Summer is just around the corner and you might already be thinking that how would one blow all those fun inflatables up without a proper electron pump. You could do it manually but that would be exhausting and isn’t something we recommended as there are far better methods available to fill up your inflatables with the least amount of effort required.
All these methods require different materials to implement and some will be easy to find and implement than others.
An electric pump is the most convenient and efficient way to blow up your inflatables
Although you came to this article looking for alternatives, we highly recommend investing in an electric pump if you use your inflatables a lot. They are made for this specific purpose and will perform the job better than any alternative out there. It can fill an average-sized pool in a matter of minutes and also come in portable sizes which make them not only easy to carry around but also for convenient storage when you are done.
Electric air pumps also come with several attachments that go over the nozzle. These attachments are present so regardless of the type of inflatable pool floats you have, the pump can help you fill it with ease.
Methods to use when you don’t have an electric pump
There are several methods listed here but do keep in mind that some may be more tedious to perform than others. So if you pick one that might require more hard work than you anticipated, gather the materials for an alternative and give it a go.
Use a Shop Vac
Shop Vacs can be incredibly resourceful when it comes to filling up mattresses, sofas, and pool inflatables. Bring the hose of the Shop-Vac close to the opening of the inflatable and start it up on blowing mode. You could try creating a DIY nozzle out of easily accessible materials such as plastic bottles but in this case, it works fine either way. Just make sure to keep a tight seal when blowing air so no air escapes.
Manual Air Pumps
Manual air pumps such as those you would find with bicycle riders can provide an acceptable solution to your problem. They might require some manual work from your side and so might not be as convenient as the other methods, but for manual air pumps, you don’t need an electricity source. This means you can blow your inflatables far away from outlets of electricity which makes them desirable in this regard.
We recommend going for foot pumps instead of hand pumps as the former is significantly easier to use and requires less effort to function. These foot pumps can be picked up under an affordable price tag and will help you fill up your inflatable pools even when there is no supply of electricity.
Use a Hair Dryer
Now your hair dryer not only serves your styling needs but will also fill up your inflatables in a matter of minutes. However, for this method, you will need to create a nozzle from everyday materials as hair dryers don’t come with openings that would fit on an inflatable. Create one from a plastic bottle and put it on the head of the dryer to streamline the air, allowing for the inflatable to fill with ease. Be sure to select the cool option on your hair dryer or you might damage your inflatable with the warm heat.
Use an air compressor or a leaf blower
Both a leaf blower and an air compressor are great tools to fill up your inflatables. All you need to do is to bring your leaf blower’s head close to the opening on the inflatable and fire it up. Try to keep a tight seal around it for it to work. For an air compressor, you will need an appropriate attachment so it can blow air into the inflatable. Your air compressor might have come with its own set of attachments but if none fit, you can pick them up online.
If you don’t already have an air compressor, don’t buy one for inflating your pool and instead go for an electric pump. This is because electric pumps will not only make the job easier, but they will also cost slightly less than air compressors.
Plastic Bags
This is the least recommended method on the list but since it can be done through only a plastic bag, it’s included due to its ease of access material. Pick up a large trash bag and fill it with air. Bring the opening of the bag close to the inflatable’s inlet valve and slowly let the air out from the bag and into the inflatable. It is a tedious method but it works without any expensive equipment.