It’s already midsummer which probably means most homeowners have been constantly using their pools to beat the Florida sun. Some may have used it for swimming parties, for relaxing, or for a quick exercise.
If you recently moved into your new home with a pool, you might be looking forward to doing these activities as well. I know how exciting it is to have a nearby, easy-access relaxation area and have the option to swim for exercise.
But you should know that it’s not all parties and leisure when it comes to owning a pool. Even if you use your pool or not, you have to clean it regularly. Aside from removing leaves and cleaning visible dirt, there are additional cleaning methods needed for its upkeep. You have to know to shock your pool, maintain the pH balance, and add specialized chemicals to keep it clean and ensure that it will always be safe to swim in. By maintaining your pool, you can also decrease its need for repairs and prolong its life.
There are a variety of pool chemicals for specific cleaning purposes. Here are safer but still effective chemicals you can use.
Sanitizers
Sanitizers are a pool disinfectant that stops harmful contaminants from infesting or multiplying in your pool water. This type of pool chemical can either contain Chlorine or Bromine. When it comes to cleaning pools, people often use Chlorine, either in tablet or liquid form. If you use this chemical in your pool, it can be harsh and may irritate your eyes. It is also harsh to the skin and hair if one stays in a chlorine pool for a long time.
On the other hand, Bromine is used for hot tubs or spas since it is better for warmer water temperature. It is also less harsh and doesn’t emit the same odor as Chlorine, but it is more expensive and will be harder to locate.
Chlorine tablets
If your pool has sanitary issues, it can be resolved with Chlorine tablets. It kills any bacteria about to enter the pool and manages chlorine levels.
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Water Balancers
Sanitizers are enough to keep your pool clean, but it will also change the pH balance of your water. That’s why you will also need water balancers to fix your water chemistry.
The CLOROX Pool & Spa pH Down is a pH reducer used for chlorine pools. It balances the water chemistry to protect pool surfaces and equipment. Since Chlorine is a harsh chemical, this product can optimize it and reduce the harshness of this sanitizer to the eyes and skin. If you have a hot tub, it is also safe to use this product for it.
Specialized Chemicals
Sometimes sanitizers and water balancers aren’t enough to give your pool the pristine look. That’s why there are specialized chemicals that can be added to achieve a certain color and clarity of the water or to address specific issues such as algae.
Oxidizers
To further clean your pool, you may also use oxidizers to kill bacteria and remove algae. This product can either have a Chlorine and non-Chlorine chemical makeup. It is in powdered form and contained in packets or bags.
Oxidizers are also used for pool shocking, which is the process of adding this pool chemical to raise the level of free chlorine or the chlorine still available to sanitize your pool water. Chlorine in pools gets saturated over time, so you need to shock it regularly, especially when you haven’t used it for a while. For the duration of the summer, you need to continuously shock it to ensure that the pool has the right chlorine level and to destroy contaminants as well as prevent algae.
For non-Chlorine oxidizers, you can get the Potassium Monopersulfate. It’s an oxidizing agent that immediately sanitizes pools with no residue. With this product, you can jump into the pool right after the treatment.
It increases the level of free chlorine and removes the dead chlorine cells. It eliminates and prevents harmful bacteria and algae from your pool. This product also works well with Bromine sanitizing systems.
You may also opt for another non-Chlorine oxidizer like Lithium Hypochlorite.
This chemical is best used for pools with plenty of algae or looks cloudy. If your pool has liners, this product won’t bleach it or ruin the design. It also dissolves easily, so you and your family can swim right away after treating it with this chemical.
Phosphate Removers
Another way to prevent algae is to remove their primary food source in the pool – phosphates. There are pool chemicals that can break down the phosphates so the algae can’t survive or feed on anything in the pool.
The Natural Chemistry Pool Perfect Plus Phos-Free is a combination of two all-natural, powerful products that prevent algae. Pool Perfect breaks down the oils and nonliving organic material while Phos-Free eliminates the phosphates.
Pool Clarifiers and Stain Removers
Pool Clarifiers are used to bind tiny particles of debris or dirt into bigger particles so that pool filters can trap it.
This is an all-natural, non-toxic clarifier that binds to suspended oils, debris, scum, and metals that makes pools cloudy. This product has no scent or color and it’s biodegradable and environmentally-safe. It’s compatible with different sanitizers and can be used in pools and hot tubs.
Stain Removers are two-in one products that can clean stains and fix the water discoloration caused by minerals and metals in the pool water.
This natural stain remover contains no harsh chemicals but is still effective in cleaning stained areas and fixing water discoloration. It easily removes rust and other stains on vinyl liners and fiberglass or metal surfaces. It doesn’t alter chemical balances and is compatible with different sanitizing systems.