The Truth Behind Urine-Detecting Dye and Other Pool-Related Myths

We’ve all heard at one point or another that some swimming pools feature a dye that will change colors when someone urinates. This has kept many children and even adults from relieving themselves inside of community pools for fear of embarrassment. While it’s never a good idea to urinate inside a pool, the myth of pool urine-detecting dye is just that: a myth.

There are several other myths you’ve likely heard when it comes to swimming in a pool, including that chlorine can turn your hair green. Read on to learn about these myths and find out if there’s any truth to them.

Too much chlorine causes red eyes

After a prolonged period of swimming, some people experience, red, itchy eyes, which many assume is due to a pool’s chlorine content. However, the chlorine isn’t working on its own. The irritants that cause red eyes actually appear when chlorine combines with nitrogen. There are several potential causes for nitrogen in pools, including urine and sweat. These irritants are called chloramines, and appear in many pools. They not only affect the eyes, but also the skin and respiratory systems. The best way to get rid of chloramines is, in fact, adding a bit more chlorine to the water.

Clear = clean

When most people see a clear pool, they assume it’s perfectly clean. However, that pool could still be full of microorganisms not visible to the naked eye. That’s why it’s important to test your water at least once a week and add chlorine when necessary. It’s important to note that while chlorine destroys most unhealthy microorganisms in a few seconds, some may live on much longer.

Saltwater pools don’t have any chlorine

While saltwater pools don’t have nearly as much chlorine as regular pools, they still feature some chlorine. This is because the process used to sanitize a saltwater pool, called electrolysis, forms chlorine. Saltwater pools also require a shock treatment to destroy bacteria, just like with any other pool.

Clean pools have a strong odor

Some people wrongly assume that a strong chemical smell indicates a very clean pool. In actuality, a clean pool should have little to no smell at all. A strong chemical smell might actually mean that the pool is unsafe to swim in. Strong smells are often formed when chloramines mix with urine, body oils or any other pool contaminants.

Too much chlorine makes hair turn green

As mentioned above, this is a fairly common myth. It’s actually the copper found in some pools that can turn hair green. Most of the time, copper ends up in pools because of metal pipes or algaecides. If your hair has turned a little green after spending some time in the pool, just wash your hair with a good shampoo. This should remove the green color with no problem.

Hopefully, you’ve found this information useful. There are a lot of myths surrounding swimming pools, from the urine-detecting dye to the hair-greening chlorine, and it never hurts to have the correct information. If you’re ready to have the perfect pool built at your home, contact Avanti Pools, Inc. today!