How To Get Rid Of Pool Foam

You see a lot of different things when you’re in charge of maintaining your swimming pool, and foam is one of them. Pool foam is a common problem that’s explained by a variety of contributing factors. Even though this problem can be explained, it’s important to recognize why it’s started and how it gets solved.

Here’s the rundown on how you can get rid of pool foam to make sure that you and your family can continue to swim happily. 

What Is Pool Foam?

The first clue as to whether you have a healthy pool can be determined by foam. While it may be mistaken for ordinary air bubbles, pool foam is created by a high organic load in the water. 

The more organic matter in your pool, the harder it is to dissolve or eradicate it. This may lead to your pool water “thickening.” Pool foam will start to grow when the water is affected by the pool’s return jets. While there are bubbles within the foam, they won’t be easy to pop or get rid of. Instead, they’ll remain on the pool’s surface and give your pool a less than desirable appearance. Don’t be surprised if most people won’t want to take a dip in your foamy pool. 

What Causes Pool Foam?

Understanding proper pool care and maintenance are essential for every pool owner. Having imbalanced chemicals or too many phosphates can create an abundance of foam and algae. While it’s not necessarily dangerous to swim in pool foam, we still recommend getting rid of the foam to get your pool water crystal clear. 

Here are some common causes associated with the development of foam in your pool:

Pool Swimmers

The biggest culprits of pool foam come directly from the people swimming in your pool. Both swimsuits and the human body contribute to the formation of pool foam, such as:

• Hair spray and other hair products
• Body lotion
• Deodorants 
• Makeup
• Perfume/cologne
• Laundry detergent and fabric softener
• Sweat
• Saliva
• Urine

It’s recommended that swimmers take a thorough shower with soap before hitting the pool. Showering will remove organic material and contaminants, which include body oils, cosmetics, perspiration, and traces of urine or fecal matter. This is why public pools ask swimmers to rinse off before entering the pool. 

Total Dissolved Solids 

Pool foam could also mean there’s a high level of total dissolved solids (TDS) in the water. TDS is the measure of solid matter that has become liquefied. Foreign solids such as oil, dirt, and soil can make your pool water cloudy.

If the TDS levels are high, it can make the pool much harder to keep clean and may result in having to drain/refill it. 

Chemical Imbalances 

The foam may appear in your water due to a pool chemical imbalance. Always remember to test your water and its calcium hardness levels with a pool testing kit. Low calcium hardness means that your pool has soft water which is prone to foaming. By adding calcium chloride to the water, you will raise its levels to prevent foam. 

Be careful when raising your pool’s calcium hardness. If the levels become too high, your pool water may become diluted. Follow the instructions and recommended doses to ensure that you maintain balance. 

You can measure the pH levels, calcium hardness, and total chlorine for an imbalanced pool. After you’ve measured those levels, you can adjust them in that order and leave your pool pump running for 24 hours to let the foam dissipate. 

Added Chemicals 

Most pools in Winnipeg require regular maintenance and chemicals that make the pool cleaner. However, chemicals like algaecide that contain copper and other metals can cause foaming on the surface of the pool. Invest in quality algaecide that doesn’t include metals and monitor the amount you’re adding to the pool water.