Molds and mildew are bounce house’s top enemy. They can potentially cause physical damage to the bounce house and, worse, pose a ton of health risks to users. A child getting sick from a bounce house activity would be the last thing you’d want to happen. Thus, as bounce house owners, you should see that they are unsoiled and decontaminated, free of any mold and mildew, and other forms of grimes. If you’re personally taking care of bounce houses, then you may want to know how to clean mold off inflatable bounce houses to ensure they remain pristine and up for safe use.
Proper Cleaning of Bounce House
Before we focus on the more tedious removal of molds from bounce houses, let us first know the basic cleaning methods bounce house owners should employ. Obviously, it’s not just the molds and mildews that are the enemy, but even the dirt, grime, and moisture that can harbor and offshoot microorganisms’ growth and make kids sick. So aside from disinfection, getting rid of all forms of filth is also necessary. Here’s how you do it.
Preparations for Cleaning
The ease or struggle of cleaning a bounce house will depend on your preparation. To facilitate cleaning with fewer difficulties, do the following as a starter.
- Fully inflate the bounce house over a tidy waterproof groundsheet.
- Take off all demountable components to clean them separately, and so you can thoroughly clean every nook and cranny.
- Carefully inspect every corner of the bounce house and look for dirt, damp areas, molds and mildew, defacements, slits, and fading. This will give you an idea of how much cleaning the bounce house should get. It should take less than 10 minutes to perform a visual inspection, but you can make a rerun to be sure.
Primary Cleaning
After getting a good impression of the overall cleaning needs for the bounce house, perform initial cleaning. This is a crucial step before you get to know how to clean mold off inflatable bounce house. You won’t be using any special disinfectants at this point yet. Here’s what you need to do during the primary cleaning phase.
- Remove any hazardous items spotted during the inspection. Common items found in bounce houses include coins, toys, sticks, jewelry, and whatnot. Some of which can potentially damage the bounce house. Do not make haste. A stick stuck in a corner should be taken off carefully.
- With the use of a brush or a broom, mop the entire bounce house. Anything else that these tools can’t handle may be dealt with by a vacuum.
If there are no molds to deal with, then you may stop at this point. But should you find areas of concern and need further cleaning, proceed with the next step.
More Tedious Cleaning: Using Chemical Solution
Begrimed spots in the bounce house may need more meticulous cleaning with the use of chemical cleaners. In this stage, you will need a cleaning solution and water. Do away with bleach as much as you can because it will tone down the colors. You can use a DIY cleaning solution that’s safe for bounce houses. Here are more details on how to clean mold off inflatable bounce house.
- Mix one part of vinegar to three parts water. Add some quantity of bleach-free dish soap.
- Apply the solution to filthy spots and carefully scour using a brush with fine bristles or a fabric rag. Make sure to use vinyl-friendly cleaning materials lest you’ll end up with less filth but more damages.
- Rinse off the solution thoroughly using a hose or pressure washer set to minimum power.
Dealing with Pathogens in Bounce Houses
Of all the dirt that can be present in your bounce house, molds are the least you’d want to see. Not only because they’re hard to remove but because they can seriously harm kids. Thus, a more in-depth cleaning should be done, this time with the use of a disinfectant. You can use bleach-free disinfectant wipes. Here’s how to clean mold off inflatable bounce house.
- Go over the areas where hands usually land, such as railings, and landings.
- Do not rinse the solution unless specified by the manufacturer.
- Let the bounce house sit out before using them again.
- You may use bleach in profoundly affected areas if this is the only way to disinfect. It may tone down the color a bit, but that’s a lesser evil than having a sick child.
Preventing the Growth of Molds
Molds love to grow in damp and dark areas. It only takes about 24 to 48 for fungi to grow in a favorable environment. So, after cleaning the bounce house, make sure to dry it thoroughly. Here’s how to efficiently dry bounce houses.
- Leave it outdoor and under the sun for a few hours. Doing so is an excellent way to dehumidify bounce houses. On top of that, the UV rays from the sun also kill pathogens that flourish in water. Nonetheless, sun drying is not an excuse to skip disinfecting with a disinfectant solution.
- Search for areas that are swamped and use a clean towel to dry them.
- You can use a blower to dry areas unexposed to the sun if you want it to dry quickly and be ready for use.
Conclusion
Kids are vulnerable with an underdeveloped immune system. Thus, we have to ensure their safety by performing an extra meticulous cleaning job in areas where kids frequent, such as bounce houses. It may take a few hours of our day, but if it leaves our kids safe, be more than glad to do it. With this ‘how to clean mold off inflatable bounce house’ guide, you can rest confidently knowing your kids are safely playing in their bounce house. Find out more about cleaning.