Inflatable and paddling pools: water care

How to keep the water in an inflatable or plastic paddling pool safe for children: when to change the water, when to use chlorine and what to avoid.

2 min read

A small pool with no filter is different from a backyard pool. The water warms up, collects dirt from the kids and doesn't circulate. That's why health authorities (such as the CDC in the US) keep it simple:

Small pool with no filter (up to about 1,000 litres): empty it and refill with clean water every day. Don't add chlorine or bleach.

Why not chlorinate a paddling pool?

With no filter and little water, chlorine disappears or becomes too concentrated within hours, so it's hard to keep a safe dose. It can irritate skin and eyes without really protecting anyone.

Larger plastic pools or pools with a filter

• With a filter (a pump plugged in), you can treat it like a normal pool, with small doses.
• Use the calculator in Simple mode: it converts the dose to spoons and cups.
• Cover it when not in use and scoop out leaves and insects with a net.

Always

• Never leave a child alone in the pool, not even for a minute. Drowning is fast and silent, even in shallow water.
• Children with diarrhoea or who have been sick shouldn't go in.
• When you empty it, rinse it and let it dry in the sun.