• Blog
  • Maryland Poison Center
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
eAntidote
Blog of the Maryland Poison Center
  • Blog
  • Maryland Poison Center
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Home  /  Poison Prevention Press • Poison Safety  /  Be Safe while Making a Splash this Summer
18 July 2024

Be Safe while Making a Splash this Summer

Guest Staff Pool Products, Seasonal, Swimming Pools Leave a Comment
Swimming pool service and equipment with chemical cleaning products and tools on wood table and pool background. Horizontal composition. Front view

Summer is a great time to get vitamin D from the sun while relaxing at the pool. Any pool owner will tell you that getting the pool ready for use, maintaining it, and closing it up for the off- season is no small task. It often requires multiple types of chemicals to keep the water clean, clear, and balanced. Types of chemicals used in pools can include chlorine, balancing chemicals, pool shock, algae control, salt, clarifier, and more. Let’s look more into some of these chemicals and how to safely use and store them.

General Safety

Pool chemicals are necessary to keep pools clean and safe. It is important to use pool chemicals safely so everyone can enjoy summer fun in the sun. Always read the entire label on the product before using it, especially the directions and warnings. Wear protective equipment such as gloves or goggles to avoid direct contact with the chemicals before they are diluted in the pool. Use caution when opening these products as they may have a strong odor and powders may “puff” out as containers are opened. Avoid mixing chemicals directly with one another, especially chlorine-containing products. Keep these stored up, away, and out of sight of children.

Chlorine

Chlorine for pools often comes as tablets or powder that is meant to dissolve in the water. It is also called pool shock. Once dissolved in the pool, it helps to keep the water clear and free from germs and algae.

Always follow the package directions. Add chlorine directly into the pool water to avoid explosive reactions that can occur when the amount of chlorine in a body of water is increased too quickly. Never pour water into a container of chlorine or try to dissolve the chlorine in a small container of water before adding it into the pool water – this can cause that explosive reaction.

Chlorine can be irritating, especially to the skin, eyes, and airway, and has the potential to cause trouble breathing or chemical burns. Use caution when opening the product as it may puff out of the container when opened. It is best to open the product outside in the open air rather than inside a shed or garage.

Do not mix chlorine products with any other products. When chlorine is mixed with acidic products or products containing ammonia, it can form a toxic gas that is irritating to the nose, throat, and lungs, and can cause trouble breathing.

Balancing Chemicals

Pool balancing products may have several different names or types, such as alkalinity increaser, pH raising or lowering products, calcium hardness increaser, or chlorine stabilizer. These products may be acidic or basic and work to keep the water of the pool neutral. There are tests to determine the chemical measurements that would then determine how much of what chemical you’d use. Be sure to follow the label directions for the proper amount of the products to add based on the test results and your pool size.

Other Products

In addition to pool balancing products and chlorine, other products such as non-chlorine pool shock and demineralizer may also be very irritating and cause chemical burns. The risk of burns or other injury is increased with more highly concentrated products and the longer someone is in contact with the product.

Saltwater pools require salt to be added to maintain the proper salt level. Salt is made of sodium and chloride, both of which are minerals found in our blood. When the amount of salt (more specifically, sodium) in our blood changes quickly it can be dangerous and may cause life-threatening symptoms, such as seizures.

 

If someone is having trouble breathing after being exposed to any pool chemical, call 911 right away and get fresh air. If someone is having irritation in their throat, eyes, or on their skin, contact the Maryland Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

 

Victoria Macdonald, PharmD

Clinical Toxicology Fellow

 

About Author

Guest Staff

From time to time, we’ll feature posts from one of our staff members. We have 14 Specialists in Poison Information (we call them “SPIs,” pronounced like “spy”) who are pharmacists or nurses that have more than 250 combined years of experience answering our phones, and who have all passed an additional certification exam that tests their knowledge of poisons of all kinds. We also have Toxicology Fellows who are completing a two-year fellowship in clinical toxicology to develop their knowledge and skills to prepare them for their future career. Before joining our team, they worked in pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals. It’s safe to say they’ve heard it all.

Previous Article Gummies: Sweet but Potentially Dangerous
Next Article Meet Our Experts: Melinda

Related Posts

  • Cleaning products in and around a cleaning bucket

    Spring Cleaning

  • Young girl outside in the snow holding a pile of snow

    Will Kids Really Eat That? Part Three

  • Happy senior couple looking through window at home.

    Poison Help for Older Adults

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Tags

About Us Adults Alcohol Antifreeze Button Batteries Cannabis Carbon Monoxide child-resistant packaging Children Cigarettes Cleaning Products E-cigarettes Food Poisoning Grandparents Hand Sanitizer Historic Poisonings Holiday Safety Home Laundry Pods Medicine Medicine Disposal Medicine Safety Nicotine Nurse Older Adults Over-the Counter Parents Personal Care Products Pharmacist Plants Poison Expert Poison Exposures Poison Myths Poison Safety Pre-Teens Safe Storage Seasonal Specialist in Poison Information Supplements Swimming Pools Teens Toxicology Fellowship Toy Safety Traveling Vaping

Join Our Mailing List!

Stay up to date on trending poison topics by subscribing to our monthly newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

Recent Posts

  • Cleaning products in and around a cleaning bucket
    Spring Cleaning April 24, 2025
  • Young girl outside in the snow holding a pile of snow
    Will Kids Really Eat That? Part Three February 28, 2025
  • Happy senior couple looking through window at home.
    Poison Help for Older Adults January 29, 2025
  • Lighted background with present wrapped in blue bow with decorative pine and white berries
    A Wrapped Gift – Holiday Poison Safety December 16, 2024

Social Media

Comment Policy

We welcome your comments. Please note that this is a moderated blog. All comments will be reviewed before they are posted, which will result in a delay in the posting of comments. Please leave comments that are respectful and useful. Malicious, anonymous, and promotional comments will not be posted. We reserve the right to remove comments from the site at any time.

For more information, please review the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy’s Social Media Code of Ethics. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please contact us.

Instagram

View on Instagram

Maryland Poison Center (@mdpoisoncenter) Instagram photos and videos

Recent Posts

  • Cleaning products in and around a cleaning bucket
    Spring Cleaning April 24, 2025
  • Young girl outside in the snow holding a pile of snow
    Will Kids Really Eat That? Part Three February 28, 2025
  • Happy senior couple looking through window at home.
    Poison Help for Older Adults January 29, 2025
  • Lighted background with present wrapped in blue bow with decorative pine and white berries
    A Wrapped Gift – Holiday Poison Safety December 16, 2024
© Copyright 2014 Maryland Poison Center. Theme by BloomPixel. | Privacy