How To Deflate A Bounce House
As the joys of bounce houses become more widely known, bounce houses are becoming a common sight at parties and joyous events.
For the safety of all involved, setting up a bounce house is usually done with precision according to the manufacturer’s orders.
After the party is over and everyone has had fun, however, a new issue arises and that is none other than deflating the bounce house.
As with all things, a certain procedure is to be followed, and failure to stick to it could lead to the early demise of your beloved bounce house and cut short your future fun.
If you own the bounce house or have a little familiarity with it, you know the basics of deflating it: turn off the blower, let the air out, roll the bounce house up and store it away.
While that is indeed the summary of what should be done, deflating a bounce house is a more involved process than it may seem, and proper care has to be taken to prevent it from being damaged. The steps to properly and efficiently deflating a bounce house are given in this article.
Step 1: Clear the Bounce House of Debris
It is widely known that if you want any equipment to last, proper maintenance is the route to follow, and that is why the first step in deflating a bounce house is to clean it.
This step should be undertaken before the actual deflation process with the blowers still on.
Carefully go through the bounce house, particularly around the bouncing area, and be on alert for any foreign objects that should not be there, such as pens, pencils, jewelry, sticks, rocks, debris, and any other thing that should not be there.
Removing these items before deflating the bounce house is crucial because they can puncture the material of the house in the deflation process, particularly in the folding up and rolling parts.
Another benefit of always cleaning the bounce house before deflation is that it will help maintain the hygiene of the equipment and make deep cleaning considerably easier in the future.
Step 2: Turn off the blower and disconnect the hose from the bounce house
After ensuring that all foreign items find their way out of the bounce house, you can start the deflation process. To begin, you should turn off the blower and disconnect it from the bounce house.
The bounce house will immediately start losing air and be on its way to being deflated. It is best to unplug the blower, and if you fancy doing so then, park it away.
Step 3: Unzip the Deflation Zippers
The next step is to locate the deflation zippers of your bounce house, then unzip them. The deflation zippers are usually located on the sides of the bounce house.
Unzipping them will speed up the deflation process and, in a few seconds, the bounce house will have lost most of its air.
Step 4: Get Rid of Any Remaining Air
As soon as the bounce house is mostly deflated, remove the anchoring stakes from the ground and store them in a safe place. Now, take off your shoes and walk onto the mostly deflated bounce house.
The purpose of this is to gently step on the areas of the bounce house that are not completely deflated yet and help the air find its way out of the bounce house.
You should continue walking on the bounce house till it is completely deflated, then you can move on to the next step.
Step 5: Fold the Deflated Bounce House
Now that the bounce house is almost completely deflated, it is time to start folding it up for storage. When folding, you want to keep the bottom down and the top inside.
As a general rule, the bottom of the bounce house should always face the outside while rolling or folding it up. Also, make sure you fold the protruding vinyl inward toward the middle of the bounce house.
Now, the deflated bounce house should be folded up like a bed sheet.
Fold the two outside edges inward toward the middle of the bounce house, then stop and once again, walk barefoot on the bounce house to get rid of any residual air that may be in it.
Next, fold the outside edges inward a second time and walk on the bounce house to expel even more air. When you are satisfied with your work, proceed to the next step.
Step 6: Roll up the bounce house
The next step in the deflation process is rolling up the bounce house. This should be done from the end furthest from the deflation tubes so that as you roll the bounce house, all residual air will be effectively expelled.
If you don’t fancy rolling the bounce house towards the deflation tubes and the deflation zippers have not been packed away in the folding up process, you can roll the bounce house towards them instead and get rid of all excess air.
Make sure you roll the house at the right speed so that there will be no residual air in the bounce house.
At the rolling stage, it is nice to have a helping hand such that one of you walks barefooted on the bounce house in the direction of the deflation tubes or deflation zippers, as the case may be, while the other person follows up by rolling the bounce house.
While having a helping hand is not a prerequisite to successfully deflating the bounce house, having one at this stage simply helps to ensure that you get as much air as possible out of the bounce house before storing it away.
Step 7: Store the bounce house
Once you are through rolling the bounce house, gently tuck in the deflation tubes. If your bounce house came with straps, use them to keep the rolled-up bounce house in position.
If you lack straps, you can always make use of strong ropes or bungee cords. If you have a storage bag for the bounce house, put it in it before storing it away.
The storage area of the bounce house should be a cool (but not cold), dry, easily accessible, and elevated place.
Make sure the area is protected from the elements, especially water (it can cause mold and mildew to grow on your bounce house), so it can stand the test of time and serve you for as long as possible.
Also, avoid dropping things on your stored bounce house to avoid compromising its structural soundness.
Congratulations
And there you have it. Just like that, you’ve successfully and efficiently deflated your bounce house and stored it for future use.
As you will notice while deflating your bounce house, deflating one is not a very long process and, generally, you should be through in about 5 to 15 minutes.
Naturally, the bigger the bounce house, the longer it will take to deflate, fold, roll up, and store away, so the time could change based on the circumstances.
After a day of fun on a bounce house, it is crucial to pack it away properly to maintain it. The following steps summarize what you have to do to properly pack away your bounce house.
- Turn off the blower and disconnect it from the bounce house.
- Open all of the deflation zippers to speed up the deflation process.
- Fold up the bounce house.
- Roll up the bounce house from the bottom up.
- Once it is fully rolled up, secure the Velcro straps, ropes, or bungee cords, and put the bounce house back in its storage bag.
- Store the bounce house in a cool, dry place.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your bounce house will stay in good condition for years to come!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to deflate a bounce house?
Bounce houses are becoming increasingly popular for both children and adults. They are often seen at birthday parties, carnivals, and other events. But how long does it take to deflate one of these giant inflatables?
It takes about 15-20 minutes to deflate a bounce house, depending on its size. The process is relatively simple - you just need to open the deflation valves and let the air out.
Do bear in mind that smaller bounce houses can be deflated in under 5 minutes, and the time given above accounts for deflation, folding, rolling up, and storage.
Can You Deflate A Bouncy Castle?
Bouncy castles are a lot of fun for kids, but what happens when the fun is over and it's time to take the castle down? Can you deflate a bouncy castle?
It turns out that you can, and it's not as difficult as you might think. All you need is a strong air pump and a few minutes.
Once the castle is deflated, it can be rolled up and stored away until the next time you need it.
Can You Overinflate A Bounce House?
Contrary to some opinions out there, it is impossible to overinflate a bounce house.
If you go against the manufacturer’s instructions, however, and use a pup or blower that is too powerful, you will damage the bounce house as with time, the pressure will begin to weaken the material, and if the material is continually abused, it may eventually burst or become unsafe for use.
To prevent such unfortunate occurrences, it is advised to adhere strictly to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and you should be fine.
Can I use bleach on a bounce house?
When you're trying to decide what cleaning products to use on your child's bounce house, you may be wondering if bleach is a good option.
Bleach is a powerful disinfectant and can kill many types of bacteria, making it a good choice for cleaning surfaces. However, bleach can also cause color fading and damage the material of the bounce house, so it is discouraged to use it on bounce houses.
If you must use bleach, it is important to use it carefully and, if possible, dilute it. Better yet, you should use the cleaning agent recommended by your brand on the bounce house.
Can you wash a bounce house?
Bounce houses are a popular party rental for kids' birthday parties, but what happens when they get dirty? Can you wash a bounce house?
The answer is yes, but it's not as simple as throwing it in the washing machine. You'll need to take some special steps to ensure that your bounce house is clean and safe for use.
You will also want to make sure the material of the bounce house is not damaged in the washing process.
As several brands exist, consult your user manual for instructions peculiar to your bounce house to ensure it is hygienic for use.
Can you leave a bounce house running all night?
Most people think that you can not leave a bounce house running all night, but that is not true.
You can leave a bounce house running all night, as there is no actual time limit to how long you can run your blower, but there are a few things you need to do.
- First, you need to make sure the bounce house is inflated correctly.
- Next, you need to make sure the bounce house is placed on a level surface.
- Finally, you need to make sure the power cord is plugged into a surge protector.
But while you can realistically leave the bounce house running all night, is it the right thing to do?
At the very least, you should allow the bounce house a few breaks in between uses so it can rest. It may be an inanimate object, but remember that proper maintenance is the only way it will stand the test of time.
Some dangers of using bounce houses for long periods with no breaks include:
- The constant air flow can wear down the material of the bounce house, leading to holes and tears.
- If the power goes out, the bounce house will deflate, which could cause injuries.
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