How to remove sunscreen from your pool

By Clark Rubber | 17th October, 2019

Slip, slop, slap… you know the drill. Protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays is important during the hot Australian summer, and it’s recommended we reapply sunscreen regularly when outdoors - especially after we’ve been for a swim. But while sunscreen protects your skin, it can wreak havoc on your pool water causing cloudiness, oily build-up, and chemical imbalances.

Yes, sunscreen does come off in the water, an issue that household pool owners should be aware of. Whether you own a portable or above-ground pool, sunscreen runoff from swimmers will impact the water quality.

The following are some important pool care considerations:

How sunscreen affects pool water quality

When sunscreen is worn into your pool, it dissolves and reacts with chlorine and other chemicals in the water. This can lead to a chemical imbalance, causing the water to go cloudy, and swimmers may start to get skin or eye irritations.

There is no simple way to prevent this from happening. After all, householders should be putting pool chemicals in the water to keep the pool clean and swimmers should be sun-smart. However, there are ways to deal with the issues sunscreen causes as they occur.

How to remove sunscreen in the pool

When you notice the pool water starting to go cloudy as a result of sunscreen runoff, an effective solution is to:

Shock your pool using Filtrite Pool Ultra Shock Plus.
Add Filtrite 4 in 1 Pool Clarifier to restore clarity.
Backwash your sand filter or clean the cartridge element.

How to remove sunscreen from your pool liner

Some sunscreens contain chemical ingredients that can have adverse effects on your pool liner. When using sunscreen in your pool, you should:

Wipe the waterline of the liner after heavy use to prevent build-up of sunscreen and body oils.
Ensure you use a proper filtration routine to remove many of the harmful chemicals.

Regular pool maintenance is important

Keeping your pool well maintained can be an ongoing job, especially if a lot of people are using your pool. Regular pool care not only removes sunscreen residue but also prevents cloudy water, algae growth, and chemical imbalances

If you are unsure of how to resolve a pool maintenance problem, the professionals at Clark Rubber can help. Simply bring us a sample of your pool water and we will analyse it and give our expert opinion. Visit your local Clark Rubber store or book an Onsite Pool Care service for expert water analysis and advice.