Pool Hygiene: Everything You Need to Know

Spending time at the pool is one of the great pleasures of summer for both children and parents. Most of us already know to follow water safety rules and apply sunscreen—but what about hygiene? Eye infections, diarrhea, and skin irritation are common after swimming, and most cases can be prevented. The key is not the pool itself, but what we do before getting into the water and while we're in it. Here are our recommendations on how to choose a pool, what to do before and after swimming, and when it's best to stay out of the water.

Choosing a Pool

Only visit and swim in pools that have a valid business license. This license indicates that the pool is supervised by the Ministry of Health and meets its public health requirements.

What should you do?

The license should be displayed on a sign at the pool entrance. If you don't see it, ask the pool operator to show you the license.

Chlorine

You may be surprised to learn that a truly clean pool does not have a strong chlorine smell. This is a common misconception. The strong chlorine odor, especially common in indoor pools (and often associated with eye irritation), is caused by byproducts of the chlorination process—not by chlorine itself. These chemicals, called chloramines, form when chlorine reacts with nitrogen compounds found mainly in swimmers' sweat and urine.

What should you do?

• Take a quick shower with clean water before entering the pool. Even one minute under the shower removes sweat, dirt, and sunscreen residue that can interfere with the disinfecting action of chlorine.
• Wear swimming goggles to reduce direct contact between pool water and your eyes and help prevent irritation.
• After swimming, shower thoroughly with soap and water to remove chlorine residue from your skin.

Parasites

Some intestinal parasites, such as Cryptosporidium, can survive in chlorinated pool water for several days. While chlorine disinfects the water, it does not eliminate all parasites.

Wading pools for young children and therapeutic pools that are supervised by the Ministry of Health use filtration systems that remove 99% of intestinal parasites, or additional treatment systems such as UV disinfection or flocculation.

What should you do?

Feeling sick? Does your child have diarrhea? The rule is simple: Do not go into the water. Wait at least two weeks after all symptoms have completely resolved before returning to a public pool. It's a responsible choice that helps protect everyone's children.

Drinking Pool Water

Children learning to swim and dive often swallow some pool water. The problem is that pool water is not intended for drinking—it may contain everything we've discussed, from chlorine to bacteria.

What should you do?

Make sure your children have a personal bottle of cool drinking water outside the pool. When children are thirsty, they are more likely to swallow pool water while swimming. Explain it in simple terms, for example: "The pool water is for playing. The water in your bottle is for drinking."

Toddlers and Swim Diapers

Talk to your child and explain that they should only urinate in the restroom. Swim diapers are a great invention, but it's important to understand what they do: they are designed to contain solid waste, not urine.

What should you do?

Don't rely on the swim diaper alone. Take your child for a restroom break every 30 to 60 minutes.

If you have an infant, check the diaper frequently (away from the edge of the pool) to help prevent accidental leaks.

Body Fluids

Feces, blood, and vomit can transmit diseases in water and are therefore considered contaminants. If you suspect that such contamination has occurred in a pool, leave the water immediately and notify the pool operator so the issue can be addressed promptly through pool cleaning and disinfection. Do not enter the water again until the process has been completed.

• Personal water bottles: To prevent children from drinking pool water when they are thirsty.
• Bath soap and shampoo: For a thorough shower after swimming and to remove chlorine residue.
• Extra swim diapers: It is always a good idea to bring more swim diapers than you think you will need.
• Wet wipes and trash bags: For hygienic diaper changes away from the pool area.
• Swimming goggles: To reduce direct contact between water and the eyes and help prevent irritation.
• Water-resistant sunscreen: Apply at least 20 minutes before entering the water so it can absorb into the skin rather than wash off into the pool.
• Flip-flops: To help prevent fungal infections and skin infections in public areas and showers.