You just had an amazing pool party with friends and family enjoying hours of fun in the water. Maybe you had the grill going, some cold beverages on ice, great music in the background, and the soft glow of string lights. But once the party is over, spend a few minutes restoring your water chemistry to ensure your pool is clean and sparkling again.
Party Hardy
There’s no getting around it—pool parties are hard on your water quality. A few people in the water won’t make a big difference, like when your kids spend an afternoon in the pool. But when you have a group of children, adults, and even pets in the water? Things can get dicey.
The more people, the more dirt, debris, sweat, and lotion will end up in the water. And partygoers may not be careful with food and drink near the pool. We’ve probably all seen a guest accidentally drop a cheese puff or fruit into the water!
It’s a good idea to test your water the same day or night after a party. This is because bacteria doesn’t hesitate to multiply. Your chlorine was probably working overtime with all the extra people too. And it makes sense to refresh chemicals before you go to bed since the pool will be unoccupied overnight.
Chemicals to Measure
After a party, your water might look hazy. But don’t trust the naked eye—this is the time to use a test strip. You’ll likely find that the pH, chlorine, and alkalinity are off after a day of heavy use.
Pay special attention to whether your kit measures total chlorine or free chlorine.
Free chlorine is the most helpful measurement because it shows how much chlorine is available to neutralize containments. Total chlorine measures both free and combined chlorine, which makes it hard to know how much free chlorine is left to sanitize the water.
Also look at total dissolved solids (TDS) after a party. This shows the volume of minerals, salt, and even dirt in your water. These tiny particles are too small for pool filters to catch, just like how your furnace filter can’t trap every allergen. But you can bring a water sample into our store for a free analysis that includes TDS.
Restoring your water quality after a pool party depends on your test levels. We recommend measured dosing to correct water chemistry. Simply read the instructions on your bottles to determine how many ounces or pounds you need to rebalance.
Once your water chemistry balance is restored, take a few moments to do some spot cleaning. You can help protect your water by skimming the surface, rinsing out the skimmer basket, scrubbing ladder steps, and sweeping around the pool edges.
Make it a habit to test and rebalance your pool water immediately after a party. By restoring your water chemistry in the moment, you’ll save yourself some time, hassle, and even a little money in the long run. Then you’ll be ready to kick back and hit those blue waters once again!