How to Use Regular Bleach to Shock My Pool?

Most people believe that a pool with a strong chlorine odor has an exceedingly high chlorine level. However, nothing could be further from the truth. A strong chlorine odor actually means your chemicals are working overtime to get rid of bacteria and other contaminants. It also is a signal that it is time to give the pool a good shock treatment before the water turns green. Shocking a swimming pool kills the bacterium that builds up through regular use. Traditional chemicals for this task are quite expensive; however, you will find that the same results can be achieved using common household bleach.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Non-scented household bleach (quantity determined by size of pool) Pool filter Pool test kit

1. Confirm the number of gallons of water in your swimming pool by referring to the manufacturer's instructions.

2. Calculate the amount of bleach you will need for your pool. Based on the pool size, you will need a half gallon of bleach per 10,000 gallons of water to increase the chlorine to five parts per million (ppm).

3. Walk around the perimeter of pool with open bottle of non-scented household bleach. Pour calculated amount of bleach into pool. Try to pour as evenly as possible as you walk.

4. Turn on pool filter and allow to run overnight.

5. Test pool water using a pool test kit. Determine ppm of chlorine in the water. A safe ppm level is between two and four.

Tips & Warnings

• If chlorine ppm is too high, wait several hours and retest swimming pool water. Lower temperatures and cloudy weather can slow the breakdown of chlorine in the water.
• Take great care not to spill bleach on clothing as it will remove color. Do not inhale or ingest bleach. It can cause serious illness or even death. Do not swim in pool until chlorine ppm is at a safe level.

Resources

• Pool Chemistry Tips