Your pool has a very high level of chlorine; I don’t think the first option should be your baking soda. Baking soda is definitely not suitable for this work, as reducing a very high amount of chlorine in a pool can be very tedious.
Baking soda has a very stable alkaline level of 8, and should be used for the purpose of increasing the alkalinity and pH of the water, although it indirectly helps in the little way it can.
If you have too much chlorine in the pool and want to remove some, when you add the baking soda, it majorly helps to increase the alkalinity of the water, which in turn speeds up the rate at which the chlorine discharges away from the pool into the air.
It is not preferable to use baking soda for this process because the smell of chlorine would be very strong around the pool, making it seem as if the rate of chlorine in the pool is very high.
It is not advisable to use it in a commercial pool because, even after finally getting rid of excess chlorine in the water, the smell would make the swimmers think chlorine is very high.
Can you mix baking soda with chlorine?
No, it is not advisable to mix chlorine and baking soda before adding them to your pool. When you mix the two compounds, they can react to form different compounds like chlorates and chlorides, which will end up not giving you the desired result.
So, mixing the compounds together can render them useless.
Mixing baking soda and chlorine is not harmful. But it doesn’t give you the best result.
When you pour baking soda into a pool that has very low pH and alkalinity, it regulates it and brings it close to the normal 7.2 and 7.6 ranges. For the chlorine to work effectively, it needs the pH and alkalinity to be within the recommended range of 7.2 to 7.8.
So, the the alkalinity levels of the pool and add baking soda if necessary before administering the chlorine sanitizer.
What happens if chlorine is too high in a pool?
Have you ever wondered why you enter a pool you thought was okay and suitable for swimming only to have skin reactions, eye irritation, and reddishness or even shortness of breath, especially for an asthmatic person?
Well, chlorine might just be too high in the pool and has made the pool highly acidic. Excess chlorine can lead to changes in the pH and alkalinity of the water.
When chlorine is too high in your pool, it can cause cloudiness in the pool, and if there is the presence of metals such as iron and copper, they react together to change the color to a reddish-brown.
It also changes the smell of the pool area. You will know when chlorine is excessive in the pool by the smell, color, and test.
Do not always leave your pool to get to the point of having high chlorine present to save you time and money.
What can I use to neutralize chlorine in the pool?
Chlorine neutralization is one of the easiest, cheapest, and least strenuous jobs to do when it comes to pool maintenance.
You can expose the pool water to sunlight to release ultraviolet rays and heat, which interferes with the available chlorine, causing the gas to be released to the air. Don’t add more chlorine, use hydrogen peroxide, or use baking soda.
But before you get overly excited and run to the kitchen to grab the nearest baking soda, you should know that it is effective but not 100 percent. Baking soda is mainly used to regulate the alkalinity levels of your pool.
This process of neutralizing chlorine from the pool with baking soda takes about 24–48 hours, so you might want to calm down and add the necessary chemicals (like Sodium Thiosulphate) for this job in the right quantity to avoid wasting your time.
How can I lower chlorine level in my pool fast?
Firstly test the water to know how much chlorine is present, in as much as you are very tempted to use a baking soda to increase the pH since the pool got very acidic due to too much chlorine, you should not do that yet, because the smell would confuse people into thinking chlorine is still present In the water especially for a commercial pool.
If you have an aerator or there is steady sunshine, the chlorine will disperse easily. Otherwise, use hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide calms the chlorine level and also reduces the acidity or increases the alkalinity by releasing oxygen into the pool when it reacts with the chlorine. But there are specific kits and chemicals applied in the right quantity that are used for the process of lowering chlorine levels.
How do I remove chlorine from water naturally?
Natural ways of maintenance and removal of excess chlorine can be slow. One natural way to get rid of chlorine in water is to let the pool water soak up the sun’s UV rays.
Heating up the water causes the chlorine to evaporate. You can also boil the water as it stirs up the chlorine gas. You can also use an aerator to stir up the water to lose the excess chlorine gas.
How long does it take for the chlorine level to go down?
You might take even longer days, depending on the process you are using to reduce the chlorine. Especially with the natural method, imagine having to wait for the sun, which is prone to fluctuations and unsteadiness, to fully set before the excess chlorine can be removed.
It takes approximately 24–48 hours, depending on the level of chlorine that was available in the pool and the process used. But it takes about 4 days to completely eliminate chlorine and start swimming.
However, if you are using chemicals, the rate becomes faster in a minimum of 12–24 hours. It should have reduced and the pool would be ready to swim in after testing and waiting for 2–3 days.
Does peroxide lower chlorine from water?
Before grabbing any chemical to reduce the excess chlorine in a pool, make sure it does not tamper with the pH level of the water.
Yes, hydrogen peroxide reacts with chlorine and releases more oxygen into the water, thereby reducing the amount of chlorine present. But the pH should be considered before adding the peroxide so you don’t over reduce or over increase the pH. Also, add it in the right amounts and quantities according to the size of your pool, gallons of water, and pH level.
Does sunlight remove chlorine from water?
One natural way of removing excess chlorine from water is by exposure to sunlight. The UV-rays from the sun interfere with chlorine and cause the gas to evaporate.
Sunlight can also affect the performance of chlorine in a pool especially when it interferes with the free and available chlorine that should be present normally in the pool, thus reducing the pH and alkalinity and also changing the color.
What chlorine level is safe to swim in?
Have you ever swum in a pool and noticed reactions in your skin, eyes, and breathing? This is because available free chlorine has been tampered with and increased.
Now use your test kits and make sure the available chlorine ranges from 1–4 parts per million and the pH ranges from 7.2–7.6.
Once you notice it goes below the range, it is advisable to treat the pool by shocking. Low disinfectant level makes the pool a breeding ground for microbes. If your pool gets invaded by microorganisms, it is no longer safe for anyone to use. So, low chlorine level is not safe as well.
Should I shock the pool if chlorine is high?
If you notice that the free chlorine level in your pool is low but the total chlorine level is high, it is advisable to shock the pool with a non-chlorine shock. Using chlorine to shock the pool will further increase the level of chlorine in the pool, which might not be safe for your health.
Does too much chlorine make a pool cloudy?
Chlorine should be measured in the right quantity and according to the size of your pool before being added, especially if the pool water is running low on chlorine.
When the available and free chlorine in a pool is higher than 1.0 and 4.0 parts per million, it can cause cloudiness and discoloration. It can react with the metallic components of the pool, like iron and copper. Such reactions can lead to the green or brown coloration of the pool.
Adding excessive chemicals causes cloudiness in the pool and changes the acidity or alkalinity of the water. If there is too much chlorine, the pool begins to change color and become very dull in appearance.
But excess chlorine is not usually the cause of cloudy pool water. Cloudy pool water is usually cause by debris and dissolved organic compounds.
When the pool gets cloudy because of these compounds, chemicals like flocculants, clarifiers, and filters should be used in the pool in preparation for vacuuming.
