How to Drain Inflatable Swimming Pools Quickly
Seven tested methods — from built-in drain plugs to submersible pumps — with step-by-step diagrams showing exactly how each technique works, how fast it drains, and what tools you actually need.
Draining a pool slowly is one of those small frustrations that adds up over a season. Whether you’re closing up for winter, moving your pool to a new spot, cleaning out algae, or simply doing a weekly water refresh, having a reliable drain strategy saves you significant time — and protects your lawn, pool material, and surrounding surfaces from the kind of damage slow drainage causes.
This guide covers seven distinct draining methods, ranked roughly from easiest-to-access to fastest. Most households can execute the first two methods right now without buying anything. The others require minimal, inexpensive tools that pay for themselves the first time you use them. We’ve also included detailed SVG diagrams for each method so you can visualize exactly what’s happening before you start.
Before diving in, know that how you store and care for your pool after draining matters just as much as the drain itself. If you’re cleaning your pool without a pump as part of this process, we have a companion guide that picks up exactly where this one leaves off. And if you’re exploring which pool type is easiest to maintain overall, our full roundup of the best inflatable swimming pools covers setup, draining, and longevity across all major pool categories.
Before You Start: What to Know
Draining an inflatable pool isn’t complex, but a few preparation steps make the process faster, safer, and less damaging to your property. Skipping these takes 30 seconds of reading and potentially saves you two hours of cleanup.
Know Your Pool’s Water Volume
How long draining takes depends entirely on how many gallons you’re moving. A small 8-foot pool holds around 600 gallons; a large 15-foot pool holds over 3,000. The right method for 600 gallons (gravity siphon, tipping) is different from the right method for 3,000 gallons (submersible pump). If you’re not sure of your pool’s volume, our guide on how much water inflatable pools hold includes a volume calculator by pool diameter and depth.
Check Your Local Regulations
Pool water — even untreated — often falls under local wastewater regulations if it contains algaecides, chlorine, or shock chemicals. Water treated with standard pool chemicals should never be drained directly into storm drains, bodies of water, or concentrated onto a single spot of lawn. Most municipalities allow slow lawn drainage for neutralized pool water. We cover this in detail in the Where to Drain section below.
Tools to Gather Before Starting
Submersible Pump
Fastest option. Connects to garden hose. $25–$50 on Amazon.
Garden Hose
Required for siphon methods. Already in most backyards.
Buckets
For residual water after main drain.
Push Broom
For sweeping residual water toward drain after tipping.
Wet/Dry Vacuum
Good for last 1–2 inches of water in small pools.
Garden Hose Extension
Must reach from pool to drain point. Measure before starting.
1 Method 1: Using the Built-In Drain Plug Medium Speed
The built-in drain plug is where every draining session should start. Most modern inflatable pools come with a dedicated drain valve — usually a twist-lock or push-pull plug — positioned at the bottom side wall. If your pool has one, this is your primary drainage mechanism and should handle 80–90% of the water before you need anything else.
Locate and Prepare the Drain Plug
⏱ 2 minFind your pool’s drain plug — it’s typically on the lower sidewall, 1–3 inches above the pool base. Most are one of three types: push-pull stoppers (pull out to open), twist caps (unscrew counterclockwise), or ball valves (turn 90° to open). Before opening it, attach a garden hose to the outlet if it has a hose-thread adapter. This lets you direct the water to a drain point rather than flooding your immediate surroundings.
Open the Valve and Direct the Flow
⏱ 15–30 min drain timeOnce the plug is open, gravity and water pressure do the work. Water flows fastest in the first few minutes when the pool is full and the pressure head is highest. Flow slows significantly as the water level drops below the drain height — plan for the last 2–3 inches to be handled by a different method (tilting, wet-vac, or sweeping).
If your pool has no hose adapter on the drain, position the outlet near a slope or garden area and let the water run freely. Avoid directing water toward paved areas if you can — it can be slippery and may cause flooding near foundations.
✓ Pros
- Requires no tools whatsoever
- Works for any pool size
- Hands-free once started
- Most precise water direction with hose adapter
✗ Cons
- Slower than powered options
- Last 2–3 inches require follow-up
- Flow slows significantly as pool empties
2 Method 2: The Siphon Hose Technique Medium Speed
If your pool has no built-in drain or if the drain is positioned too high to fully empty the pool, the siphon method is your next best no-tools option. A basic garden hose can move water from a pool to a drain point further away using nothing but atmospheric pressure and gravity — as long as the exit point of the hose is lower than the pool floor. This is one of the most underused yet highly effective techniques for pools on raised decking or sloped properties.
Prime the Hose
⏱ 2–3 min setupYou need to fill the hose completely with water before siphoning begins. The easiest way: submerge the entire hose in the pool water until no air bubbles emerge from either end. Then, keeping both ends submerged, cap one end with your thumb and bring that end out of the pool. Place it at your chosen drain point — a garden bed, slope, or lawn area. Remove your thumb and flow begins immediately.
Alternatively, attach one end of the hose to your outdoor faucet, run water through it until it fills completely, then quickly disconnect from the faucet and place that end into the pool. The water pressure that filled it creates the siphon. This “reverse fill” method is faster for long hoses.
Maintain Unbroken Flow
⏱ 20–40 min depending on pool sizeOnce siphoning starts, the most important rule is: don’t let air enter the hose. Any kink, lift, or partial obstruction that allows air into the hose will break the siphon and force you to reprime. Keep the hose as straight and level as possible from the pool to the drain point, and ensure the output end stays lower than the pool floor at all times.
A standard 5/8″ garden hose typically flows at 8–12 gallons per minute at 2 feet of elevation difference. For a 600-gallon pool, that’s roughly 50–75 minutes. A second hose running simultaneously cuts that time in half — well worth it for larger pools.
3 Method 3: Submersible Pump — The Fastest Method Fastest
If you drain your pool regularly — weekly water changes, seasonal closing, multiple times per summer — a small submersible pump is the single best investment you can make. A quality unit costs $25–$50 on Amazon, weighs under two pounds, fits in a shoe box, and can drain a 1,000-gallon pool in under 15 minutes. It pays for itself the first or second time you use it versus spending 90+ minutes with gravity methods.
Choose the Right Pump
⏱ One-time setupLook for a submersible utility pump rated at a minimum of 1,500 GPH (gallons per hour) — this handles most home inflatable pool sizes comfortably. Many in the $25–$40 range are rated 1,800–2,400 GPH. Key features to check: standard garden hose thread outlet (saves buying adapters), automatic shut-off when water drops below inlet (prevents dry running), and a cord length of at least 10 feet.
Brands like Wayne, Superior Pump, and Zoeller make reliable units in this range. If you want more comprehensive pump comparisons that also cover built-in pool filtration, our guide to the best vacuums for inflatable pools covers multipurpose units that drain and clean simultaneously.
Place, Connect, and Run
⏱ 5–15 min to drainPlace the pump on the pool floor at the center or at the lowest point. Attach a garden hose to the outlet, run the hose to your drain destination (it must reach without kinking), then plug in the pump. That’s it. A 1,800 GPH pump drains 30 gallons per minute — a 600-gallon pool empties in 20 minutes, a 1,500-gallon pool in about 50 minutes. Run it until the auto-shutoff triggers or the pump starts making a different sound (air instead of water — switch off immediately).
4 Method 4: Garden Hose Reverse Pressure Siphon Medium Speed
This variation on the siphon method uses your outdoor faucet’s water pressure to prime the hose and create a stronger, more consistent siphon flow than the thumb-seal technique. It’s particularly effective when you need to drain water over a moderate distance and the simple gravity siphon doesn’t generate enough pressure to cover the run.
Use Faucet Pressure to Prime, Then Redirect
⏱ 3 min setup, 25–45 min to drainConnect your garden hose to the outdoor faucet. Place the other end into the pool. Turn the faucet on fully for 5–10 seconds — this fills the hose completely with pressurized water. Turn off the faucet immediately, then disconnect the hose from the faucet quickly (water will try to pour out — have your thumb ready). Immediately place the disconnected end at your drain destination below pool level. The pressurized water in the hose creates a stronger initial siphon that pulls pool water out behind it.
✓ Pros
- No tools or power required
- Works over longer hose runs than simple gravity siphon
- Stronger initial flow than thumb-seal priming
- Good for pools without drain plugs
✗ Cons
- Requires close outdoor faucet
- Setup takes coordination
- Siphon can break if hose is lifted
5 Method 5: Wet/Dry Vacuum for Small Pools Slower
A standard household wet/dry shop vac is surprisingly effective for draining small pools — particularly kiddie pools, small paddling pools, and pet pools in the 50–150 gallon range. It’s not the fastest method for large pools, but for small volumes in tight spaces (patios, balconies, areas where hose drainage isn’t practical) it’s often the cleanest and most precise option available.
Set Up for Wet Vacuuming
⏱ 30–60 min for small poolsEnsure your shop vac is set up for wet use — the paper filter must be removed and replaced with a foam sleeve filter (or a dedicated wet filter). Attaching a floor squeegee tool or wide-mouth intake nozzle maximizes suction efficiency over a broad area. Position the vac outside the pool, lower the hose in, and start vacuuming. Empty the tank as needed — most shop vacs hold 5–12 gallons before needing to be dumped.
The wet-vac method’s real strength is precision cleanup after other methods: it reaches the final inch of water that gravity drainage and submersible pumps can’t get to, especially in pools with a slight floor undulation or non-level ground. For pool-specific vacuum options, our inflatable pool vacuum roundup includes models designed specifically for this use case.
6 Method 6: Tipping and Tilting Small Pools Fastest for Small Pools
For small pools — kiddie pools, pet pools, and compact round pools under about 6 feet in diameter — the fastest possible method is simply tilting the pool to pour the water out in one controlled dump. No tools, no setup, no waiting. This method takes literally under 60 seconds if you have help.
Drain 50% First, Then Tip
⏱ Under 5 min totalEven small pools become very heavy when full. A 6-foot kiddie pool filled to 12 inches holds roughly 200 gallons — about 1,680 lbs of water. You can’t tip that. The strategy: use the drain plug, a siphon, or a wet-vac to bring the water level down to 30–40% of capacity first. At that point, one or two people can grip the pool rim and roll it toward the drain direction, pouring the remaining water out in a controlled stream.
Position the pool near a sloped area or garden bed before starting so the water has somewhere natural to go. Tipping onto a flat paved surface creates a large, fast-moving flood that can be difficult to control and may run toward foundations or neighboring areas.
7 Method 7: Pool Drain Valve Upgrade Kit Fast
If your inflatable pool came without a drain plug — or has a small, slow drain — a universal pool drain valve kit lets you retrofit a larger, hose-compatible drain in minutes. These kits, available for under $15 on Amazon, include a rubber grommet, plastic valve, and hose adapter that you install through a small hole punched in the pool wall near the base.
Install the Retrofit Drain Valve
⏱ 10 min one-time installFirst, fully deflate and dry the pool. Identify the lowest point on the side wall — ideally a corner or the thickest panel. Using a sharp awl or hole punch, create a hole slightly smaller than the grommet diameter. Press the grommet through the hole from inside, seat it firmly, then thread the plastic valve through the grommet and secure the locking nut from the outside. Apply PVC sealant around the grommet edge on both sides. Allow 24 hours to cure before use. This modification typically holds for the life of the pool and transforms drain time dramatically.
This is also a good moment to review the overall condition of your pool walls. If you notice any micro-tears or thinning around seams during installation, our guide to repairing inflatable pool damage covers the right patching techniques before water pressure turns a small flaw into a failure.
All 7 Methods: Speed, Cost & Effort Comparison
Use this table to quickly compare every draining method by the factors that matter most to your situation. If speed is everything, go pump. If you’re equipping with zero spend today, go drain plug + siphon combination.
| Method | Speed (1,000 gal) | Tools Needed | Approx. Cost | Effort | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Drain Plug | 25–50 min | None (built-in) | $0 | Very Low | All pools with built-in drain |
| 2. Siphon Hose | 40–70 min | Garden hose | $0 | Low | Pools without drain plug |
| 3. Submersible Pump | 8–20 min | Pump + hose + power | $25–$50 | Very Low | Large pools, frequent draining |
| 4. Reverse Pressure Siphon | 35–60 min | Garden hose + faucet | $0 | Medium | Longer drain runs, no plug |
| 5. Wet/Dry Vacuum | 45–90 min | Shop vac | $30–$80 | Medium | Small pools, residual cleanup |
| 6. Tipping | Under 2 min | None | $0 | High (physical) | Small pools under 200 gal |
| 7. Retrofit Valve Kit | 15–30 min (after install) | Valve kit + tools | $10–$20 | Medium (one-time) | Pools lacking a good drain |
Where to Drain Your Pool Water
Where the water goes matters both legally and practically. Pool water that contains chlorine, algaecide, shock, or other treatment chemicals must be handled carefully — these compounds can harm aquatic life, kill vegetation, and in some regions trigger regulatory violations if they reach storm drains.
Safe Drainage Destinations
Lawn and garden areas are the most practical and commonly accepted destination for treated pool water, provided the chemical concentration has been allowed to neutralize first. Stop adding chemicals 24–48 hours before draining, and let the pool sit open to sunlight (which breaks down chlorine naturally). Spread the discharge across a wide area rather than concentrating it on a single spot, and avoid drainage within 10 feet of garden vegetables or ornamental plants sensitive to pH swings.
Municipal sanitary sewer systems (via an outdoor drain connected to your sewer line, not a storm drain) are typically acceptable for treated water in most municipalities. Check your local code — many explicitly allow this method for pool water. The key is “sanitary sewer” specifically; storm drains typically discharge untreated to waterways where chlorine is harmful to aquatic ecosystems.
Untreated fresh water (pools with no chemical treatment or that have had chemicals neutralize naturally) can generally be used for lawn irrigation without restriction.
Using Drained Water Productively
Untreated pool water is essentially free irrigation. Use it on ornamental trees, shrubs, and large perennial beds where slight pH variation is tolerated. If your pool uses a saltwater system, avoid draining repeatedly onto the same patch of lawn as salt accumulation can inhibit plant growth over time. For more guidance on managing the chemical balance of your pool water to optimize its downstream use, our pool chemicals guide explains neutralization timing in detail.
After Draining: Cleanup and Storage
The hour after draining is the most important maintenance window in your pool’s life. Water left sitting in folds, trapped in seam channels, or pooled in any recessed area creates mold, mildew, and algae bloom conditions that shorten pool life significantly. Here’s the right post-drain sequence.
Immediate Cleaning
With the pool still open and wet, wipe down the interior walls using a clean damp cloth or a soft brush with a mild soap solution. Focus on the waterline ring (where evaporation and splashing create mineral deposits), the floor seams (where debris accumulates), and the drain valve area (which can harbor bacteria). A diluted white vinegar solution works excellently for mineral deposits and is pet-safe once rinsed. Our guide to cleaning inflatable pools without a pump covers this step in detail with specific product recommendations.
Thorough Drying
Wipe down all interior surfaces and leave the pool fully open in direct sunlight for at least 2–3 hours before folding. If you’re closing for the season, a full day of sun-drying is ideal. Use a clean dry towel to reach corners and fold lines — these trap water and are the most common site of mold development in stored pools.
Proper Folding and Storage
Fold along the natural crease lines the pool already has, rather than forcing new folds. Most inflatable pools have natural fold patterns that correspond to their deflation geometry. Following these prevents stress cracking along the PVC. Store flat in a cool, dry indoor location — never outdoors where UV exposure continues to degrade the material even in storage. Avoid heavy objects stacked on top of the stored pool, which can cause permanent indentations.
If you’ll be using a pool cover between uses rather than full draining, our guide to the best covers for inflatable pools helps you choose the right cover to extend water life and reduce debris accumulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to drain an inflatable pool? ▼
How do you drain an inflatable pool without a drain plug? ▼
Can I drain my pool onto my lawn? ▼
How long does it take to drain a 10-foot inflatable pool? ▼
What submersible pump should I buy for pool draining? ▼
Is it OK to leave pool water in overnight? ▼
Can I drain the pool and immediately put it away? ▼
Why is my drain plug so slow? ▼
What should I do after draining to prevent mold? ▼
Does pool type affect which drain method is best? ▼
Ready to Drain Faster?
Draining your pool doesn’t have to be an hour-long slog. With the right method for your pool size and tools available, it can take as little as 5 minutes. Start with your drain plug and a garden hose siphon combination — you have everything you need right now. If you drain regularly, a $30 submersible pump is the single best purchase you can make for your pool maintenance routine.