Backyard Blogging.

Don’t swim after eating, don’t pee in the pool, or you’ll turn the water a different color, and don’t swim with blonde hair, or it will turn green. We’ve all heard these tales, but are they true?

We unpack some tall tales here. Let’s look at seven common pool myths – busted!

#1: Clear Pools are Perfect

Just because a pool is clear doesn’t mean it’s healthy to swim in. You want to test your water every single week to maintain your water’s chemistry to ensure it stays free of bacteria, micro-organisms and algae!

#2: Don’t Swim After Eating

Is this myth true? Well, it’s partially true because you just might get stomach cramps if you swim right after eating.

While it really isn’t likely, you might eat a smaller meal or snack throughout the day to lessen the chances of a belly ache after swimming post a big meal.

#3: Chlorine is Bad if I can Smell It

This is patently false.

Why? Ready for a chemistry lesson? The chlorine in your pool attaches to any bacteria present and then creates chloramines. When you shock the pool as you should, the chloramines turn into oxygen and go into the air.

This is when you smell chlorine. You aren’t actually smelling it in the water but in the air, and that’s a good thing.

#4: Chlorine Turns Blonde Hair Green

Chlorine gets such a bad rap. It’s actually the copper in your water that turns blonde hair green.

Note that some algaecides have copper in them, and these metals can attach to your hair shift.

Don’t worry, though, because you can remove the metals with special shampoo.

#5: Don’t Open Your Eyes Underwater

Many people think that if they open their eyes underwater the chlorine will burn them. True or not true?

False again.

Chlorine doesn’t burn your eyes. Water with an unbalanced pH burns your eyes.

Test your water regularly and maintain your pH to avoid this problem.

#6: Pee Changes Pool Water Color

If you really must pee in the pool (and can we say, ick!), it won’t change the color of the pool water. There is no pee-detecting special coloring.

So you are safe on this falsehood.

#7: Saltwater Pools are Chlorine Free

False again. You can see how chlorine is getting such a bad rap.

Saltwater pools aren’t chlorine-free. This is how a saltwater pool works:

• Salt water is forced through a metal cell that’s charged with electrical current.
• This is called electrolysis, and it actually creates chlorine!

A saltwater pool isn’t actually chlorine-free. It just uses added salt and a chlorine generator instead of the direct addition of chlorine.

Final Thoughts

Now that you are the master of the myth, you can refer to this handy article the next time you a hear a mom tell her child that if he pees in the pool everyone will know.

Or, perhaps you could just keep that one to yourself. After all, you don’t want to swim in pee, do you?

Questions about pool care? We are always here for you with expert service staff and to answer your questions!