In St. Pete and Tampa, summer means long, sunny days by the pool. But while pool toys and gear provide endless fun, they can quickly become a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria if not cleaned and stored properly. To protect your family’s health—and your investment—here’s exactly how to clean and store pool toys and gear so they stay fresh, safe, and ready for every splash-filled afternoon.
1. Rinse After Every Use
The first rule of pool toy care is simple: rinse them right after swimming.
Use clean hose water to rinse off chlorine, salt, sunscreen, and dirt.
Pay extra attention to seams, valves, and textured surfaces where grime can hide.
For larger gear like pool floats or kickboards, wipe with a damp cloth after rinsing.
Allow toys to drip dry before bringing them indoors.
A quick rinse goes a long way in preventing sticky buildup and odors.
2. Deep Clean Weekly
Once a week—or more often if toys are heavily used—give everything a deeper clean.
For plastic and vinyl toys:
Fill a tub with warm water and add a few drops of dish soap.
Soak toys for 10–15 minutes to loosen dirt and oils.
Scrub with a soft brush or sponge, paying attention to crevices.
Rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
For foam toys (noodles, float mats):
Wipe with a cloth dipped in a mixture of vinegar and water (1:1 ratio).
Rinse well with clean water.
Stand items upright to air dry fully before storing.
Regular deep cleaning helps extend the life of your pool gear.
3. Disinfect to Prevent Germs and Mold
Disinfecting keeps your pool toys hygienic for everyone to enjoy.
Prepare a solution of 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.
Submerge plastic and vinyl toys for 5 minutes (never soak fabric-covered floats).
Rinse thoroughly to remove all bleach residue.
Let air dry in direct sunlight when possible—sunlight naturally kills bacteria.
Alternatively, use a non-toxic toy sanitizer if you prefer to avoid bleach.
4. Ensure Proper Drying Before Storage
Moisture is the enemy of clean pool gear.
After cleaning, dry all toys completely before storing—especially inside valves and seams.
For inflatables, partially deflate and leave open to air out before folding.
Hang wet items on a drying rack or clothesline out of direct rain.
Proper drying prevents mold, mildew, and musty odors from forming.
5. Store Smartly Between Uses
Good storage protects your investment and keeps your space tidy.
Use large plastic bins with lids to store smaller toys and gear indoors or in a dry shed.
For inflatables, fold gently and place in mesh bags to allow airflow.
Avoid leaving pool gear in the sun—UV rays degrade materials quickly.
Rotate older toys out of circulation if they show signs of wear or damage.
Organized storage makes pool days more fun—and cleanup faster.
Conclusion
Knowing how to clean and store pool toys and gear helps keep your St. Pete and Tampa pool time safe, fun, and stress-free. A few simple steps protect your family’s health and prolong the life of your favorite summer items—so you can focus on making memories, not fighting mold.
Want help keeping the rest of your home summer-ready? Joy of Cleaning offers expert cleaning services tailored to local families. 📞 Call 727-687-2710 or request a quote online today! 📲 Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more home care tips.
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If you are here to reschedule a cleaning that is NOT currently scheduled within the next 72 hours you’re good to go, no fee .Simply let us know your preferences for rebooking. For all reschedule requests, we ask that you allow a 7-day window to lock in a new slot on the schedule (although if we have an earlier opening we’ll let you know)! If you are rescheduling an appointment that’s appraoching within the next 48 hours, you will be charged for 25% of the quoted cost of your service. If you are rescheduling an appointment that’s appraoching within the next 24 hours, you will be charged for 50% of the quoted cost of your service. Same-day requests to reschedule will be charged 100% of the cost of the booked service. We thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation, as a small business last-minute gaps in our schedule are very costly. All invoices to be billed in accordance with our reschedule/cancellation policy will be automatically charged to the card on file. We thank you for choosing Joy of Cleaning!
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If you cancel your appointment within 48 hours of your appointment date, you will be responsible for 25% of the quoted cost of your service. If you cancel within 24 hours of your appointment, you will be responsible for 50% of the service. Same-day cancellations will be charged 100% of the cost of the booked service. Cancellation within a day puts us in jeopardy of having a gap in our schedule that could have been filled by someone else, and we often have a waiting list. We thank you greatly in advance for your understanding and cooperation. Cancellation fees will be charged automatically to the card on file. Cancellation timing will be determined in accordance with our business hours (week days 8am – 5pm). A text message after 5pm the day before service for example would be considered same-day cancellation – please plan accordingly. If you still would like to cancel please fill out below:
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If you are a routine customer and want to skip for any reason, your next cleaning will reflect the appropriate frequency quoted. For example, if you are bi-weekly but skip cleaning the next time we clean, your monthly rate will apply. This is fair due to the extra dust and dirt build-up in the house. Also being a bi-weekly customer means we have reserved your spot in our schedule to be cleaned by the same team at a consistent time. If customers skip it will affect that team’s entire day’s schedule. Lastly, it is not fair to the monthly customer who pays a higher rate for monthly cleanings, and a bi-weekly customer who is actually only cleaned once that month, but remains at the cheaper rate.
