Dealing With Too Much Chlorine in Your Pool? Here's How You Can Fix It — Serenity Pool Pros (2024)

FAQs

Dealing With Too Much Chlorine in Your Pool? Here's How You Can Fix It — Serenity Pool Pros? ›

Exposure to over-chlorinated water can provoke eye and skin irritation, lung irritation, and asthma. In addition to being bad for your health, the excess-chlorinated pool can eventually become dangerous. High chlorine levels tend to lower the pH level of the water, making it more acidic.

Exposure to over-chlorinated water can provoke eye and skin irritation, lung irritation, and asthma. In addition to being bad for your health, the excess-chlorinated pool can eventually become dangerous. High chlorine levels tend to lower the pH level of the water, making it more acidic.

While people often prioritize rinsing off after getting out of the pool, rinsing off or even showering with soap isn't enough to strip the chlorine from your body. The only way to actually remove chlorine is with a vitamin C-based chlorine removal product.

In most cases, it takes 24-48 hours for chlorine concentration to drop significantly. If the water is too hot or the chlorine levels are too high, it may take longer for the chlorine to evaporate. You can speed up the process using a chemical oxidizing agent or diluting the water with fresh water.

Dilution is one of the most straightforward methods. Adding more water without chlorine effectively lowers the concentration in the pool. Partially draining the pool and then refilling will take some time, and the added water will also need to be mixed in and tested again once settled.

Use Hydrogen Peroxide.

Pool-grade hydrogen peroxide reacts with chlorine to produce water and oxygen. Just be sure to test your pH before adding it. It works best at pH levels of 7.0 or higher. It will also lower your pH after using it, so be sure to test and adjust your levels then too.

Yes, boiling water for 15 minutes will remove all of the chlorine form tap water. Alternatively, leave a jug of water uncovered at room temperature for at least 24 hours and the chlorine will evaporate without boiling.

While it isn't common, there are a few signs that you should be on the lookout for if you think you're at risk: Sudden nausea and vomiting. A sore throat. Difficulty breathing, either with shallow breaths, wheezing, or an irritated airway.

Chlorine, in its natural form, is unstablized—which means it degrades when exposed to sunlight.

How do you reverse chlorine toxicity? ›

No known antidote exists for chlorine exposure. Treatment consists of removing the chlorine from the body as soon as possible and providing supportive medical care. Symptoms can be treated in a hospital setting or by trained emergency personnel. If someone has ingested chlorine, do NOT induce vomiting.

When added to chlorinated water, baking soda increases the pH level so other chemicals can react faster. So, directly, it doesn't reduce bromine or chlorine levels in a hot tub, but it helps other chemicals neutralize it.

Two forms of vitamin C, ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate, will neutralize chlorine. Neither is considered a hazardous chemical. First, vitamin C does not lower the dissolved oxygen as much as sulfur-based chemicals do. Second, vitamin C is not toxic to aquatic life at the levels used for dechlorinating water.

Shock if the Free Chlorine level of your pool measures zero, or the Combined Chlorine level rises above 0.3 ppm. Always add shock to water, NOT water to shock. Use the entire 1-pound bag, and never store half-full bags of shock.

If you carry a metal object like a coin, key or paper clip around with you, and touch it to something metal in your house, any electrons stuck to your body will flow through the metal and away, preventing the “jumping” effect that causes a shock.

You didn't use Flocculants or Clarifiers. If you still can't see the bottom after shocking your pool, you may need to add a clarifier or flocculant the next day to remove the dead algae.

Chlorine reacts with water outside of the body and on mucosal surfaces inside your body — including the water in your digestive tract — causing hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid to form. Both of these substances can be extremely poisonous to humans. You may be most familiar with chlorine that's used in pools.

Shock if the Free Chlorine level of your pool measures zero, or the Combined Chlorine level rises above 0.3 ppm. Always add shock to water, NOT water to shock. Use the entire 1-pound bag, and never store half-full bags of shock.

Entering a shocked pool too soon can result in side effects such as breathing, digestive, eye, and skin problems. These effects all require medical attention and care, so see a healthcare provider if you have exposure to pool chemicals.