Common Misconceptions about Pool & Spa Care

Pool and spa water can be kept sparkling clean and safe by owners who make the proper investment in time and chemicals. But it's important to recognize the signs of unsanitary pools and spas, too. The facts follow each misconception.

1. A pool smells when it has too much chlorine.

Actually, it's chloramines that smell - that is chlorine that has been spent burning up contaminants. In other words, a smelly pool does not have enough chlorine.

2. Chlorine turns your hair green.

Hair turns green due to a combination of two factors: copper and alkalinity. Copper gets into pool water from copper pipes and heater coils; it's pulled there by aggressive, alkaline water. So green hair indicates that the water needs some work. Hair usually assumes its greenish shade after shampooing, however, because the alkalinity in most shampoos intensifies the problem. Shampooing with acidic ""swimmers"" shampoos, available from most pool and spa retailers, will reverse the process and release the copper.

3. Swimmer's ear comes from swimming too much.

Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is caused by the bacteria pseudomonas aeruginosa, the most common pathogen found in pools and spas. Unsanitary pool water can be a hotbed for transmission of common bacterial infections, which show up within a few days of swimming. Symptoms of concern include an itchy skin rash, an earache, pink eye, diarrhea, stomach pain, a yeast infection or a cough. Notify the owner that the pool or spa needs a major cleaning.

4. A salt pool uses no chlorine.

What consumers call a salt pool is actually a pool with a chlorine generator. Rock salt is mixed into the water, and the generator breaks this down into its elements: nitrogen (air) and chlorine - the purest form available.

5. You Can Clean Your Filter by Running it Through a Dishwasher.

The high heat in your automatic dishwasher is a quick way to deteriorate the filtering media and ruin your filter cartridge. To properly clean your filter, simply soak it in a filter cleaning solution for 1-2 hours and rinse thoroughly. This will remove dirt and oil while maintaining the integrity of the filter media.

6. A spa with an ozonator doesn't need any chemicals.

Ozonators do sanitize water, but the process alone is insufficient for most bather loads. In most cases, the simple act of climbing into the water releases enough contaminants to overwhelm the ozonator's efforts for hours. This leaves the spa unsanitized while in use. Maintain a chemical residual, however, and the spa stays clean even after guests drop in. Ozonators can reduce the need for chemicals in spas - and even in pools - but they cannot replace them.

7. The hotter the hot tub, the cleaner it is.

Many germs love it hot. The only thing scared away by a too hot tub is a sensitive bather. No matter the temperature, a hot tub's water must be balanced and sanitized.

8. You Can Use Household Bleach as a Sanitizer & Cover Cleaner.

Some people are tempted to use household bleach as a hot tub or pool sanitizer. The truth is, household bleach can cause damage to the finish of your hot tub, deteriorate filter media and permanently damage your hot tub cover.

9. You Don't Need Chemicals if You Have An Ozonator.

Ozone has a very short half-life in water (about 15 minutes) and it is not totally effective as a sanitizer. You will still need to use a system such as bromine. However, ozonators do decrease (up to 25%) the amount of chemicals you need to achieve balanced water.

10. Foamy bubbles are a normal part of having a hot tub.

Foam in a spa indicates that something is wrong with the water balance, as does greenness, sand, cloudiness, a noticeable smell and scum along the tile line. Properly treating hot tub water will eliminate the things that lead to foam, including body oils, soaps and excessive algaecides.

11. Chlorine Causes my Eyes to Burn in The Hot Tub.

While chlorine can cause skin irritation, the most common cause of a burning eye sensation while soaking in a hot tub is due to imbalanced pH and/or Alkalinity. Low pH results in acidic water, while too high of alkalinity can cause the water to become caustic. Prevent burning eyes by testing and balancing your water once a week.

12. Enzymes kill germs.

Enzymes dissolve oils. Animal rescuers use them along the coast after an oil spill. Any product that claims to ""sanitize"" a pool or spa through use of enzymes, or states that no other chemicals are needed in conjunction with them, violates federal product terminology and undermines public health.