My family has so much fun with pool floats, pool noodles, and all sorts of toys and splashers. While it’s great fun, at the end of our super fun-filled pool day I dread the process of cleaning up the floats out of the pool and all of the toys the family and I brought out. Right before getting out of the pool for the day, I daydream about leaving the floats and toys in the water until the next day and clean them up in the morning, but I know that’s not the right thing to do.
Leaving pool floats in the pool causes the floats to wear down from the chemicals in the water, and constant exposure to the sun. This shortens the lifespan of the floats and can cause pool filtration issues if the floats block the skimmer. Pool floats should be stored in a dry and shady space.
Let’s dive a little deeper, pun intended, into how exactly your pool and the sun can break down your pool floats, and go over some cautionary advice about blocked pool skimmers.
Related: How To Increase Suction in a Pool Skimmer (6 Ways)
Pool Chemicals & The Sun Are Killing Your Pool Float
Pretty morbid, I know. It is true though. Unless you have a kiddie pool or a temporary pool that is dumped and refilled after each use, your pool water has added chemicals in it. Those chemicals are needed to keep the water safe to swim in and kill any bacteria, algae, and many other nasty things from thriving in your pool.
Some of the chemicals that are present in your pool include chlorine, muriatic acid, and cyanuric acid. While these chemicals work hard to keep your pool chemistry in balance to levels that are safe to swim in, with prolonged exposure, these can eat away at the vinyl liner of your pool floats. This can fade the color of the float and can weaken the integrity of the seams.
The sun is also detrimental to your pool float lifespan. Here in Vegas, the temperatures just recently almost hit 120°F. These are the days when the pool feels oh, so refreshing. These are also the days that can literally melt pool floats if they are left out too long.
The sun’s rays will also most definitely fade the color of your pool floats. While this isn’t as big of a deal, it does hinder the aesthetic a bit, and the perfectionist inside my head would be going just a little crazy.
Leaving Pool Floats In Your Pool Hinders Its Filtration
That’s right, leaving pool floats in the water can cause dirty and possibly unsafe swimming water. This is due to how your pool cleans itself. For a majority of pools, your pool water is cleaned through the use of a filter. Now there are all sorts of filters to use.
Cartridge filters, DE filters, sand filters, but that’s another article for another day. These filters all work in a similar way. They use a pump to pull water through skimmers and drains in order to clean the water and then return the water to the pool.
The main issue with leaving pool floats and toys inside the pool is that the floats can entirely block the skimmer. A skimmer is kind of like a gutter for your pool. It traps floating dirt and debris that may have fallen into your pool. A leftover pool float that blocks the skimmer is reducing your pool’s ability to trap that dirt and debris.
Earlier I said that the pool pump pulls water through the skimmer and drains. The amount of water pull through either one of them is often adjustable. So, if you have most of your suction coming from the skimmer, and a pool floats blocks the skimmer, then you effectively are not filtering your pool water. This can lead to bacteria and algae buildup, which can ruin your water chemistry, which can make your pool green, cloudy, and most likely unusable.
5 Simple Storage Ideas For Pool Floats & Pool Toys
Okay, so now we know that leaving pool floats in the pool is a no-no. So, what should we do with them? You just leave them on the edge of the pool, cross your fingers, and hope that the wind doesn’t blow them into the next county over. Just kidding, of course. There are actually quite a few things you can do to stash your pool floats and keep them dry, organized, and still easily accessible if you want to take a dip.
Storage Shed – Not only are storage sheds great for pool floats, but they are also the biggest storage area on this list and can hold many other things like gardening tools, air-blowers, mowers, and anything in-between. A cargo net and float organizer talked about below can easily be stored in the storage shed to keep your floats organized and safe from the sun’s rays.
Storage Trunk – The most common type of storage for your pool float. Storage trunks are great to store all your pool floats and tools. You can organize smaller toys using containers or dividers. The best storage trunks for pool toys are the ones that have airflow in order for your pool toys to dry fully, Whicker or slotted wood storage trunk allows the water that is leftover to drop down, outside of the trunk.
Storage Bench – Just like a storage trunk, They keep your pool toys out of the sun and your floats and toys can be easily organized. These have the added benefit of giving you some more seating space and the benches can come in many different colors.
Float Organizer – A cheaper alternative to a traditional storage trunk, they are usually made with PVC pipe or wood and have places for different loungers and floats. Some even have wheels for mobility and organizer bins for your smaller toys. One downfall of these is that your pool floats are often not covered, so these need to be stored in a shaded area, or perhaps in your garage.
Cargo Net – If you are running short on deck space, or would rather toss them in a storage shed or bench, you can easily attach them to the side of the building, or wall, and secure them with some netting.
This is a unique way to store your pool toys that still makes it simple to get to your favorite pool floats. Just like a float organizer, a cargo net does not fully protect your floats from the sun, These should be installed on the shady side of a building or, on the inside of a storage shed.
Final Thoughts
Will all of the different ways that pool floats and toys can be stored, any backyard can accommodate the task. We all just keep reminding ourselves of the issues that can arise if we leave them in the pool. I personally have a storage trunk that holds our pool floats and toys. I hope this article helps you extend the life of your pool floats, and lets you enjoy your pool, and pool floats, all summer long!
Related Questions
Why do pool floats lose air?
Pool floats lose air because of air temperature changes. During the day, the sun’s rays heat up the air inside of the float, causing the float to expand. Through the night, the cooler temperatures cause the float to deflate. This is done through a process known as thermal expansion. Basically, heat causes the distance between atoms to increase and cold temperatures do the opposite.
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