Drying an inflatable water slide the right way is key to stop mold, harm to the material, and keep it safe. Wet slides can cause mildew, make the vinyl weak, and create slick spots. Here’s a fast way to make sure your slide stays in top shape:
- Remove Water and Clean: Cut off water supply, let out left water, and clean off dirt or bits with a gentle rag or gentle water spray.
- Deflate and Get to Hidden Spots: Let the air out, lay the slide flat, and use towels to dry seams, folds, and tough spots.
- Partly Inflate for Air Flow: Put in a bit of air to help air move and dry it quicker.
- Use Towels, Squeegees, and Fans: Dry off wet spots, push water out from low spots, and use fans to dry faster.
- Look for Left Moisture: Check seams, edges, and other hidden spots to make sure all is dry before you put it away.
Quick Tip: Always store the slide dry to stop mold and make it last longer. Use sun when you can for natural drying and cleaning. If you follow these steps, your inflatable water slide stays safe, strong, and fun.
Step 1: Get the Water Out and Clean Up
Taking out water and dirt is key to stop water gathering and block mold growth. This first step sets up everything that comes next, making sure no water stays in spots hidden where mold may grow. Follow these acts well to see the slide is all dry before going on.
Turn Off and Unhook Water Lines
Begin by cutting off the water supply to end any more water from coming in.
With care, disconnect the garden hose from where the slide hooks up to dodge any spills that might wet the spots you just dried. Take time to look over all links and see they are all dry before going on.
Even a small drip can ruin your work of drying, so check well that no water can slip in as you work.
Drain and Take Out Water Left
Open the slide’s built-in drain spots at the low points, and tilt parts to send water to the drains.
For flat bits where water stays, lift and tilt these parts to help water go out. Look well at corners, joins, and low spots – water hides here and will cause trouble if not well-drained.
Get Dirt and Leftovers Out
Once the water is out, it’s time to deal with dirt and leftovers to make the slide ready for drying.
Look over the slide well. Take away any loose stuff by hand, then clean surfaces with a damp rag and a simple, safe wash. For hard dirt or mud, use light water flow or a soft brush to clean it off.
If you have hard-packed mud, light to middle water flow is best to loosen and rinse it away. If using a power washer, keep it on low to not harm the vinyl.
The aim is to have the slide clean and free from stuff so it dries well. Any leftover dirt can keep moisture under it, making the wet conditions you want to get rid of. This step is important to keep the slide good over time and stop mold or damage to the material.
Make It Flat to Clean, Then Fill It with Air to Dry
After you take out all the extra water and bits, lowering the slide’s air helps it dry all the way.
Deflate It to Reach Every Spot
First, turn off the blower and let all the air out so the slide is flat on the ground. This lets you get to seams, folds, and pockets where water and dirt like to stay. As it goes flat, water starts to run out of those hard spots.
To move things along, walk on the flat slide to squeeze out water stuck inside, especially at seams and folds. Then, use dry towels to rub down the top and poke into those folds to make sure it’s as dry as it can be.
Blow Up a Bit for Better Air Moving
When you’ve cleaned and dried it as much as possible, put in just enough air to lift the slide a little off the ground. This bit of air lets more air move under it, which makes it dry faster if it’s in a sunny, windy spot.
For top results, turn the slide now and then so each side gets sun and wind. If you see water gathering in any spot, let air out of that part, dry it with a towel, and then add air back. With good air moving all around and no water stuck, you’re set to try even more drying ways.
Use Towels, Squeegees, and Fans
When your slide is set to air dry, it’s time to get rid of any left wet spots. These tools will help you cut out tough water marks and make sure the slide is all dry.
Dry Areas That Hold Water
Some parts of the slide keep water easy. Here’s what to do:
- Seams and stitched edges: Water hides here a lot. Get microfiber towels to soak up moisture as you move your hand over the seams.
- Splash pools and catch basins: Even empty, these spots may keep some water. Push water to the drains with a squeegee, then dry off the top with towels.
- Under crash pads and safety barriers: These areas miss out on air and sun, keeping them wet. If you can, lift the pads and dry the top and bottom with towels.
- Curved areas and dips: Water sits in these spots. Don’t just wait it out – wipe or squeegee the water away.
Use Fans to Dry Faster
Fans help a lot with drying, mainly for big slides. Here’s how to make the most of them:
- Box fans are great: Put a 20-inch box fan about 3 feet from the wet spots, angle it to blow air over the area. This can dry the water quicker than straight-on air.
- Get air moving: Set fans on each side of the slide to push air well. If you have just one fan, move it around every 15-20 minutes to hit all parts.
- Reach hidden areas: Point fans at places like seams or drain holes to pull out moisture where towels can’t go. This is really good on slides that are only partly blown up, bettering air flow inside.
- Check for mess: Clear out any grass, leaves, or dirt before you start the fans to keep the slide clean.
Tools for Drying: Quick Guide
Here’s an easy look at the top tools to dry your slide, with their good points, bad points, and safety notes:
| Tool | Best Use | Good Points | Bad Points | Stay Safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microfiber Towels | Seams, small spots | Soak up 7x their weight, soft on vinyl | Must squeeze out often | Wash alone to stop lint |
| Rubber Squeegees | Big smooth spots | Fast to clear water | Hard on bumpy spots | Push gently to not damage |
| Box Fans | Dry everything | Makes drying fast, no hands | Needs power | Keep wires dry |
| Shop Vacuums (wet/dry) | Pools of water | Takes out much water quick | Heavy to carry | Use mild suction setting |
| Leaf Blowers | Last bits of wet | Strong air, easy to move | Loud | Use ear guard, keep it moving |
- Microfiber towels are great for close work. They are super good at taking water from small gaps and sides, very needed for inflatable slides.
- Squeegees work well on big, flat parts like the main slide area. Move it side to side with overlapping motions and keep towels to catch the water you push away.
- Fans are amazing for drying without using your hands. After you mop up the clear water, fans go on drying while you can work on other parts, stopping water from coming back as the air warms.
Using all these tools together makes sure your slide is not just dry but also ready to be used again, with no worry of water harm.
Lift Parts and Turn the Slide
After you dry the clear wet spots, next fix the hidden wet spots that stick in seams and low parts. Lift parts up and turn the slide to help water run off well and let air move better. This makes it less hard to dry the hard spots.
Make a Tilt with Strong Holds
Use things like heavy blocks, bricks, or tough boxes to lift parts of the slide. This makes a tilt that lets water go down to drain spots fast, helping the slide dry quicker.
Turn the Slide for All-Over Dry
To make sure every part of the slide dries the same, turn it a lot. If you dry it in the sun, move it each 30–60 minutes. For night drying, try to turn it every 2–3 hours. In the day, when you dry inside or in the shade, turn the slide every 4–6 hours.
This way stops water from staying in one spot and makes sure the whole slide dries well.
Step 5: Check if All is Dry
Making sure everything is all dry is key to stop mold and harm to stuff. Even after you think all is dry, wet can stay in hard-to-see spots like seams and corners. This can cause mold or mildew if you don’t check them.
Look Over Each Spot for Wet
After you have dried all open areas, you must look again to find any left wet. Look over the full place, check seams, corners, and any spots hard to see. Touch these spots – if they are wet, they need more time to dry.
Pull up side parts, Velcro, and liners to find and dry any water under them. Look well at seams, corners, zippers, Velcro, the bottom, and dark spots, as these are where wet likes to stay. For hard wet, open zippers and use a towel to dry by hand.
Turn any parts that stick out to make sure no wet hides. Don’t miss spots that had no sun while drying, as these may take more time to dry fully.
At last, look at parts like the blower. Use a dry towel to take off any left wet. By doing this well, you can make sure all is dry and set to use.
End Note: Key Steps for Good Drying
Drying your inflatable water slide well is key – it can make it last 40% longer while stopping mold, bad smells, and health risks.
Here’s a fast guide on the way: take out water and dirt, let air out to reach hidden spots, pump it up again to help air move, use towels, fans, and sun to dry it faster, and check all seams to make sure they’re dry.
When you can, use the sun. The sun not only dries the top but also kills germs and mold. This makes drying outside a top pick when the weather is good. On dark days, fans and dehumidifiers are good to have.
Experts like Bouncy Rentals USA stick to strict drying plans, with quick water take-out, long blower runs, towel and fan drying, and close checks. This care keeps their gear in great shape.
Always put away your slide when it’s fully dry. Even strong, trade-level stuff like Dura-Lite™ Vinyl can break if packed wet. Good drying saves you cash on fixes but also keeps your slide ready for more fun.
Drying and storing your slide right also keeps up grip, stops slipping, and makes play zones safe. By doing these things, you’re looking after your money spent and making sure of endless fun for all. Make these steps regular to keep your slide great and your mind at ease.
FAQs
How can you dry the tough spots on an inflatable water slide?
To dry tough spots you can’t reach on an inflatable water slide, use a leaf blower or an air blower. These tools are great because they send out strong air that can quickly clear water from small spots.
Make sure you move the blower around with care, and aim it at all the seams and gaps. Water sticks in these spots and if not dried, it can lead to mold growth.
