Kiddie pool chlorine: how much and is it worth it?
For a small kiddie pool with no filter, the CDC's advice is not to add chlorine at all: empty it at least once a day.
Always follow your product’s label directions. Pool and spa chlorine, bromine, shock and algaecides are EPA-registered pesticides: use products labeled for pool or spa use, and don’t swim or soak until levels are within the limit on your product’s label. If this page and a label disagree, the label wins.
On this page (7 sections)
For a bigger inflatable pool that runs a filter pump, 0.9 fl oz (5.6 tsp) of 6% household bleach takes 150 gallons from 0 to 3 ppm free chlorine.
Calculator: gallons, product, target
Enter your pool's gallons, the product you have and its strength from the label, and the chlorine level you want. For small pools, the result is shown in teaspoons as well as fluid ounces. Without stabilizer in the water, aim for 2–4 ppm. The minimum is 1 ppm.
Dose table: 50–1,000 gallons in teaspoons and ounces
Use plain, unscented bleach: scented, "splashless," and gel versions contain other ingredients, and their strength is often not printed in a way you can dose from. The percent on a plain bottle is by weight. Common strengths are 6% and 8.25%.
| Pool size | +1 ppm | +3 ppm |
|---|---|---|
| 100 gal | 0.2 fl oz (1.2 tsp)6.1 mL | 0.6 fl oz (3.7 tsp)18 mL |
| 150 gal | 0.3 fl oz (1.9 tsp)9.1 mL | 0.9 fl oz (5.6 tsp)27 mL |
| 200 gal | 0.4 fl oz (2.5 tsp)12 mL | 1.2 fl oz37 mL |
| 300 gal | 0.6 fl oz (3.7 tsp)18 mL | 1.9 fl oz55 mL |
| 400 gal | 0.8 fl oz (4.9 tsp)24 mL | 2.5 fl oz73 mL |
| 500 gal | 1.0 fl oz30 mL | 3.1 fl oz91 mL |
| 750 gal | 1.5 fl oz46 mL | 4.6 fl oz137 mL |
| 1,000 gal | 2.1 fl oz61 mL | 6.2 fl oz183 mL |
1 tsp = 1/6 fl oz. Use plain, unscented bleach.
| Pool size | Household bleach 6% | Household bleach 8.25% | Pool liquid chlorine 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 gal | 0.3 fl oz (1.9 tsp) | 0.2 fl oz (1.3 tsp) | 0.2 fl oz (1.2 tsp) |
| 100 gal | 0.6 fl oz (3.7 tsp) | 0.4 fl oz (2.6 tsp) | 0.4 fl oz (2.3 tsp) |
| 200 gal | 1.2 fl oz | 0.9 fl oz (5.2 tsp) | 0.8 fl oz (4.6 tsp) |
| 300 gal | 1.9 fl oz | 1.3 fl oz | 1.2 fl oz |
| 500 gal | 3.1 fl oz | 2.2 fl oz | 1.9 fl oz |
| 1,000 gal | 6.2 fl oz | 4.3 fl oz | 3.8 fl oz |
1 tsp = 1/6 fl oz; 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = 0.5 fl oz. Bleach loses strength as it ages, so an old bottle needs more. Always follow the product label.
Round pools of 500 and 1,000 gallons have full dose charts, including pH and alkalinity, on the 500-gallon and 1,000-gallon pages. For bigger volumes, the bleach calculator handles any size.
Drain vs treat: rule of thumb
The CDC's page on kiddie pools says water in small inflatable or plastic pools should be emptied at least daily, and that it is "unsafe to add germ-killing disinfectants" to kiddie pools. Its reasoning: splashing and refilling make a steady dose impossible, and without a filter the chlorine is used up quickly. The same page says larger inflatable or plastic pools need a filter and disinfection, following the maker's instructions.
The CDC doesn't give a size cutoff, so here is a practical way to decide:
- No filter pump: treat it as a kiddie pool. Fill it, use it, and empty it the same day. Rinse it and let it dry in the sun.
- Filter pump that runs every day: treat it as a pool. Chlorinate it, test at least before each use, and keep pH at 7.4–7.6.
- In between (a pump you run only sometimes): empty it. A few hundred gallons of fresh water is usually cheaper and more reliable than trying to keep chlorine up in an unfiltered pool.
If the water in a small pool has already turned green, don't try to shock it: drain it, scrub the walls with soapy water, rinse it, and let it dry. For bigger inflatable pools with a pump, see the Intex chemicals guide.
Kiddie pool gallons
For a round pool, gallons = diameter² (ft) × water depth (ft) × 5.9. Measure the water depth, not the wall height, because a kiddie pool is rarely filled to the rim.
| Pool | Water depth | Gallons | Liters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft across | 6 in | 26 | 100 |
| 4 ft across | 8 in | 63 | 237 |
| 5 ft across | 10 in | 122 | 463 |
| 6 ft across | 12 in | 212 | 801 |
| 8 ft across | 18 in | 564 | 2,135 |
Inflatable walls lean in, so real volume is usually lower. Rated examples: Intex Easy Set 6 ft × 20 in, 232 gal at 80% fill; Bestway Fast Set 6 ft × 20 in, 248 gal; Intex Easy Set 8 ft × 24 in, 513 gal.
Rectangular pools: length × width × depth (all in feet) × 7.5. A metal stock tank used as a pool is covered on the stock tank pool page.
Safety with small kids
- Watch them the whole time. The CDC's advice is to closely supervise children in or around any water, without phones or other distractions. Even shallow water is a drowning risk for small children.
- Empty it after use, or cover it so it can't collect rainwater and draw a child back when no one is watching.
- If you do chlorinate a filtered pool, add bleach only when no one is in the water, run the pump for 30 minutes, and test before anyone gets in. Keep free chlorine within 1–4 ppm.
- Store bleach high and locked, in its original bottle. Never mix it with vinegar, ammonia cleaners, or acid.
Safety
Never mix bleach with acid, ammonia, or other cleaners. Measure away from children. If bleach is swallowed or splashed in the eyes, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Always follow the product label. It is a violation of federal law to use a pesticide product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.
FAQ
How many gallons are in a kiddie pool?
Most small kiddie pools hold roughly 25–250 gallons. A 5 ft pool with 10 in of water holds about 122 gallons. A 6 ft inflatable rated by its maker holds 232–248 gallons.
How much bleach to add to a blow up pool?
If it has no filter, the CDC's advice is none: empty it daily. If it runs a filter pump, use about 0.2 fl oz (1.2 tsp) of 6% bleach per 100 gallons for each 1 ppm. To go from 0 to 3 ppm in 200 gallons, add 1.2 fl oz.
Sources
- CDC, What you can do to stay healthy in kiddie pools (updated 2024-06-05): cdc.gov
- CDC, Home pool and hot tub water treatment and testing: cdc.gov
- EPA label, Clorox Regular Bleach, Reg. No. 5813-1: epa.gov (PDF)
- Intex and Bestway product pages (capacities), read 2026-09-29: intexcorp.com, bestwayusa.com