7 Tips for Keeping a Kiddie Pool Clean All Summer Long

Wading pools are a fun way to cool off when the temperature skyrockets, but as the kids run barefoot through the grass or your dog hops in with muddy paws, they can get dirty fast. And unlike large inground or above-ground pools, they don’t rely on chemicals and filters to keep the water clear. Jump in for 7 tips on how to keep a kiddie pool clean, no matter how much use it gets.

1. Keep It Covered

Whether you run inside for some lunch or it’s time to come inside for the night, make sure to cover the kiddie pool to help keep any debris or critters from coming into the pool when it isn’t occupied. Not only will this tactic keep your kiddie pool clean of debris, but it's a great childproofing pool safety tip as well. You can purchase covers made specifically for small children’s pools. 

2. Use a Scrub Brush

Before you fill your pool with the garden hose, you should use a scrub brush around the interior. Even if it looks pretty clean, giving it a quick scrub can help loosen any debris and help keep scum at bay. After scrubbing the kiddie pool with a brush and a little dish soap, thoroughly rinse it out with water before filling it up.

3. Refresh the Water

Unlike large pools, kiddie pools don’t have filters, pumps, and chemicals to keep the water moving and to remove algae growth. Stagnant water brings a host of health risks, from inviting mosquitoes to becoming a breeding ground for germs. 

Especially for smaller pools, or if all the neighborhood kids are in and out of your kiddie pool, plan to change out the water at least once per day to prevent germs from spreading. The cost to fill a pool of 100 to 200 gallons is about $0.40 to $0.80 each time, or $0.004 per gallon. You may also want to reduce waste by reusing the water for plants around the yard.

4. Grab a Skimmer

Leaves, grass clippings, and small bugs might find their way into your kiddie pool throughout the day. Use a small skimmer to filter out any larger pieces of debris. You should do this chore at least once per day, but if it’s a particularly active day, you may need to skim it more than once.

5. Vacuum the Bottom

Similar to vacuuming a standard-sized pool, purchase a portable pool vacuum to help suck up any small debris particles that the skimmer can’t quite catch. Make sure you use a pool vacuum or a wet-dry vacuum specifically if there’s any trace of water left, as a handheld vacuum designed for floors will put you at risk of electrocution. 

6. Wipe Feet First

Keep an extra towel handy before any wading session, and encourage kids (and adults) to wipe off their feet before dipping a toe into the pool. If you have a kiddie pool for fur children and they are patient enough, wipe their paws before letting them sit and splash in the water. This step can help minimize the grass clippings, dirt, and other debris that can muck up the water.

7. Prevent Sunscreen Build-Up

You shouldn’t be taking a dip without slathering on the sunscreen, but the oils from your lotions and sprays may get into the water and start building up on the bottom and sides of the kiddie pool. To keep the pool clean, you can purchase oil-absorbing balls or sponges that help absorb the oils from sunscreens and other personal care products that might get into the pool water. 

Although you can scrub the build-up away with a cleaning brush, these sponges help prevent build-up in the first place. Replace the sponges every few weeks or when they start to look discolored.

Safe Ways to Clean a Kiddie Pool

Although chlorine is commonly used to keep bigger inground and above-ground pools clean, it’s usually not the best choice for a small wading pool. In fact, the CDC specifically notes that bleach and chlorine should be avoided in kiddie pools, in large part because all the water splashing out of the pool throws off the chemical balance. 

Instead, the CDC recommends these tips for safely cleaning a kiddie pool:

• Remove visible debris at the end of each swim

• Drain and refresh the water from a kiddie pool daily

• Regularly wash all surfaces and slides with a gentle soap solution 

• Rinse the soap solution with fresh water and allow it to fully dry

• Only use a bleach solution (½ cup to one gallon of water) on a drained pool if a child poops or vomits while in the pool

• Rinse off the bleach solution with fresh water

• Leave disinfecting pools in the sun for at least four hours after rinsing off the bleach solution 

• Avoid allowing sick children to swim in the kiddie pool

Some "kiddie pools" are larger and come with pumps and filters. If you have one of those, it's important to follow the manufacturer’s specific cleaning instructions. In this case, you can also decide to hire a pool maintenance pro to discuss your safest weekly maintenance checklist.

Paige Bennett contributed to this piece.