When you purchase your trampoline you will be all excited to use it and then it will hit you… How do I maintain and clean this while making sure I don’t damage it! Well, I have it covered for you here today as I went about finding the best way to clean your trampoline.
What can I use to clean a trampoline? You should use a mixture of warm water and your standard household liquid dish soap. Then you need to scrub thoroughly with a scrub brush to ensure the mat is properly clean.
Since we covered in a simple way how you can effectively clean your trampoline now we want to dive deeper to start looking at additional options and choices in cleaning.
How to Clean a Trampoline
While it may seem like there is some complex soap or mixture that is necessary to clean your trampoline nothing could be further from the truth. All that is needed is some liquid dish detergent and a scrub brush along with some elbow grease.
Additionally, you will want to plan out scheduled maintenance where you clean, for some this may be monthly, others with more frequent use will be weekly possibly.
What Should I Clean My Trampoline With?
Now that we have covered cleaning as to the most simple and common method and what is done typically by owners there as a great many different options listed online. While some of these may be good possible cleansers they many times don’t answer questions that could impact the lifespan of your trampoline.
What I can tell you is to make sure you avoid using any chemicals to clean the trampoline mat as they may damage the material. There are certain things like pumice or bleach as they use in more abrasive cleaners which can interfere with UV resistance on the mat.
How do I Clean the Springs on my Trampoline?
Typically you won’t have much work to do on cleaning the springs on your trampoline unless you see rust developing. For frequent cleaning, you can use the same soap mixture from cleaning the mat to use for the springs also.
When you see small spots of rust on the springs of your trampoline then you can make a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar and using an old toothbrush, scrub the affected area with the solution and then rinse it.
How Do I Get the Black Stuff Off My Trampoline?
Many people think that this is mold or another form of pest, though in most cases this is just an accumulation of the dirt, dust, body oils and other debris from just normal wear and tear. Taking time to keep your mat clean and free of residue will cause the trampoline to appear shiny and new along with lasting longer.
- Sweep And Clean – Your first step is to get large debris off the trampoline. Sweep your trampoline mat with a broom to help remove loose residue. Your goal is to remove as much of the loose debris as possible.
- Prepare Solution – Fill a bucket with lukewarm water then add two tablespoons of liquid dish detergent into the water to create a soapy cleaning solution.
- Pre-Rinse Mat – Spray your trampoline mat with water from a hose. You want your mat to be completely soaked before starting to remove the black residue.
- Scrub Time – Dip a scrub brush into your soapy solution. Scrub the trampoline mat thoroughly with the brush until you completely remove the black residue.
- Rinse And Ready – Clean off and rinse the trampoline mat off with water from the hose. Then you want to dry the trampoline mat using a clean towel.
You will want to repeat these steps each time you notice a buildup on your trampoline, this way you keep it in tip-top shape.
Can You Pressure Wash a Trampoline?
A pressure washer may sound like a nice, faster, and more efficient way to spray away all your issues but this will come at a cost. When people start to pressure wash a trampoline they don’t realize it but you are actually damaging the fine fabric of the mat which will drastically shorten the lifespan.
If you choose to take this approach you will be able to shorten individual cleaning sessions but you will need to budget for a replacement. Mats aren’t inexpensive so this makes it a decision point.
How to Clean a Trampoline After Winter
Similar to all other mentioned cleanings after winter you want to add in cleaning out the springs, investigating for signs of rust forming, cleaning the mat, and the spring cover. Each of these should be performed as soon as you can after winter as you want to hit rust fast as it can get out of control fast!
How To Clean Bird Poop Off Trampolines
One other random thing that you will have to deal with when you own a trampoline, bird donations. Honestly, I never knew how much can sometimes fall without you being able to see it in grassy yards!
There are only a few steps required to do this cleaning:
- Soften – You want to start soaking the droppings by using a hose
- Mix Soap and Scrub – Mix some water and detergent in a bucket and use a sponge to scrub the trampoline.
- Rinse Off – Wash away the soapy water with a hose or pressure washer.
- Dry – Use towels to wipe the leftover water.
The sooner you do this the easier it is to clean off, as it ages it gets more hard and difficult to dislodge.
Final Thoughts
Just remember that having a trampoline is similar to a pool, you need to perform consistent maintenance and cleaning for optimal function and performance. This doesn’t mean hours and hours of labor but it means investing some time to protect your asset and to extend the lifetime you are able to play with it.
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