I live in an apartment - how do I CLEAN my fishy pool ?

[LizaBear]

We've got a fishy pool for this baby's birth in December. We've been using it for the summer on our balcony for the kids though, and now it needs to be cleaned, dried and stored.

Well, we've hit a snag - the pool is deeper than our bathtub is wide. Meaning - there isn't a place to put it to clean, scrub, rinse, and dry it.

Anyone have any suggestions.

** DO NOT ** suggest replacing it - it is 100% impossible to do so at this point (both in terms of finances, and the inability to find a pool this late in the summer, and a basic refusal to buy online from the US)

[HomeBirthMommy]

Do you know someone with a big tub that would let you come wash it? What about washing it in your tub while it's deflated?

[LizaBear]

Originally Posted by HomeBirthMommy

Do you know someone with a big tub that would let you come wash it?

My mom likely would - but the logistics of taking the tub for a 2+ hour drive just to wash it isn't likely to actually happen.

Originally Posted by HomeBirthMommy

What about washing it in your tub while it's deflated?

That's what we're trying to do, but having trouble getting in all the creases and such that way. It's likely to be the way we finish it too - just hoping for something more productive.

[HomeBirthMommy]

Hmmm-is your apartment in a complex? When we lived in an apartment there was a car washing area with one of the high powered hoses. If you have one of those it could work.
What a frustrating dilema.

[LizaBear]

Originally Posted by HomeBirthMommy

Hmmm-is your apartment in a complex? When we lived in an apartment there was a car washing area with one of the high powered hoses. If you have one of those it could work.
What a frustrating dilema.

It is, but there are no community facilities like that at all. 4 high-rise buildings, and we get 1 mini-slide (you know - the kind that is about 3' high), 1 baby swing (broken since last November if not earlier), 1 regular swing (broken since sometime in the spring), and a tennis court without a net, which is locked all the time.

[kerikadi]

How about a regular car wash - one not in your complex but one down the street? It might cost you a couple dollars in quarters but you would have it done. I would take your own amonia and not use their soapy wash as you don't know what's in it and use it primarily to rinse it out.
Or do you have any friends that live in houses nearby? I am sure they wouldn't mind you using their hose for a short time.

Keri

[LizaBear]

Originally Posted by kerikadi

How about a regular car wash - one not in your complex but one down the street? It might cost you a couple dollars in quarters but you would have it done. I would take your own amonia and not use their soapy wash as you don't know what's in it and use it primarily to rinse it out.
Or do you have any friends that live in houses nearby? I am sure they wouldn't mind you using their hose for a short time.

Keri

I will suggest it to my DH when he gets home tonight - it will look really funny walking down the road carrying a swimming pool, but hey - if it works, it might be worth it this time.

Not such a good plan for after the birth though - December is just too cold to walk that far carrying the pool, and NO we wouldn't put the filthy or soaking wet pool into our car.

[kerikadi]

I guess I don't understand why he has to carry it down the road Why can't he put it in the car and drive down the road? You could use clean towels to dry it at the carwash and lay some towels in the car so it didn't get wet. After the birth - once you get the water out (I am assuming you will drain back into your sink?) the pool will not be dirty - everything will go out with the water and you can dry it out to take it to wash it again.
I am wondering how the pool is going to get filthy:
Once the birth water is out you can use old towels to dry it out and I bet it will be nearly clean so he'll be able to load it up in the car - take to the carwash, rinse it out, dry it and put it back in the car.

Keri

[LizaBear]

Originally Posted by kerikadi

I guess I don't understand why he has to carry it down the road Why can't he put it in the car and drive down the road? You could use clean towels to dry it at the carwash and lay some towels in the car so it didn't get wet. After the birth - once you get the water out (I am assuming you will drain back into your sink?) the pool will not be dirty - everything will go out with the water and you can dry it out to take it to wash it again.
I am wondering how the pool is going to get filthy:
Once the birth water is out you can use old towels to dry it out and I bet it will be nearly clean so he'll be able to load it up in the car - take to the carwash, rinse it out, dry it and put it back in the car.

Keri

We have a Cavalier. 2 (soon to be 3) carseats in the backseat. SMALL trunk. Simply - no space to move a pool.

I didn't think of taking towels to the carwash, that might work.

As for the pool - even after being emptied, ours was still VERY dirty after DD's birth. Not everything goes out with the water.

[kerikadi]

I konw that Cavliers are small - I guess if need be you could take the carseats out for the trip to and from the carwash.
I guess I never thought of the pool beind dirty. I have had two waterbirths and both times the placentas were also 'born' in the water and after the pool was drained it looked virtually clean with a bit of a ring but no big deal.

Keri

[LizaBear]

Originally Posted by kerikadi

I konw that Cavliers are small - I guess if need be you could take the carseats out for the trip to and from the carwash.
I guess I never thought of the pool beind dirty. I have had two waterbirths and both times the placentas were also 'born' in the water and after the pool was drained it looked virtually clean with a bit of a ring but no big deal.

Keri

I am so jealous ! After DD's birth - even after the water was out of the pool (and the placenta wasn't delivered in the water) - it looked like a crime scene in there. Bits and pieces and yuck.

Made me darn glad it was all contained in the pool though.

I don't remember how DH cleaned the pool after. I know it wasn't done well though

[DayDreamer]

Where are you going to have this pool for your birth? Can you clean it there?

I would put down a tarp, shower curtain, or whatever, and put the pool on top of it. Then I would have a bucket of hot soapy water and another with clean water. THen I'd wash it. After it was all washed and rinsed pretty well, I'd fill it to make sure it was clean, and drain it. Then dry with towels, deflate, and store.

We cleaned our pool this way before and after my labor.

[LizaBear]

Originally Posted by Pregagain

Where are you going to have this pool for your birth? Can you clean it there?

I would put down a tarp, shower curtain, or whatever, and put the pool on top of it. Then I would have a bucket of hot soapy water and another with clean water. THen I'd wash it. After it was all washed and rinsed pretty well, I'd fill it to make sure it was clean, and drain it. Then dry with towels, deflate, and store.

We cleaned our pool this way before and after my labor.

Sometimes the simplist solutions really are the best. This sounds like what DH did last time.

I think he doesn't want to do it again, because he didn't clean it well last time. This time I'll supervise (or do it myself even).