Having leaves on a trampoline can be a real pain. Depending on the type of leaves, and if there are seeds in there as well, it can hurt when you jump on the trampoline. And it’s not always easy to sweep the leaves off. You have to hop up in, balancing awkwardly, with a dustpan and brush, working your way across the mat.
The best way to get the leaves off a trampoline is to take the safety pads off, and use an electric leaf vacuum. Another option is with a soft broom, sweep the leaves across the mat so that they fall through the gaps between the springs.
There are a few considerations though, such as if your net is tight against the mat and won’t lift to push the leaf litter through, so let’s go through them in our quest for Mission: Backyard Adventure!
My Electric Leaf Vacuum Pick
The Black & Decker Leaf Blower and Leaf Vacuum is my pick. Pro Tip: Get the version with the bag if you want to do the vacuum mode. It’s strong enough for pine needles, wet leaves and will mulch as you go. It’s also fairly light at 8 lbs, and has a shoulder strap to help reduce the weight further. Note: it won’t vacuum acorns or small twigs.
How Often Should I Remove Leaves From My Trampoline?
Try to get the leaves off the trampoline as quickly as possible. It’s much easier to get rid of a few leaves than it is to tidy up a mountain. It will also keep the trampoline as much fun as possible.
It might not seem like a lot, but for a little kid, bouncing on even a small amount of debris can be painful on the feet.
One other consideration is to see if you can move the trampoline so that it’s not directly under a giant oak.
Vacuum Up The Leaves On A Trampoline
If you don’t like the look of a ring of leaves outside your trampoline, you might not want to just push the leaves off with a broom or a vacuum. You’ll probably prefer to vacuum them away.
To vacuum the leaf litter up from a trampoline, get a good blower / vacuum combo. My pick is shown above, the Black & Decker Leaf Blower/Vacuum. The one I chose plugs into the wall, but there are others with batteries or that run on gasoline that are fairly good. Just make sure yours has a good amount of sucking power.
The best approach is to blow all of the leaves into one area of the trampoline. Then switch to vacuum mode, and with the bag attached, suck the leaves up in one go. The vacuum makes it easier to go over the trampoline just one more time to make sure you have all of the little bits.
Sweep the Leaves of a Trampoline
If The Safety Net Is Outside Of The Springs
I’d recommend starting at one side, and then getting all of the leaf matter together at one edge of the trampoline. This should be away from the ladder where the kids climb in. You can then lift the safety pads and sweep it all the through the gaps in the springs.
Another option is to start in the middle of the mat, and push it out evenly all the way around the trampoline. This is can help avoid ending up with an enormous pile just in one area. But it can be a bit awkward if you have to keep lifting the pads up each time you sweep.
Either way, you want to avoid bouncing yourself as you move around the mat. There’s nothing more frustrating than sweeping an area, accidentally bouncing, and then all of the leaves just move back down to where your feet are.
If The Safety Net Is Tight Against The Trampoline Mat
If the placement of the safety net is attached to the trampoline net, you won’t be able to get to the springs. And if you can’t get to the springs, you’ll need to sweep it out through the zipper or opening in the safety net.
If the the zipper or opening is slightly elevated above the mat, you’ll need to sweep the leaf matter into a garbage bag or dust pan.
What Types of Leaves are On the Trampoline?
The size of the leaves matter, as well as if there are seeds, small twigs and other debris. Some long and thin leaves, such as pine needles, can get stuck in the mat. It will take longer to pull them out one by one. Other trees, such as sweetgums, will drop sharp and pointy seed pods.
Wet leaves get heavy and are likely to stick together. Small twigs are likely to stick in a vacuum. Flat leaves like to stick to the mat.
Wet leaf litter is a lot harder to sweep up (or blow off) than dry. If you can wait for it to dry out, it will make the job a lot easier.
However, if the layer of wet leaves is now deep enough that it will be tough for it to dry out, you may just have to bite the bullet and push it off the edge. It might be possible to blow it with an electric blower, but it will be difficult to vacuum. The amount of work that is required to vacuum up wet leaves might just blow the motor.
Read: Can you jump on a wet trampoline?
How Many Leaves? Maybe Prevention is Better
If it’s fall, then you may be inundated with leaves. If you don’t have deciduous trees, then Murphy’s Law says your neighbors will have a nice big oak tree or two.
If you have serious problems with too many leaves, you’re probably better off getting a cover for your trampoline. This will sit on top of the safety net like a circus tent or canopy. The leaves just can’t get in.
Keeping The Leaves Off Is Easier Than Having To Sweep Them Off!
To choose a good leaf cover, sometimes called a leaf catcher, you’ll need to know the size of the trampoline. Often, larger reputable brands sell canopies or sun covers. You’re looking for something that will fit over the safety net if you have one.
If you have a choice, try to get a leaf cover with mesh, rather than a tarpaulin material. By having mesh that the wind can get through easily, it will helkp the leaf cover from acting as a second parachute to carry the trampoline off in the wind.
In Summary
I recommend getting leaves off a trampoline with a vacuum. It means that you won’t have an unsightly pile or ring of leaves around the trampoline. However, a broom will do just as well if the kids need a bounce now! Good luck, and Go Forth Kids!
