Using baking soda in swimming pools

Maintain Your Pool with Baking Soda

Baking Soda to Raise pH and Alkalinity in Pools

Most people know that chlorine is an important chemical in keeping pool water safe for swimming. But adding too much chlorine can lower your pool’s pH as well as its total alkalinity. When alkalinity falls, it is more difficult to maintain a stable pH. Plus, a lower pH and alkalinity of your pool water creates several negative effects, from itchy skin and stinging eyes for swimmers to corrosion of your pool ladders, liner, or other components.

When your water’s alkalinity is too low, any chemicals you add will exponentially affect the pH, creating a condition known as pH bounce. You’ll also need to add more chlorine to get the same sanitizing effect, and your swimmers will complain. Overall, pool water with inadequate alkalinity levels can be frustrating and costly.

Fortunately, there is a simple and cost-effective way to maintain your pool’s alkalinity and pH. You might use it in your cookie recipes or to freshen your fridge. This handy tool for pools is none other than Arm & Hammer baking soda, although you’ll need pounds of it rather than a pinch.

What Does Baking Soda Do For a Pool?

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity. Many commercial pool products for raising alkalinity utilize baking soda as their main active ingredient. You can maintain your pool for a fraction of the cost by going straight to the source and using pure baking soda in your pool.

Using Baking Soda to Increase Alkalinity

Follow these steps to test and raise your pool’s alkalinity and pH with baking soda.

Test your pool’s alkalinity daily. Ideally, your pH is between 7.2 and 7.8 and the alkalinity is between 110 and 150 ppm (parts per million). If your alkalinity level is lower, and especially if less than 80 ppm, then you need to raise the pool water alkalinity.
Purchase baking soda in bulk (available in pouches up to 15 lbs.). You will be adding anywhere from 1.5 lbs. to as much as 8-10 lbs. of baking soda to your pool, depending on how low your alkalinity is.
Determine amount to add. You’ll need to figure out how much baking soda to add to your pool. Pool chemical measurements are based on 10,000 gallons of water. If your pool is larger or smaller, you’ll need to adjust your math. A rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs. of baking soda per 10,000 gallons of water will raise alkalinity by about 10 ppm. If your pool’s pH tested below 7.2, add 3-4 pounds of baking soda. If you’re new to adding pool chemicals, start by adding only one-half or three-fourths of the recommended amount. After retesting, you can always add more if the level is still low. Otherwise, you could swing too far in the delicate pH balance and need to add an acid.
Add baking soda to the pool. Sodium bicarbonate is packaged in powder form and can be sprinkled directly into your pool water. Spread in wide arcs across the pool’s surface to avoid dumping it all in one spot. Beware of adding baking soda on a windy day, as the powder can go airborne.
Wait at least six hours. Let the baking soda dissolve into the water. Turn on your pool’s circulation system to help it disperse.
Retest and repeat if needed. Between 6 and 24 hours after you added the baking soda, retest your pool’s pH and total alkalinity. If the pH is below 7.2 and the alkalinity below 110 ppm, then repeat these steps.

Correcting Common Pool Problems with Baking Soda

Baking Soda and Green, Blue, or Yellow Algae

If you have algae in your pool, you’ll notice dull green water, slimy walls and pool bottom, and a slippery pool surface. You’ll need to use an algaecide to kill the algae and superchlorinate your pool to clear the water. After this treatment, test your pH and alkalinity and add baking soda to raise alkalinity to at least 100 ppm and pH to between 7.2 and 7.8.

Baking Soda and Pool Corrosion

If you’re noticing corrosion on your pipes or ladders, or pits on your pool liner or tiles, you have very low water alkalinity. Test and add Arm & Hammer baking soda according to the instructions. You will typically need at least 8 lbs. if your levels are low enough to cause corrosion.

Scaling Buildup on Pool Surfaces

Too much calcium and pH as well as high alkalinity levels are culprits for pool scaling. So, too, is hard water. Stop using calcium-based disinfectants and keep your pool’s alkalinity between 80 and 110 ppm. Test your levels and carefully add a pool acid, such as muriatic acid to lower pH to below 7.8. If you go too far, add baking soda sparingly to reach the appropriate levels.

Cloudy Pool Water

If your pool water is cloudy or murky, there could be a number of causes. Check your pool’s filtration system; often the problem lies there. Also test your water’s hardness. If your water is naturally hard, or contains a lot of minerals, you will want to stop using any products containing additional calcium and keep your alkalinity levels lower than 110 ppm (but higher than 80 ppm). To cure cloudy pool water, superchlorination is usually the easiest fix. Be sure to test your pH levels after the hyper-chlorination treatment, and slowly add baking soda to your pool water, if needed, to get to between 7.2 and 7.8. Higher pH levels can lead to cloudiness.

For a more complete guide to pool care and rectifying common issues, see our comprehensive Arm & Hammer Pool Care Guide.

How to Clear a Cloudy Pool with Baking Soda

For a simple method to keep your pool crystal clear, we developed Arm & Hammer Clear Balance™ Pool Maintenance tablets. Our scientists have done the math for you, and 1 to 4 tablets per week, depending on the size of your pool, will keep your water clear all summer. Follow the package directions and dispense through your skimmer or floater. Tablets dissolve in about 15 minutes and will help keep your pool’s pH and alkalinity at proper levels. It’s super easy to use and Clear Balance™ can help prevent pH rebound and other pool problems all season.

Baking Soda for Pools: An Easy Way to Raise pH and Alkalinity

Don’t waste money on commercial alkaline-increasing pool products when you can use baking soda to raise your pool’s pH and alkalinity instead. Follow the procedure above and the guidelines in our Pool Care Guide to correct common pool issues. And use Arm & Hammer Clear Balance™ Pool Maintenance tablets to keep a clear, clean, safe pool without a lot of hassle.

Resources

https://www.swimuniversity.com/household-products-clean-pool/
https://www.hunker.com/13415244/how-to-lower-the-ph-in-a-swimming-pool-with-baking-soda
https://www.armandhammer.com/-/media/aah/feature/articles/baking-soda/baking-soda-articles/pool-owners-guide. pdf
https://www.armandhammer.com/articles/diy-pool-maintenance-tips
https://www.armandhammer.com/baking-soda/pool-maintenance/pool-maintenance/clear-balance-pool-maintenance-tablets
http://poolforthought.com/raising-pool-alkalinity/

What Does Baking Soda Do for a Pool?

istockphoto.com

Q: I just moved into a new home with a pool in the backyard. I have never had my own pool and am new to all the necessary maintenance tasks. I’ve heard that you can use baking soda for your pool, but I don’t know exactly how it helps. What does baking soda do for a pool? Does baking soda raise pH?

A: Buying a home with a pool can be exciting, but it’s also a big undertaking—one of the things some people fail to consider before putting in a pool. You are right in thinking that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can be helpful with pool maintenance; it is a versatile product that can help with many home-care related tasks.

So, what does baking soda do for a pool? Baking soda can actually come in handy for a number of pool maintenance tasks. Read on to learn more about what baking soda can do for pool water, how to add baking soda to a pool, and whether it is the product you’ll need to help maintain your backyard pool.

RELATED: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Pool?

What Does Baking Soda Do for a Pool?

If you’re at all familiar with basic swimming pool chemistry, then you may already know that the water’s pH level should be between 7.4 and 7.6, and definitely not outside of the 7.2 to 7.8 range. If the pH drops too low, it can irritate the eyes of swimmers or cause their skin to itch.

Sodium bicarbonate for pools can help to raise the pH when it drops too low. If you’re wondering how much baking soda it takes to raise pH in a pool, the amount you’ll need can vary based on the size of your pool and the exact pH reading.

In addition to helping to raise the pH of a pool, baking soda can be the answer to the question of how to raise alkalinity in pool water. It is naturally alkaline, so when you pour baking soda in the pool, it will raise the alkalinity, along with the pH.

Photo: istockphoto.com

1. Baking soda improves clarity and softness of pool water.

There are a number of potential causes of cloudy pool water, including problems with the pump or filter, chemical imbalances, hard water or outside environmental factors. To determine whether baking soda may be able to help you address cloudy water issues, test the pH and alkalinity levels.

The pH should fall between 7.2 and 7.8, and the alkalinity level should be between 80 and 120 ppm (parts per million). If the readings for both pH and alkalinity are low, then add baking soda to your pool. Rebalancing the pH and alkalinity can help to clear up the cloudy water.

2. It reduces corrosion on pool parts and equipment.

When either pH or alkalinity are too low, the water can be corrosive to ladders, pipes, and other metallic components of the pool. Lower pH and alkalinity levels can also cause the pool tiles or liner to pit. If you are noticing corrosion or pitting—or want to prevent it from happening in the first place—test the pH and alkalinity levels in your inground or above-ground pool.

If the pH is below 7.2 and the alkalinity is below 110 ppm, add baking soda to the water. It will work as a pH and alkalinity increaser to bring the levels closer to where they need to be to avoid corrosion.

RELATED: 11 Ways to Make a Small Pool Work in Your Backyard

3. Baking soda minimizes scale and algae buildup in a swimming pool.

Algae and scale buildup can cause the pool walls to feel slimy and the floor to feel slippery. They also can give the water an unattractive green tint. Begin by killing the algae with an algicide. Then, superchlorinate—or shock—the water and allow it to circulate for up to 10 hours to clear the pool.

Once the water has cleared, test the pH and alkalinity levels of the water. Add enough sodium bicarbonate pH adjuster to raise these levels to the ideal range (between 7.2 and 7.8 for pH and at least 100 ppm for alkalinity). If needed, you can also sprinkle a little baking soda on slimy tiles and use a scrub brush to remove any stubborn algae.

Photo: istockphoto.com

How to Use Baking Soda in a Pool

Using baking soda in a pool can be an important part of your pool maintenance routine. The step-by-step directions below can help you learn how to use this important pool maintenance product.

Test to determine the pH and alkalinity levels of the water. Baking soda can be used if the pH is lower than 7.2 and the alkalinity if below 100 ppm (or especially if it is below 80 ppm).
Determine the appropriate amount of baking soda to add to the water. How much baking soda to add to a pool can vary. A total of 1½ pounds of baking soda typically increases the alkalinity of a pool holding 10,000 gallons of water by 10 ppm. You’ll need to take into account the size of your pool and the current alkalinity reading to determine how much to add. Start with less than you think you need, since adding more will be easier than raising the pH too much and needing to add an acid to lower it again.
Sprinkle the appropriate amount of baking soda over a large area. Do not simply dump it all in one section, since it may clump. You should also avoid sprinkling the baking soda on a day with a lot of wind; the wind could blow it away before it makes it into the water.
Allow the baking soda to circulate in the pool for at least 6 hours. Be sure to turn on the pool’s pump to help it circulate more thoroughly.
Test the pH and alkalinity levels again. Repeat the steps above if levels are still too low.

RELATED: Solved! Does Baking Soda Really Deodorize the Fridge?

Alternatives to Baking Soda for Pool Maintenance

Baking soda can be very handy for pool maintenance, but it is not the only option for how to increase alkalinity in a pool or raise the pH level.

Soda ash, or sodium carbonate, also works to increase alkalinity and raise pH in a pool. However, soda ash doesn’t impact the alkalinity as much as baking soda does. It can be a better alternative if your alkalinity parts per million is already at the right level, and you just need to raise the pH.

Having both soda ash and baking soda on hand is a good idea. If just the pH needs to be raised, add the soda ash. If the pH and alkalinity are too low, opt for the baking soda.

How to use baking soda?

Latest news

Soda gained its popularity due to its use in the confectionery and food industries. But it can be used in completely different ways, because soda removes odor well, cleans and reduces acidity in the stomach. It is universal and publicly available

At the end of the 18th century, the French chemist Nicolas Leblanc proposed his own method of extracting soda. After some time, soda plants throughout Europe began to use this technology. It gained its popularity due to its use in the confectionery and food industries. But it can be used in completely different ways, because soda removes odor well, cleans and reduces acidity in the stomach. It is universal and publicly available, has antiseptic and neutralizing properties. Consider the different uses for baking soda. nine0005

Eliminates odor. Soda is an indispensable tool in the kitchen of every housewife. It perfectly cleans dishes and surfaces, removes various odors. For example, to kill the smell in the refrigerator, you need to place an open pack of soda for several hours. A solution of two teaspoons of soda and a liter of water will help get rid of the smell of fish. Soak a napkin in it, and wrap the fish in it, then put it in the cold for an hour. To make the meat softer, you can rub it with soda and leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Before use, do not forget to rinse it with running water. If you add a little baking soda to the main ingredients of an omelette, it will "rise" and become fluffy. nine0005

Replaces cleaning agents. Baking soda is non-toxic, so you can wash all household kitchen appliances with it: refrigerator, microwave oven, kettle, coffee maker. Tiles, tiles on the floor and all surfaces in the bathroom. You will save money on expensive and unsafe detergents, and the house will shine with cleanliness. Dry baking soda and a brush can be used to clean carpets if you need to get rid of accumulated odors. After this procedure, be sure to vacuum. This method will also be effective if you need to get rid of the chemical smell of a new carpet. nine0005

Baking soda can be used as a bleach. It will enhance the effectiveness of the powder, the color will become brighter and the white whiter. To clean the dishwasher, you need to mix two teaspoons of baking soda and borax powder, then pour the resulting mixture and turn on the rinse mode. If your drain from fat is clogged, you need to pour one glass of vinegar into it and cover it with soda. After this procedure, rinse the hole well with boiling water.

Eliminate the "bloom" of the pool and return the water to a normal pH level, you can also use soda. The water will not spoil for a long time, and you can swim safely and not think that it can harm your eyes or skin, since baking soda is harmless. nine0005

Cosmetic use. You can add a little baking soda to the cleansing gel, then lather and apply with light circular motions on the face. Massage for a few minutes and rinse with water. This easy-to-prepare scrub will cleanse your skin, open up clogged pores, and leave your skin smooth and soft. Soda has an anti-inflammatory effect, so this procedure will be especially effective for people with sensitive skin that is prone to irritation. You can also clean hair from varnish, gel or foam with baking soda. To do this, add soda to shampoo in a ratio of 4: 1 and wash your hair with this mixture. They will become soft and shiny, and will not lose their color, even if dyed. nine0005

You can also mix baking soda with toothpaste and brush your teeth. It will whiten, remove yellow spots and preserve tooth enamel. If your gums are inflamed, you can rub them with dry soda. To remove bags under the eyes or swelling of the eyelids, which is often due to excess water in the body, mix soda and a glass of water, moisten cosmetic pads and apply for 10-15 minutes under the eyes or on the eyelids.

Useful emollient salt to relax you after a hard day. To prepare it, mix two tablespoons of salt and soda and a little essential oil. One tablespoon of this mixture, added to the bathroom, can calm the nervous system, make the skin soft, smooth and supple. nine0005

Range

Tips
Soda

Photo reports

nine0050 A film was made about the 312th Infantry Division. Aktobe residents cannot see him
Diarama allows you to breathe life into the picture - officer and artist Bakhytzhan Lekerov
"Two stars". Famous Kazakh singers sang with Aktobe residents nine0005

12 AMAZING PROPERTIES OF BADDING SODA

Everyone remembers it from childhood. Our grandmothers and mothers also used it to clean sinks and bake pies. But today there is a huge variety of all highly effective means. So why go back to banal soda? Because it is very cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly. It can be used for more than just cleaning. Baking soda will help you do things you didn't know about before. nine0005

1. Baking soda will easily eliminate any odors. For example, in the freezer and refrigerator, trash can, shoe cabinet, car and cat litter box. To prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor, you just need to spray a solution of soda in these places.

2. Baking soda is used as an antacid, that is, it effectively reduces the acidity of the stomach. If heartburn occurs, stir a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Only here it is often not recommended to use soda for this purpose. nine0005

3. Baking soda is a great substitute for expensive bath salts. Such a bath will have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. If you are tired and the state of your nervous system leaves much to be desired, then just pour a few tablespoons of soda into water and add a little of your favorite essential oil. The beneficial effect will not keep you waiting. After taking such a bath, you will feel the softness and smoothness of your skin and pleasant relaxation.

4. Baking soda can be used to clean almost all surfaces: stainless steel, sinks, bathtubs, tiles and chrome. It is very efficient and completely environmentally friendly. It can even whiten your teeth, that is, remove deeply ingrained plaque from them from tea, coffee and cigarettes. nine0005

5. Baking soda is excellent for cleaning drains. To do this, pour a glass of soda into the drain, then add a glass of alcohol vinegar, leave for 5 minutes and rinse with water.

6. You can also use baking soda to care for your pet. If there is simply no time to bathe the animal, then spray a solution of soda on the coat, and then comb it. Wool after such a procedure will cease to stink like a dog, become smooth, and will look clean.

7. You can add a glass of soda when washing. It enhances the action of washing powder, softens water and helps to preserve the color of things or the whiteness of linen. It works just as well as well-known brands. So why spend extra money? nine0005

8. If necessary, baking soda can replace hair shampoo. Simply mix baking soda with water to a paste-like consistency, apply to hair and rinse thoroughly. Your hair will become shiny, clean and soft. Baking soda is great at removing hairspray and other fixatives from your hair.

9. Baking soda is an excellent carpet cleaner. Just spray the baking soda solution on the carpet, wait about 30 minutes, and then vacuum. This will not only keep your carpets clean, but also rid them of bad odors. nine0005

10. Do you have your own swimming pool? In this case, soda will help restore its normal acid-base balance. And such a problem as the "blooming" of water will disappear by itself. Baking soda is safe for skin and eyes. Therefore, in the pool, in which soda is added, you can splash for as long as you like.

11. Soda instantly extinguishes the fire. Therefore, always keep it near the stove. If you have something on fire while frying, then just sprinkle a handful of soda on the fire area.