You can make a slide more slippery with a few items from your local store. The most popular method of making a slide slippery is applying wax paper to make the playground slide smooth and increase how fast a child goes on a slide. Other methods include using auto-grade silicon to make it go more quickly.
The methods to make a slow slide slippery depend on the slide’s material, whether it is metal or plastic. Each technique comes with DIY instructions to ensure that you are successful in your mission to make your child’s slide slippery.
A slide is an excellent way to keep a child busy and engaged in their free time. Also, children get to go out and enjoy some fresh air while having some fun.
It is a secure way to get your child out in the sun to get some vitamin D, one or two hours a day. Parents should ensure that kids apply sunscreen before heading outside into the hot sun.
This article will provide instructions on how to go about making a slide slippery.
Why Should You Make A Slide Slippery?
A slide is only fun if a child can slide down at a reasonable speed. A slow slide is not fun for children. Sometimes a playground slide can be slow due to dirt and grime, while other times, it is poor weather conditions.
Therefore, by increasing the slipperiness of a slide, you ensure that your kids have a good time.
You should be careful not to make a slide too slippery that it will cause burns on your little one’s bum. A simple way to test a slide’s speed is to check how a child reaches its bottom.
An extra-fast slide will make the child fly off the bottom and hit the ground. Ideally, a child should slow down close to the end and get off a playground slide.
How to Make a Metal Slide Slippery
Many parents with metal slides want to know how to make a slide slippery using DIY methods. Metal slides are sturdy and highly durable.
You can expect kids to use a metal slide for years without requiring major repairs. Some of the reasons that make a metal slide slow include rust, dirt, and grime.
It is simple to clean dirt and grime from a metal slide using a little dish wash soap, water, and a rough rag.
It would be best to have some water and wire to clean light rust from a metal slide. Pour the water over the affected area and wait for the water to soak.
Apply dish soap and scrub vigorously to remove the rust. You can use an electric sander to remove stubborn rust on small areas on the slide.
Once it is clear, you can apply some rust sealant on the playground slide to give it a smooth finish. Alternatively, you can use elbow grease to keep the slide’s top smooth and easy to slide on it.
Removing problematic rust areas takes more effort than cleaning the metal until it is shiny. It would be best if you had citric powder to remove the rust from the slide.
You need to pour water on the playground slide, sprinkle the citric powder over the affected area, and wait for a while. The citric powder removers the rust, and all you need to do is scrub the slide and rinse it.
Once it is dry, you can apply a rust sealant to make a slide slippery. It is essential to wipe off any excess amounts of topcoat before you let children use the slide.
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How to Make a Wooden Slide Slippery
Wooden slides are perfect for younger children. Wooden slides become rough with continuous use and eventually become slow.
The first thing to check when trying to make the slide slippery is the finish.
Sanding down a wooden slide to ensure that it is smooth can make it fast. Another aspect to consider is the quality of the laminate finish, if there is one.
Laminate is sleek, and you can apply wax to it to make it slippery. Replacing low-quality laminate with high-quality ones will make a slide slippery.
A traditional way to increase the slipperiness of a wooden slide was by applying olive oil. However, a rough wooden surface will absorb all the olive oil, and the child’s slide will still be slow.
You can use wax paper and let your child slide while sitting on it under your supervision.
It is a faster way to wax the kid’s playground slide and estimate how fast a playground slide is by watching your child get down it.
Overall, there aren’t many wooden slides that are outdoors nowadays. Even the wooden swing sets now have plastic slides.
Durable Packaging 12″ X 10 3/4″ Interfolded Wrap Paper Sheets
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How to Make a Pool Slide Slippery
Pool slides are fun, especially during summer, when the sun is shining, and a dip in the pool cools off the body. Most pool slides nowadays are made of plastic because they are affordable, have several colors, and are easy to maintain.
The best part about pool slides is that the pool’s water breaks the fall when the slide is fast. A fast playground slide gives users the thrill they are looking for when getting in the pool in style.
Some pool slides are tunnels that are two stories high, and they need to be slippery and fast. Most pool slides are slow because of grime and wear from consistent use.
The first step is to clean the playground slide with mild detergent to remove the dirt.
The standard sign of wear and tear is that the playground slide’s color will start fading away. It would be best if you sanded down any grooves on the slide using fine sandpaper before the waxing process.
You can opt to use wax paper on the playground slide when it is clean to make it slippery.
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Sealants for Slides
The most popular sealants for slides are wax, whether it is paper wax or automotive spray wax. Wax provides good results when it comes to making slide surfaces smooth and slippery.
Another alternative is elbow grease, especially for metal slides, to keep the rust off. You can try olive oil for plastic or metal slides.
Olive Oil Sprayer 100ml
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- Crafted from high-quality stainless steel and glass, it features a compact, anti-skid design for stability.
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Some people try to use water to make a slide slippery for children. Water only comes in handy as a lubricant for pool slides.
Some people opt to use water on pool slides instead of applying a sealant. Remember that whatever sealant you choose for your slide, you need to clean the slide before the application process thoroughly.
If you are trying to give your slide a whole new look may be considering painting your slide.
What Other Reasons Make a Slide Slow?
Slides depend on gravity for a person to slide from the top to the bottom. Therefore, a slide should be at an angle that allows a user to gain momentum on the way down.
A low slope can result in a slow slide, while a steep slope results in a high-speed slide.
The sweet spot is in the middle. Smaller kids have slow slides because they haven’t fully developed their motor skills. Sometimes the reason a slide is slow is because of the angle of inclination.
A slide can sink on one side over time or the back end, reducing the slope angle. You can adjust the slope of your slide to speed it up.
Conclusion
It is simple to use DIY methods to make a slide slippery. The plans are straightforward and use products that are available in the local hardware.
It will take a few hours to make metal, wooden or plastic pools slippery using DIY methods. You do not need any specialized skills to do it at home.
All you need to know is how to use a scrubbing pad and water to clean a slide. You can schedule the DIY project on a weekend afternoon when you have enough time to complete the project.
Now you know several tried and true methods on how to make a slide slippery.
Please be careful and use at your own risk
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