# Finding holes in inflatables **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013 "2007-06-22T16:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/1 "2007-06-22T16:27:58Z")
I bought my kids an inflatable bouncer and it is leaking. I found one hole and patched it, but it seems that there are more and I can’t find them. Is there a way to find holes in inflatables besides wandering around with your hand out, desperately feeling for leaks? Because that just isn’t working. ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/2 "2007-06-22T16:31:59Z")
With a sponge, bathe the item in soapy water… watch for bubbles. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/3 "2007-06-22T16:37:30Z")
[QUOTE=akira5822] With a sponge, bathe the item in soapy water… watch for bubbles. [/QUOTE] I wish I had thought of that. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/4 "2007-06-22T16:42:59Z")
Welcome!! ---
**Author:** ![ArmenE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ArmenE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArmenE)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/5 "2007-06-22T17:06:32Z")
more generally, submerging the item under water will do the same. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/6 "2007-06-22T18:54:04Z")
I have an electric Aerobed. Submerging that wouldn’t be wise. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/7 "2007-06-22T19:04:36Z")
**Moto** People have sold thick soapy water solutions for looking for leaks for years. Some people use them yo find leaks in vacuum systems (by pressurizing the system, rather than drawing vacuum.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/8 "2007-06-22T19:05:49Z")
Here’s the stuff we had in or lab: **Snoop** > **[SNOOP® Liquid Leak Detector 1gal. (3.8 L) bottle | Sigma-Aldrich](https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/product/SUPELCO/20640-U)** > > SNOOP® Liquid Leak Detector 1gal. (3.8 L) bottle; find Supelco-20640U MSDS, related peer-reviewed papers, technical documents, similar products & more at Sigma-Aldrich ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/9 "2007-06-22T19:26:03Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] I have an electric Aerobed. Submerging that wouldn’t be wise. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I’d thought about submerging it but it can hold 4 kids and has 3 distinct areas to be blown up so it’s pretty large. Maybe if I had a swimming pool . . . The Snoop stuff looks very interesting, and I can move up to that if the soapy water thing doesn’t work out. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/10 "2007-06-22T20:50:20Z")
except that Snoop is probably soapy water for $111 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/11 "2007-06-22T20:53:23Z")
> [@](#): > > except that Snoop is probably soapy water for $111 1.) Well, I think it’s a bit more tenacious than soapy water 2.) You can find it cheaper – I found cheap bottles on eBay ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/12 "2007-06-23T04:13:24Z")
[QUOTE=Ceejaytee] … The Snoop stuff looks very interesting, and I can move up to that if the soapy water thing doesn’t work out. [/QUOTE] Why not try mixing up some proper [bubble liquid](http://www.google.com/search?aq=t&oq=bubble+liquid+&num=100&complete=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&q=bubble+liquid+recipe) first? CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/13 "2007-06-23T04:44:03Z")
You can also listen for leaks, often much faster at locating the problem than trying to feel escaping air. I’ve had to change/patch my bike’s rear inner tube three times in the last month so I’m getting good at this 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/14 "2007-06-23T07:25:43Z")
A smoker (the human variety) can come in handy for finding leaks in a concertina. Blowing smoke in the general vacinity of the bellows while the instrument is played can show up a leak. You don’t want to overdo it though since concertinas can be sensitive musical instruments. But on other items the smoke might not be as damaging. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2007, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-holes-in-inflatables/409013/15 "2007-06-23T07:51:20Z")
[QUOTE=Zoe] A smoker (the human variety) can come in handy for finding leaks in a concertina. Blowing smoke in the general vacinity of the bellows while the instrument is played can show up a leak. You don’t want to overdo it though since concertinas can be sensitive musical instruments. But on other items the smoke might not be as damaging. [/QUOTE] I’m going to send this information to Konami and see if they can find some way of working it into the next Metal Gear Solid game.