There are several reasons why you might want to add baking soda to your swimming pool, but the most important one is to keep your pool water clean. Baking soda is an excellent way to eliminate waste and also helps prevent algae growth, which can also be unappetizing (and sometimes even toxic) to your pool’s ecosystem. On this front, at least, baking soda is a win-win!
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Prevents Algae Growth
To be clear, algae growth is not bad. In fact, if you live in a region with high enough sunlight, then algae can be a good thing. However, the majority of the time algae is unwanted and can even be dangerous. To help prevent this, you can always add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda to your pool water on a regular basis. This will not only keep your pool clean but also ensure that you do not end up with a green tint to your pool water. Even if you do not see any visible effects from adding baking soda to your pool, over time algae will begin to grow less and less, leaving you with a green-tinged pool that you may not mind showing off once the summer season arrives.
To be fair, if your pool has been untouched by any chemical additions for the past few years, then the growth of algae might not be that bad. In this case, you can certainly leave it alone. However, if you think that algae is starting to take over or if you are already experiencing some issues, then it might be time to add some chemicals to your pool.
Removes Odors
It is no secret that swimming pools can have an unappetizing smell to them. This is mostly the result of excess algae growth, decaying matter, or simply a leak in one of the pool’s piping systems that is releasing stale pool water. Fortunately, the stench typically associated with swimming pools is often very difficult to remove from water and will eventually wear off. This is why, in most cases, you will simply have to learn to live with the odor that your pool generates! To make matters worse, oftentimes this odor is very difficult to eliminate even with the help of a pool vacuum cleaner, which makes it all the more important to add baking soda to your pool water on a regular basis.
Adding a few tablespoons of baking soda to your pool can help remove the odor that is often associated with swimming pools. Even after you stop adding the baking soda, the odor will still be somewhat detectable in your pool water since it is quite stable and quite difficult to remove. However, as soon as you start adding the baking soda, the odor will be completely noticeable and even the most sensitive person will be able to smell it! This is mainly because the odor that your pool generates is often very strong and it will begin to dissipate as soon as you start adding the baking soda.
Protects Equipment And Surfaces
As previously mentioned, swimming pools can be a danger to your home if they are not treated with enough care. The good news is that this can be easily remedied by simply adding a little bit of baking soda. When you add baking soda to your pool, it will not only prevent algae growth but also protect your equipment and surfaces from becoming stained or dirty. This is especially important if you use your pool for any type of sport or exercise because it will keep the pool cleaner (and thus, safer) for a longer period of time!
To be fair, this part is more of a pro than an anti, but it is still important to add that baking soda can help maintain better surface water quality in your pool. When you are swimming or otherwise engaging in activities in your pool, there is always the chance that you could get some water on you. If this is the case, then it is vital that your pool surface is clean. This is why most urban pools are surrounded by a stone or marble decking, while more rustic pools will have wood surfaces such as teak or cedar. Although it is not always the case, generally speaking, wood surfaces will better retain water than marble or stone surfaces will! As in the case of the odor, this is often due to the type of fibers present in the wood, but it can also be the type of paint used or the porousness of the material itself. When you are adding baking soda to your pool, it will not only act as a deodorizer but it will also improve the overall aesthetic of your pool environment!
Increases PH Levels
PH is an abbreviation for “power of hydrogen”, which makes it a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of water. You will usually find the pH levels of pool water to be around 7.4 – 8.4, although this can slightly vary based on what type of pool you have and where you live. For the purposes of this article, we will assume that your pool’s pH levels are around 7.4 – 8.4 and that it is a bit on the alkaline side. For those in the know, you will recognize that this is an excellent place for your pool, as it offers a slightly better chance of producing the pleasant, refreshing effects that most people want when they are relaxing at home! To be frank, the higher the pH levels are, the better, as it will make your pool more alkaline. As a general rule of thumb, you should strive to keep your pool’s pH levels above 8.0, although this can vary based on what type of effect you are trying to achieve.
When you have an alkaline pool, then the majority of your pool’s problems will disappear! This is mainly because the body’s fluids will not be able to neutralize the acidity of the water, leaving you with perfectly clear, uncluttered pool water! As an added bonus, the acidity of the water will also make the swimming experience more pleasant for all concerned – including yourself!
In most cases, the alkalinity of your pool will not significantly change, even after you have added baking soda. This is mainly because alkaline water will not attract many animals or fish, leaving you with a clean pool that does not require constant attention.
Improves Water Quality
One of the most important things that baking soda can do for your pool is improve the quality of the water. This is mainly because baking soda can help remove various organic and inorganic substances that might otherwise end up as sludge in your pool. When dealing with pool water, it is usually a good idea to start by filtering it through coarse and then through a medium-sized filter, as you would if you were drinking water from a spring! By doing this, you will easily remove most of the suspended solids that may be present in your pool water, as well as help maintain a healthy ecosystem in your pool.
Baking soda’s strong, antiseptic properties allow it to remove bad tastes from water, as well as add a slight tang to it. Due to this, it is an excellent option for homebrewers who are seeking to change the flavor of their beer or mead – the latter of which is an alcoholic drink that typically uses honey as its main sweetener. By adding a bit of baking soda to your pool, you will increase the alcohol content of your water without causing any type of complication or adverse reaction from the body! As we have already stated, this is mainly because the alkaline properties of the baking soda will neutralize any acids that may be present in the beer or mead you are drinking. This is one of the main reasons why most pools will have a dispenser full of baking soda nearby!
Although most people will be able to smell the odor of baking soda whenever they are in a pool, most people will not be able to determine the source of the odor. This is mainly due to the fact that the odor of baking soda is often quite faint and it is easy for most people to overlook or ignore it whenever they are in the vicinity of a pool. Due to this, most people will not know that the pool is loaded with this odor until they are already in the middle of experiencing it! As a protective measure, it is best to wear a mask when around pools that have a strong odor, since it can usually be quite difficult to pinpoint the source of the odor once you are already in the vicinity of the pool. Even then, it can be difficult to determine whether the smell is coming from the pool or from an adjacent land fill, which in some cases, is not all that far away!