How do I keep a paddling pool clean and safe?

Paddling pools sit in exactly the conditions bacteria like best: shallow, warm, sunlit, and full of whatever the users bring in with them. The instinct is to look for something to add to the water, and for a small pool that is the wrong approach — the volume is too small to dose reliably and the correct answer is simply to change it often, which is also cheaper and easier.

Safety

Step by step

1. Treat supervision as the first and non-negotiable part.Drowning in shallow water is silent and fast, and it does not look like the splashing people expect. An adult must be watching the water the whole time it is in use — not gardening nearby, not glancing out of a window. When the session ends, empty it immediately rather than leaving it as a hazard in the garden.
2. Empty and refill every day or two.For a small pool this is the entire hygiene plan and it works. Warm shallow water with organic matter in it — sun cream, sweat, grass, leaves, bird droppings — grows bacteria quickly, and by the second or third day a pool that looks fine is not. Emptying is easier than treating and there is nothing to get wrong.
3. Cover it between sessions.A cover keeps out leaves, insects, grass cuttings, bird droppings and animals, all of which are what turns the water over fastest. It also warms the water slightly and, importantly, it does not make the pool safe — a cover is not a barrier against a child getting in.
4. Rinse feet before getting in.A bowl or a watering can of clean water by the pool for rinsing feet removes most of the grass, soil and grit that would otherwise go in. It sounds fussy and it noticeably extends how long the water stays clean.
5. Site it thoughtfully.Partly shaded is ideal — full sun heats the water, which accelerates bacterial growth and makes the pool itself uncomfortable to touch, while full shade means it is never warm enough to enjoy. Avoid pitching directly under trees, which drop leaves, sap and bird droppings. On grass rather than a hot patio, and on level ground so the water sits evenly.
6. Protect the ground underneath.Grass under a paddling pool yellows within a couple of days and dies within a week. Move the pool between sessions if you can, or accept a temporary pale patch that will recover. A ground sheet protects the pool from stones and thorns and is worth using on rough ground.
7. Be careful about chemicals in a small pool.Household bleach and pool chemicals are not appropriate to add by guesswork to a small paddling pool — the volume is small, the dosing is impossible to judge, and children are in close contact with the water and may swallow it. For a larger inflatable pool with a filter pump, use products sold for that purpose, follow the instructions, and test the water rather than estimating.
8. Use a filter pump only on a pool designed for one.Larger inflatable pools that hold hundreds of litres come with a filter pump and are a different proposition — those are intended to be maintained rather than emptied daily, and they need the manufacturer's chemical and filter regime. A small paddling pool has no such system and should simply be emptied.
9. Empty the water onto the garden.Untreated paddling pool water is fine on lawns, shrubs and ornamental beds, and it is a substantial quantity of water in a dry summer. Avoid using chemically treated water on plants, and avoid pouring any of it onto edible crops. Siphon it with a hose to where it is useful rather than tipping it into a drain.
10. Dry it thoroughly before storing.Rinse it, let it dry completely in the sun, and fold it dry. A pool stored damp grows mould and mildew that is unpleasant and hard to remove, and it is the reason so many are thrown away after one summer.

Tips

• Filling with a hose in the morning and letting the sun warm it through the day is far cheaper and greener than filling with warm water from the house.
• A hosepipe restriction may affect filling a pool — the rules vary by water company and change within a season, so check what is currently allowed rather than assuming.
• Dark-coloured pools warm faster than pale ones. That helps in June and makes the water uncomfortably warm and quicker to spoil in a heatwave.
• Children in and out of a paddling pool need the same sun protection as anywhere else, and more of it — water reflects light and washes sun cream off, so reapply after they get out.
• Keep the repair patches that came with the pool somewhere you will find them. A puncture is the usual reason a perfectly good pool is discarded.

Common mistakes

• Leaving a pool filled and unattended between sessions — It is a drowning hazard for any small child who reaches the garden, and the water deteriorates quickly. Empty it and turn it over the moment the session ends.
• Adding household bleach to a small paddling pool — There is no reliable way to dose a small volume, and children are in close contact with the water and may swallow it. Changing the water is the correct approach for a small pool.
• Supervising from indoors or while doing something else — Drowning in shallow water is silent and takes seconds. It requires an adult watching the water, not simply being present.
• Packing the pool away damp — Mould and mildew grow in the folds over winter and are extremely difficult to remove, which is why so many pools last only one season.

Checklist

• An adult watching the water the whole time it is in use
• Emptied immediately after each session, and stored upturned
• Fresh water every day or two
• Covered between uses
• Foot rinse beside the pool
• Sited in part shade, off hot paving, away from overhanging trees
• Old water siphoned onto the garden, not the drain
• Dried completely before storage

Questions people ask