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The Importance of Cleaning an Inflatable Water Slide
When it comes to summertime, inflatable water slides are always an excellent choice for my kids to have fun with. It magically helps them to stay cool and burn off some energy, which equates to better sleep at night. Of course, as the repeatedly saying in the TV show “Once Upon A Time,” “all magic comes with a price.” After my kids finished playing with the slide, you could imagine what is like when their body oils, sweat, tanning lotion are all left behind. There are also other dirt and debris from the lawn. Without proper cleaning, the inflatable slide can be the perfect breeding spots for molds and germs, which could lead to health and safety issues for the children.
This is why many of my friends hesitate to set up a water slide for their children. However, this does not necessarily be the case. Below are five simple steps I use to clean the inflatable water slides.
Step 1: Drain out all the unclean water
To be honest, I’m not a gardening expert, so I’m unsure will this dirty water damage the grass. If you are concerned, you could drain this onto a pavement area. But regardless of where I pour it, to avoid soapy or unclean water sitting around, I typically would rinse the drainage area with the garden hose.
Step 2: Rinse the water slide with a garden hose.
Many garden hose nozzles have different water pressure selections. For example, mine is an ordinary one with the choices of vertical, horizontal, shower, jet, etc. I usually would select the one with medium water pressure, which is good enough to rinse off the dirt, but not too hard that would damage the water slide.
Step 3: Scrub the water slide with soap and water
Most inflatable water slides are made of lightweight vinyl. I would clean it with a vinyl cleaner with a soft sponge. If you don’t have vinyl cleanser available, you can consider using mild dish soap solution mixed with water (use approximately 1 teaspoon of soap per gallon of water and mix it in a bucket). Afterward, I would rinse it again with the garden hose. Make sure all vinyl cleanser or soap are thoroughly washed off, you would not want to have any residue the next time your kids play on it. Since there could be dirt on the lawn, after the waterslide is cleaned, I would place it over a clean tarp.
Step 4: Dry the inflatable water slide
It is crucial to let the water slide dry before you store it. Many parents I encountered lost their patience in waiting, so they merely store it while the waterslide still has moisture or water drops. This negligence can create a serious problem down the road, as mold can be built up due to that. Although some could use a leaf blower or fan to speed up the drying process, I find it the best way is just like the song, Frozen from Disney, which is to “Let it go.” The natural wind and heat from sunlight should do the job.
For folding and other areas that can be more difficult to dry, you can use a dry cloth to wipe off the water drops. At this time, I would disconnect the water slide from the blower that feeds it with the flow of air.
Depending on the size of your inflatable water slide, the duration to have it thoroughly dry could range from a few hours to a couple of days. The general rule of thumb is the bigger the inflatable playset, the longer it would take.
If you are placing the water slide on top of the grass to dry it, you should move it around every few hours or so. Else, your grass could be suffocated and damaged.
Then you should inflate it again to examine whether the slide is completely dry or not.
Some people suggest using antiseptic or disinfectant to kill any bacteria or mildew. I have not applied it before, as I believe letting it dry under the sunlight should be able to do that. * Actually, there’s an experiment done by Annie Pryor, a P.H.D in biochemistry from Ohio State University, in her experiment, she found that it is evidence sunlight can kill germs. [1]http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/does-sunlight-kill-germs#TOC-Does-hanging-laundry-out-to-dry-in-the-sun-kill-germs Anyway, this is just my personal preference, as I tend to minimize the amount of chemical my kids can expose to.
Step 5: Store the inflatable water slide
Before you store it, you should examine again whether the water slide is totally dry. Depending on the model of your water slide, there could be carrying straps or bags which help you to organize it.
Some families stated that it is challenging to put the water slide back into the carrying bag. It requires them to fold it tightly, while pushes all the air out. Therefore, some would place the inflatable in a clean garden bin instead.
To prevent damaging the water slide, I would avoid placing it outdoor, and away from the direct sunlight. I typically would store it in my shed. However, you should make sure your storage room is clean before doing so.
The next time before my kids use the water slide, I would re-examine to make sure there is no mold being developed, then rinse it with water.
Every kid should have fun during the summer, but it is as vital to keeping their playset clean and safe. I tend to get my kids help out in the cleaning process, as I believe developing them with the sense of responsibility can only be done through many daily tasks. However, they obviously would not participate in the steps that have chemical solution involved.
With the right cleaning steps, these water slides will provide years of fun for your kids.
Bonus tip- How to get mold out of inflatable water slide?
If somehow your inflatable water slide still develops mold on it, you could try applying the mold remover solution. After you use them, the mold should be gone within minutes. Find one that is suitable for your water slide, safe to apply on children’s playset and thoroughly rinse off before the kids play on it.
>> Here are some tools I would use to clean the inflatable playset. I also include other tools which I would use to keep a backyard clean and safe for my child, make sure to check it out!
Disclaimer: This content of this website is for general information, and do not intend to provide any specific advice. Although I tried my best in providing accurate information, I cannot guarantee they are error-free. Information displayed on this website could be subjected to change. For any medical-related question, you should always consult with your family doctor. For safety or product related question, you should consult with the actual manufacturer.
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Jacob is a father of two daughters. He loves spending quality time with them in the backyard. Playing sports, blowing bubbles, and planting are some the favorite activities Jacob and his daughters like to do together. He believes it is essential to spend quality time with them while they are still young.