Nope only sunshine and air will fix it.

errr You can also use beer.
Whatever you use, it might a good idea to apply some corn meal before setting the pool back up.

I can't believe how much water you guys use LOL.

We figured this was a one season lawn hit, (in lieu of a vacation this year) and would just reseed in the fall, or maybe put in a koi pond in the area...yeah, bestlawn, the high water usage freaked me out also, but as we reused the water for the plants, and recently replaced our appliances w/high efficiency ones, we made the decision to do the deed. Um, beer?

Yup. Beer. Beer has enzymes, which is how it got to be beer, from water. Those enzymes help to break down thatch in a lawn, and can really get a compost pile cooking.

I'd fill a hose-end sprayer with 30% beer, 30% ammonia (which is nitrogen), and 30% soda pop (not diet: you want the sugar), then pour a shot glass of (NOT anti bacterial. you want the cheap stuff) liquid dish soap into the sprayer, and then spray the whole area at 4 to 6 oz to the gallon.

That will get the soil critters and microbes and bacteria doing what they do best: munching and mating. Also, I wouldn't mow the area until it topped four inches in height. Let those roots penetrate and grow deep for a spell. A couple weeks from now, the smell will be gone.

Oops - water + green material + no air = stinky mess. Since it is all dead already, you could just dig it up and turn the soil over. Mixing it up will let some air in and kill the smell pretty quickly.

If you don't want to do that much work, you could add some carbon. The cheapest way would be to use regular table sugar. Spread it all over and water it in. Pop will work too, but your lawn doesn't care about the taste, so you may as well just go cheap and use sugar water.

Omg my lawn did this and smell is so gross cant open windows how long it take for smell to go

The smell that's the worse ,things we do for our kids for summer to keep them kool

It's an ammonia smell. Cover it with your fall leaves (or other people's fall leaves) and they will absorb the aroma. I did that with several 5-gallon buckets full of horse dung in our compost. Just cover it and you never smell it.

After searching for an answer myself unsuccessfully, I acted in desperation. I scattered coffee grounds over the effected area and am happy to report that it made a huge difference. The grass still looks terrible, but I can sit on my porch without gagging!

Omg! I just had this happen, does digging up the patch really get rid of the smell? I have a party tomorrow and need this smell gone!!!

Yes, that will certainly help, but you have to air the soil a bit to disperse the ammonium compounds. Or dump sawdust over it--if you have a local Tractor Supply, you can simply buy bags of Equine Pine and ditch them over the area, they'll suck up the scent (EP is compacted sawdust). It'll even fix the problem and help out the patch eventually.

Leaves lying around from last year? Those work too.

I tried the lime and then the pine straw afterwards. It immediately cut the smell and I was able to have guests that same day for a bbq

Jae, you should read all the replies and not focus on one.

Just had this happen and WOW DISGUSTING!!! WOW! The most foul smell I have ever encountered. Finally got the smell out of the crop circle (for the most part) by just raking up whatever grass I could every few days as it dried out. The pool itself has been in the driveway airing out for a week and a half and I can still smell it...even after washing and scrubbing! Trying to decide if I should just throw it away :( I can't take it anymore!

Yeah, it's...unspeakable. Anaerobic decay compounds don't smell nice.

As far as the pool, it might air out eventually. At least to the point where the residual is almost undetectable.

You can try the following, both work (yeah, yeah, just call me the Happy Homemaker):

Dissolve 1 tbsp baking soda in 1 quart water, and spray that densely on the plastic. Let sit and dry back into powder. Then wash off (don't scrub too hard, it'll wear at the plastic, but washing away is fine). That'll help get rid of the scent from the plastic.

You can try a spray of 1 part bleach to 10 part water solution, let sit for a moment, and rinse it. This can be really wearing on the plastic, however--but if it's this or throw it out, then...

Thanks for the comment and I think I will give the baking soda a shot! I am already dreading putting this thing back up next year! Thinking maybe I'll put it in the driveway :/ Haha my sister swears by baking soda for EVERYTHING. She will probably take a carton of it to her grave with her!

Living in the country I have to have a solution for skunk smells on my dogs. Baking soda and Oxyclean always do the trick for really bad smells.

You don't have to dread putting the pool back up. Read the entire post for thoughts on combating the smells.

How did yall get rid of the flies that surround the croup circle!

Please - this is what I want to know!! Can't cope any longer!!

in future, When setting up a 10x3 pool how do we prepare the ground under the pool to aboid this? i have a surprise party for my husband in 11days and the ground is stinky… but at this point only detected if uou lay on the grass near the pool … id like to kerp the pool up for at least another month . help

Lisa and Kimberly - did you read the entire topic or just agree with the OP? The answers are up above.

Definitely following to see ideas to prevent this in the future. I have an inflatable hot tub which had a tarp and foam mat under. Tub and foam mat even reek.