.
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.