Taking down a bounce house can be a bit overwhelming at first. However, this article will guide you through the steps on how to properly do it.
Is your kid’s birthday party almost up? Did your child achieve something in school that is worth celebrating? If the answer is yes, consider throwing a bounce house party for your child.
Bounce houses are a great way for your children and their friends to enjoy and have fun. They’re completely safe while climbing, bouncing, sliding, and more.
However, when the party ends, you will need to take down the bounce house properly to ensure it will stay clean and won’t get damaged by the outdoor elements.
So, how do you take down a bounce house? Here are a couple of steps to follow:
Clean the Bounce House
So, how much should you clean your bounce house? Well, the amount of cleaning needed greatly varies on how much your kids used the inflatable house.
Keep in mind that cleaning the bounce house is extremely important. It’s a step that you shouldn’t ignore. Doing so will help you avoid mildew and mold from forming in the bounce house.
Dry Out the Bounce House Completely
Once you are done cleaning it, the next step in taking down a bounce house is to allow it to run for several hours to ensure you don’t pack it away with any moisture left inside it.
One of the biggest enemies of your bounce house is moisture. You will have to leave your bounce house for at least 6 hours to let it dry out if it has been wet.
If you sprayed your bounce house with a hose or if it was raining before, make sure you dry it out completely before you take it down.
Fortunately for you, there are a lot of tips online on how to get rid of heavy amounts of water from inside a bounce house.
Turn Off the Blower
Once you are done cleaning the bounce house and it is completely dry, the next step is to turn off the blower.
A lot of professionals recommend you unplug the blower and remove it from the inlet tube. You’ll also have to clean the blower. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to do this.
All you’ve got to do is to get a clean towel and wipe down the blower. Make sure you get rid of any debris that might have accumulated on the air intake of the blower.
Open Outlets and Inlets
Open every single outlet and inlet of your bounce house. This will help you deflate it a lot quicker. Taking down a bounce house can take a lot of time, especially if it’s your first time.
Because of this, make sure you open every single outlet and inlet. Also, you can try unzipping a couple of the zippers on the bounce house partway.
Keep in mind that your main objective is to allow all the air to escape from inside your bounce house.
Get Rid of the Anchors
If you use spiral anchors, you do not have to get rid of the anchors. All you need to do is to unhook the bounce house from them.
On the other hand, if you have used other types of anchors, you will have to get rid of them while your bounce house is losing air.
Make sure you store these anchors because you will need them again when you set up the bounce house in the future.
Completely Deflate the Bounce House
The next step in taking down a bounce house is to ensure your bounce house has completely deflated.
To do this, remove your shoes and try to walk around the bounce house to push out any air left inside it. If you do this, you will roll the bounce house easier later.
The reason why you need to remove your shoes is that you just cleaned your bounce house. Of course, you do not want it to get dirty again before you roll it.
Get Ready for Storing
Pack the bounce house tightly by rolling it and folding it over on itself. You need to do this before storing it.
Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong method for folding and storing your bounce house. It will be up to you how you will do it.
However, most professionals would recommend you fold it into three sections and roll it up.
Store All the Accessories
If you have a bounce house, chances are you also have a couple of accessories lying around or on it. This can include stakes, sandbags, blowers, and much more.
Make sure you store these accessories together with the bounce house. The reason for this is that you’ll have an easy time finding them when you want to set up the bounce house again.
Pack Away Your Bounce House
Almost every bounce house will come with straps or a bag that you can utilize to pack away the bounce house.
However, if you don’t have any of these things, you can simply use a big tote bag to store the bounce house. A lot of professionals also recommend you use a bin to store your bounce house. This method is a lot better since you’re also protecting your bounce house.
Taking Down a Bounce House and Cleaning It
As mentioned earlier, you will need to clean your bounce house when you want to take it down. It’s important to do this to ensure your bounce house stays in excellent condition.
Get Rid of Mildew and Mold
As mentioned earlier, you need to completely dry out the bounce house first before storing it.
The reason for this is that if you store the bounce house with water or dirt still on it, you might notice mold starting to develop and spread on the material.
Mold won’t take that long to grow. So, if you store the bounce house for a long period, the problem can be extremely serious.
Mildew and mold will deteriorate the material. In addition to that, it will also fade the color of your bounce house.
Depending on the condition of your bounce house, you might have to get rid of it if the damage is too severe.
Disinfecting the Bounce House
When you’re taking down a bounce house, don’t forget to disinfect it first. You will need a couple of rags to do this.
Most professionals call this step “wet cleaning”. You will need to disinfect the bounce house completely to avoid any mildew, mold, or germs from growing on the surface.
Get Rid of Debris and Dust
You can use a vacuum cleaner to do this step. However, if you want to completely remove all debris and dust from your bounce house, it’s also wise to use a broom.
Using a vacuum cleaner will enable you to get into the cracks and creases of the bounce house. As much as possible, you’ll want to get as much debris and dirt out of your bounce house.
Professionals call this the “dry-cleaning” stage. You are just removing all the big pieces of gunk and dirt out of the inflatable house so you can clean it thoroughly.
During this phase, make sure you search for problem areas since it will help you later to find spots that require a deeper cleaning.
Clean Stains and Dirty Spots
Once you are done with the dry-cleaning stage, the next step is to go around and address those problem areas you have found.
These problem areas are spots on your bounce house where dirt is caked on or the material looks dirty and stained.
However, before you tackle these problem areas, you will need to prepare a soft brush and a cleaning solution.
To create a cleaning solution, simply combine 3 drops of dish soap, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 3 cups of warm water.
You might have to thoroughly scrub a couple of spots that are extremely dirty. Make sure you get rid of all the dirty spots and stains. You do not want to store your bounce house with dirt still on it.
The Drying Process
The final step in the process of taking down a bounce house is to dry it out. Depending on how wet your bounce house is, it will take a couple of hours to completely get rid of moisture.
According to professionals, it’s a wise move to allow the bounce house to dry for at least 6 hours before you store it. This is particularly true if you’ve cleaned it with water.
It’s important to avoid storing a wet bounce house since it increases the chance of mold growing. Doing so will help you avoid damage in the future.
Conclusion
As you can see, taking down a bounce house is easy. All you need is to invest a couple of hours of your time.
Fortunately, if you’re simply renting the bounce house, most rental companies will offer to take down the bounce house for free.