Chlorine vs. Bleach

After months of putting it off, you can’t escape it any longer: your custom outdoor pool needs serious cleaning. You go to grab powder or a jug of chlorine to do the job, but it’s nowhere to be found. You remember hearing that bleach works as a pool cleaner in a pinch, but can you use bleach in pools instead of chlorine?

You don’t want to pick wrong and end up contaminating your pool for good. So what options do you have left?

Well, we’re here to solve that dilemma for you with our comparison of chlorine vs. bleach for cleaning pools. So without further ado, let’s get started.

Is It Ok To Put Clorox in a Swimming Pool?

To start this comparison off, we need to note that Clorox or other brands of bleach do work as pool cleaners, but you’ll want to find out how much sodium hypochlorite (a chlorine compound) the bleach has before you use it. Too much sodium hypochlorite will irritate the eyes and skin of anyone who gets in the pool, while too little means you won’t get rid of all the germs.

A general rule of thumb is to look for bleach with around a 10% concentrate of sodium hypochlorite. Bleach with a lower amount will work, but you’ll need to use more to compensate.

Why Use Bleach?

One of the main reasons people use bleach to clean their pools is that it’s cheaper to buy than chlorine tablets or cleaners (even compensating for the amount of bleach used over chlorine). Another perk is that bleach is easier to purchase, and requires nothing more than pouring the prescribed amount into your pool based on the amount of water. For example, Clorox recommends using a 1/8 cup of bleach for every 100 gallons of water in a wading pool, then mixing the bleach with 2 gallons of water and spreading it over the pool.

Finally, some people prefer bleach as it is overall safer to use than certain types of chlorine tabs. 

Why Use Chlorine?

Those who prefer chlorine are often doing so for the raw power the tablets provide. They can kill way more germs with more force than bleach could (if poured in equal amounts) and can turn a pool full of stagnant water into shimmering paradise in no time. 

That said, you should take into account chlorine’s vulnerability to sunlight, as the light will spread the chlorine apart and weaken it. To counter this, most chlorine solutions contain a stabilizer to help keep it together, but direct sunlight can still overwhelm it. 

And The Winner of Chlorine vs. Bleach for Cleaning Pools Is?

So, who wins the contest of chlorine vs. bleach for cleaning pools? Well, bleach is ideal for owners of smaller pools and those on a  budget, while chlorine works best for those with large pools and a lot of bacteria to get rid of. 

But what if you have more questions regarding pools, or want to have a new inground pool built in your backyard? In that case, feel free to contact Precision Pools & Spas and set up a free consultation to get the pool you have been dreaming of.