# Keeping kids swimming pool clean & bug free ?s



## tracyhos

So we have a small blow up pool for the kids to play in...

I obviously don't want to fill the thing up daily for lots of reasons....but I don't want it to be a breeding ground for mosquitoes either...

I was thinking about adding a bit of Tea Tree Oil to the water to help it stay clean. Would that work? Is there something better than will keep the mosquitoes out of it?


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## jessicuh

I'm interested in this too..I bought a little pool for myself to help get through what is looking to be a miserably hot and pregnant summer. I couldn't believe the instructions said "Change water daily to avoid water contamination." The water would never warm up to a tolerable temperature if it were changed daily, and the amount of water wasted would be ridiculous.

I'm hoping someone has a suggestion other than those chemical "shock" things.







:


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## 1growingsprout

We had those growing up and unfortuanetly had to dump the water at the end of the day. Mosiquitos yes, mold grows, bugs etc. It was GROSS. Not to mention today, people are concerned about child drownings which can happen in any amount of water.

We always dumped the water then stood the pool up to dry int the garage.

I would not feel safe keeping even a small pool of water on my property, again for the child safety issue. Health issues 2nd.


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## alegna

I'd dump it. It just gets really yucky IME.

-Angela


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## nathansmum

We are now going into winter here, but over summer I would empty ours out every two days. I found it lasted fine for that length of time. I wouldn't let the kids out with the pool without me there though. I didn't feel bad about dumping it every two days as I would just use the water on my tomatoes and citrus trees that were nearby and would have received water anyway.


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## LilMama23

We dump ours also - it becomes a catch-all for all kinds of bugs and grass and everything else. Plus, I don't have to worry about drowning dangers; I always worry that DD would find a way outside and fall in before I could get to her. I like to only keep it filled when I'm sitting right there watching it.


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## belovedofbast

Honestly, the amount of stuff that comes off the human body in 5 minutes is enough to make the water change daily or every other day. If you don't have some kind of circulation/filtration/sanitation system, you really do need to keep that water fresh.

I like the idea of using the old water to water your plants/trees.


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## LizD

Essential oils and plastics do not mix...I'd hesitate to put anything like tea tree oil in there. Frankly I'd put a spoon of bleach in before essential oil. Or, as pp say, just refill it as needed. The plants won't mind all the schmutz!


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## Throkmorton

We filled up the kiddy pool today for the first time and I dumped it tonight. The water was *filthy* within a couple hours. Leaves, bugs, DD probably peed in it...

We just used a bunch of the water to water the trees and flowers and the rest was dumped on the lawn.

I doubt TTO would kill mosquitoes


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## belovedofbast

If you're going to add anything, bleach would be it. You need the Hypochlorous acid to eat the bacteria that get deposited in it. Or just dump and refill.

I think you can also get "pucks" of sanitizing agents at the store that are made for kiddie pools, but I'm not sure if they are for a specific product or just wading pools in general.

And yes, children can drown in 2 inches of water...so always practice water safety.


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## tracyhos

Wow. I guess the general consensus is to refill it daily. I should have a really green lawn at least.









I'm not worried about the neighbor kids sneaking in to it and drowning, since it is in our fenced in backyard. It's a locked, 6 foot wood privacy fence.

As far as my kids getting in un-noticed, I don't think they could. We have a sliding door out to the patio and backyard area that has a sliding lock at the top that I have to stand on tip-toes to reach...so *knock on wood*, we should be ok there.


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## suzyfakename

On days we are going to use our kiddie pool I fill it first thing in the morning so it has a chance to warm up a little bit. Then dump in the evening, same as the other mamas, my plants love it.


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## ILoveMyBabyBird

baking soda maybe? We have a larger one with a filter so dumping it would be impractical.


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