How to Drain & Store an Intex Pool

how to drain and store an intex pool

If the thought of dismantling your pool seems like an awful task, relax and review our six-step method for draining and storing your Intex pool for the winter.

1. Check Water Chemistry

check water chemistry

Checking the water chemistry before draining a pool is essential to prevent potential environmental harm. The chemical balance of pool water is carefully maintained to ensure the safety of the environment into which the drained water is released. Unchecked, imbalanced water may contain high levels of chlorine, pH, or other chemicals that can be harmful to plants, aquatic life, and soil. By assessing the water chemistry beforehand, pool owners can take corrective measures to neutralize any imbalances and discharge water that is environmentally friendly.

2. Locate the Drain Valve

The drain valve is located on the outside of the pool. Run a garden hose out, with the female end near the drain valve. Connect the other end to a sprinkler, and water your lawn or garden (if pH is good and chlorine low). Remove the cap.

3. Drain the Pool

drain the pool

Connect the female end of a garden hose to the drain connector and you can now drain the pool completely. If draining to an open area, you may want to move the hose during draining to avoid erosion or oversaturation.

On some Intex pools, you may need to screw a hose adapter onto the female garden hose end and then thread the hose adapter into the drain valve. This will prevent the water from coming out immediately when you remove the drain cap.

Because it’s only gravity draining, you can’t drain it too far uphill. It will take a few hours for small Intex pools and more than 12 hours for larger pools. You should begin draining an Intex pool the night before you plan to dry, fold, and store it.

4. Dry the Pool

After complete draining, your pool will need to dry completely before folding. For Frame Set™ pools, this may be easier if the pool is left standing to allow it to air dry. Otherwise, you may find a wet/dry vacuum useful or use some towels to gently wipe your Intex pool dry.

Dry the pool well on the inside and on the outside walls so the vinyl won’t stick together when folded, or grow mildew. As a final step, using Talc or DE powder can help absorb trace moisture. Screw your pool drain cap back onto the drain valve so it won’t get misplaced.

5. Fold Your Intex Pool for Storage

Fold the wall part of the material in on all sides, then with two people, pull one side of the pool over to meet the other side. From here, keep folding in half until you have a long strip, about 3-4 feet wide. Roll or fold this up into a manageable size.

6. Store Your Pool at Room Temperature

store pool at room temperature

If possible, store at room temperature, and keep it away from any nesting mice, birds, or other critters that may chew holes through the vinyl. For winter storage, consider placing a spacious, tidy, and brand-new trash can in the basement or garage.

You’ll also want to drain the pump and filter and store them indoors or out of the elements.

How Do I Drain the Last 100 Gallons From My Intex Pool?

You can use a wet/dry vacuum, or a pail and sponge, but most people move the water to one side and then with two or three sets of hands spill the water over the edge. Before you do this, however, deflate the top ring on Easy Set™ or disassemble the frame pieces for Frame Set™ pools.

The easiest way to move the water is to have two people grab the floor of the pool on one side and “walk the water” to the other side of the pool. Allow the water to spill out slowly. If the pool floor has dirt or debris in it, use a pool brush or a soft push broom to sweep the bottom of any film or remaining dirt before draining.

What if I Can’t Find the Drain Plug?

Sometimes the caps are buried just under the edge of the pool, but if you don’t find it, here are some other ways you can drain the pool.

Gravity Siphon

garden hose

Push a garden hose or vacuum hose straight into the pool water so that the entire hose fills up with water. After it’s full, secure one end of the hose to the pool edge with tape or string, with 3-5 feet of the hose still sticking down into the pool water, almost touching the bottom.

Cap the other end of the hose with your thumb and quickly pull all of the hose over the wall (except for the 3-5 foot section). Keeping the other end capped with your thumb and low to the ground, pull out the hose to a lower area for draining and release your thumb with the hose on the ground.

As long as the pool end is higher than the discharge end, your siphon should start immediately. This method of siphon draining your pool can also be done with a pool vacuum hose.

Submersible Pump

If you have a small sump pump, or a pool cover pump, these can be used to drain the Intex pool. Connect a garden hose, plug it in, and carefully place the pump in the bottom of the pool, near the edge.

You can rent a small pump at a rental shop, or we have a nice variety of cover pumps.

Skimmer or Return Hoses

You may have already realized that you could remove the hose from the pool filter and drain water right next to the pool. This will work, however, only down to the level of the return.

It’s always best to drain or pump out an Intex pool slowly. With the Easy Set™ pools, you may be tempted to deflate the top ring and just sort of roll the water out. This can be dangerous, not just to nearby plants or mulch beds, but to the pool, which can rip or develop holes during the process.

swimming in an Intex inflatable pool

That’s our super simple six-step system for draining your Intex Frame-Set™ or Easy-Set™ pool. Take the time to do it right and you’ll enjoy many more years of fun with your Intex Pool.

TIP: If you decide to dispose of your Intex pool (after all, they don’t last forever), please try to recycle the vinyl. Most landfills will accept your vinyl pool for recycling.

Enjoy your winter, and we’ll see you next year!

60 thoughts on “How to Drain & Store an Intex Pool

  1. How do you get all the air out of the rim?

    • Gently, as the inflatable rim can be fragile. You could use your hands or something flat and soft to push the air toward the valve. You could also use a shop vac, as a vacuum to suck the air out.

  2. Gloria Quinones

    The bottom of the pool outside, can I clean that with chlorinated water or with dawn and water? Love your blog!!

    • Hi Gloria, yes you can clean mold and mildew with a bleach solution. Dirt splatters can be cleaned with dish soap. Many people put a border or gravel or mulch around the pool, to keep the pool cleaner.

  3. Stacey Oliger

    what about if i drain it and leave it up but cover it? I live in NYC and have no storage shed and also have never been successful in draining it and folding it nicely–it becomes a huge mildew mess that I end up throwing away.

    • For a Frame Set type of Intex pool, maybe… If high winds don’t blow it around? But if you cover it, and there is no water in the pool, the rain will pull the cover into the pool, unless you had some sort of hard plastic cover, that also won’t blow around, or let in any leaves or water….

  4. There is some green algae build up in the plastic tubes that attach to the filter. I’m storing the pool for the winter. Do I need to clean out those tubes before storing them? How do you recommend doing so?

    • Hi Shad, I would soak the hoses in a tub or trash can with chlorinated water for a few hours. Just add some shock or bleach to the water, rinse them off well, and then store for winter.

  5. Will a 15×33 untrained intex pool fit in a 90 gallon deck storage bin?

    • Just about! Those boxes are about the same size as the box the pool came in. I would think it could/would/should if it was rolled tightly. Be sure the pool is completely dry before storage.

  6. Cindy Habenicht

    Ask your grocery store to save a cardboard watermelon bin. I put my pool in one every winter. Works great!

  7. Eric B Anderson

    Drain valve thread pitch is smaller than my garden hose thread pitch. Garden hose will not screw onto drain valve. Live in Oklahoma USA.

    • Hi Eric, that is strange, you can try to use Teflon tape on the threads to get it to almost seal up, or find an adapter that will adapt from NPT to GHT.

    • I connected a water shutoff valve to the pool drain and then hooked up my garden hose to the water shutoff valve. Worked great!

  8. We have emptied and dried our pool and are moving it across country. It smells so terrible, like fish. I’ve already scrubbed it with dish soap, rinsed it off thoroughly, dried it for a couple days and it still smells terrible. Should I spray it with bleach and let it dry? Or what can I do next? Thanks!

    • Eileen, I would avoid chlorine, it can damage the vinyl, but use something like 409 or Simple Green, or Fantastik, and don’t let it sit for too long, just spray on and wipe off.

  9. GRAHAM FLEMING

    Where do i find the Hose Adapternto ba able to drain my 12ft. pool? any guidance appreciated, thanks.

  10. Jessica A Durand

    The plugs are not staying in. They worked fine last year. Any tips before I end super gluing it. Thanks
    Jessica

    • Hi Jessica, if the plug is threaded, try some Teflon tape on the male threads, Silicone sealant is another option. Superglue as a last resort.

  11. I unscrewed the outside drain valve and nothing happened. Is there a way to unscrew the inside valve if I have yucky water and it’s dark in it, without getting fully emerged inside?
    Pool is a 12×24

    • Hi Stella, I believe that you must also remove the inside plug to drain the pool. Another way is to use a small electric pump, like a sump pump, or if you have a nearby hillside, start a siphon to remove most of the water, until you can easily reach the inside plug.

  12. Diane Arnt

    Live in Massachusetts, cold and snowy winters. can I leave Intex in a plastic rubbermaid bin, under a deck up against the house for the winter.

    • Hi Diane, I think that would be OK, as long as the bin has a top! Cold temperatures are not great for vinyl, but being inside the plastic bin should provide some level of protection and prevent most problems from the cold temps.

  13. Pat perry

    How do you neatly fold the walls of a 22′ round pool. Im having trouble

    • The best way would be to fold it into concentric triangles, but even that will be a bit lumpy/bumpy. Be sure that the pool vinyl is completely dry first, so it won’t stick to itself.

  14. Susan tuura

    Any ideas of what to do if you get moisture in one of the rings in my inflatable pool? I am concerned about storing it

    • HI Susan, inside of the air chamber? No idea how to extract that air… store in a dark, cool area, to keep mold/mildew from forming. Mold needs light, air and water in most cases, so squeeze all air out, and store in a box or wrap in black plastic.

  15. Betty Lajoie

    Davey, we have temps below freezing all winter. Can i store the Intex in an old freezer outside if we don’t move it or touch it till warm weather comes? Or is there still a risk of cracking?

    • Hi Betty, seems legit! I think you could do that safely – with much less risk of cold cracking from direct cold exposure

  16. Could you please tell me if an intex pool can dry rot in the box if never used. Bought it and never used it. Thank you

    • Hi Tammy – no worries, it will not dry-rot if still in the box. Not for like 50-years anyway!

  17. Hi, I did not shock our pool before draining; therefore we have some green slime in the inside. Can I use a vinegar or bleach solution to disinfect this while scrubbing?

    • Hi Nancye, that woudl be a good idea, need not be much, just a 1/4 cup of bleach in a gallon of water, and then you can slosh it around pretty good, with a brush or rag, then sop it all back up, or use a shop vac. Don’t use vinegar, just a weak bleach solution, you can add a few drops of dish soap too to the bucket of water.

  18. The drain valve protruding from the pool (the male end) is larger than the female end of the garden hose. Is there an additional adapter required to connect the hose to the pool?

    • Hi Jan, Intex does make a garden hose drain adapter #10184 – but for $24! 🙁 We don’t carry it but I see it online. You could also clamp on a flexible filter backwash hose, if you have such a thing, or if you have a small hillside near the pool that could handle a few thousand gallons of water, lay a large piece of plastic under the drain, and let it drain without a hose. You can slow the drainage flow by plugging partially from the inside with a dull stick

  19. Is there anything to use to clean the inside of the liner besides making sure it’s dry and using talcum powder? Of course it will be swept clean and wiped down with a damp cloth.

    • Hi, If you want to remove a water line scumline or some stains you can – as you are draining the last bits of water, you can use mild cleansers like our Tile & Vinyl cleaner, or TSP is a good natural degreaser. You can also use a bit of soap or soft scrub, but not too much soap, you don’t want any bubbly stuff left behind. Wipe it down and dry it out as much as possible before folding. A leaf blower can help dry it faster.

  20. I have an Intex 24′ by 52″ deep. No room to store inside. Can I wrap and put in safe place outside? On pallets?

    • Hi Don, sure wrap it tightly, place on pallets, and if possible, construct a basic ‘roof’ or lean-to, to keep sun and snow from hitting directly. Dry the pool very thoroughly before folding, to stop mold, mildew and vinyl sticking. DE powder or Talcum can be used to absorb moisture.

  21. I have enough space for the water to run off. Is there any reason I can’t just push down on the side of the pool and let the water run out?

    • Hi Antony, sure you could, first disconnect the filter hoses and let the pool drain down most of the way first – I might recommend placing a large plastic tarp under the pool edge, to avoid eroding the supporting soil around the pool edge, if that matters.

  22. Kathleen

    This is very helpful, thanks. We not only have to drain and store it, but we have to move it to a new house. I’m a little uncertain about getting it dry, but we will have to give it a try!

  23. What is the flare of the 18′ X 48″ from top to bottom? I’m wondering if these are suitable to use with an old aluminum above ground pool deck….and if a deck ladder would safely reach into it.

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, if you are talking about the 18′ Easy Set pool, there is a flare, I know what you mean. And if you used an aluminum pool deck up to the edge of one side, you could probably use a variety of the in-pool ladders for aboveground pools. Just use a ladder pad underneath, to protect the liner.

  24. I need to store water from my pool for a few days so i can reuse it. Do you have any suggestions on what I can use to do that . Approximately 30,000 gal. The cost of refilling my pool is so expensive that my only other opp.is fill it in.😂🤔

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Jim, water issues are real tough in some places. Some large pool service companies sometimes have small water bladders, but they only hold about 5000 gallons. You could get an 18-wheel tanker – but those only hold about 10000 gallons. But for 30K gallons, I’m thinking about shipping containers or roll-off dumpsters, but I don’t think that they are normally waterproof, or sealed, unless they were modified or a liner was used. Any solution I think… would likely cost more than the water…? Water around here where I live is only $5 per 1000 gallons, your cost much be much higher. BTW – in my area, which is not drought-ridden, you can let the water authority know details about filling your pool, (water meter readings before and after), and they charge you only for the water, not the sewer, because the water is taking a one-way trip, and not reentering their system.

  25. I apologize if this has already been answered elsewhere, but what kind of chemicals, covers & accessories would you suggest for those of us who can’t take take down our pool for the winter?

    We live in Eastern Washington state, last winter we had six straight weeks with negative degree temperatures & ten foot high snow drifts! Hopefully that won’t happen this year. Our pool is a 22’x52″ saltwater intex ultra frame.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
    Thank you

    • Davy Merino

      Well, I’ve not had the question before, I’m a bit stumped. What did you do last year? If it were my pool, I would disconnect the filter system, and plug the lines at the pool, and then I’m not sure what else, or how to cover it effectively, unless there were some sort of structure, deck or frame around the pool, maybe permanent on the prevailing wind side, and a temporary rigging on the other side – I’m not sure how else you can keep it from collapsing (catastrophically) from 10 ft high snow drifts, unless you’ve got some structure to protect the pool… nothing easy comes to mind!

  26. Peggy LaDuke

    how do I deflate the top of my intex pool?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Peggy, just open up the air valve, it’s kind of like an air mattress valve. Let it deflate naturally, then very carefully have two people working opposite sides, flatten the top rim, to push out the remaining air. Be careful not to snag the air ring, it’s kinda fragile.

  27. Kathleen

    What do you recommend to store the pool in? I see someone mentioned a new trash can??

    • Davy Merino

      There are a few ways to store the pool – I like to roll it up and not really fold it, then wrap it up in a sheet or a tarp and tie ropes around it every few feet, then store on a shelf or on boards in the garage rafters. You could also use a large trash can, but it’s best not to overfold an intex pool when storing for winter, it can develop creases when the vinyl is old. But for newer pools, one or two folds won’t hurt, and you could place in a large can, but best is a long 8-12′ roll, wrapped and tied, and laid upon a warm shelf near the ceiling, if you have such a location. The garage is OK in most cases, or make some room in the back room, basement or storage room, somewhere semi climate controlled.

  28. Corinna Marie garza

    Someone told me to use a oil or lube to rub on the outside to prevent cracking while stored. But I’ve read you guys saying the pool needs to be free of moisture and oiling it would leave it full of moisture so that is a bad idea, correct?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, oil moisture is different from water moisture I guess. Oiling (the outside) is not a bad idea, I have not heard of it before, but ‘sounds legit’! Maybe a light cooking oil…? Rolling the pool, instead of folding, and storing in a long roll, should also be better.

  29. Derek D.

    Is it necessary to put some powder(maybe talcum)to the vinyl swimming pool before folding and storing it away?

    • Davy Merino

      Hi, that’s a good idea actually. DE powder or Aquaperl powder can be used, or Talcum too I suppose. Drying the pool first completely is important, or you’ll get a mess with wet talcum or DE powder. Powder can help vinyl from sticking together if a bit of moisture is left between folds.

  30. Christina Pittman

    Can you please make a video how to fold a 10 by 30 Intex quick set pool and what do you do about the edges that seemed really hard like they might crack when you go to fold it thank you

    • Davy Merino

      Hi Christina, a video would be great, but that’s probably too much prep work for us, lol! The most important thing is to have the pool completely dry before folding. Easier to say than to do, but, try your best. And of course folding a round pool is a bit awkward, and you’ll never get it as small as the box it came in. It’s best not to overfold it anyway, so creases don’t form. If you can fold it 3 times and store in a heated and dry location for winter, that would be best. If the edges crack from the folding, I guess the pool is at the end of its life. 🙁

  31. Susan Frickel

    New trash can… that’s a great idea for storage of that giant, heavy vinyl liner! Thank you!

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