How To Get Rid Of Pool Foam?

Bubble formation looks good until they don’t accumulate on the water surface. A foamy pool starts looking a bathtub and it’s embarrassing. And it became more painful when it doesn’t go away even after cleaning efforts.

Either it’s a private or public swimming pool– Foams floating on the water surface doesn’t look good. You can get rid of pool foam by checking some chemistry of water and taking appropriate action.

In this article, I’m going to explain- How to get rid of pool foam? Getting rid of pool foams are easy and you can do it yourself. Check the reason for foam formation and fix that.

What Causes Pool Foam?

You would probably be asking yourself the same question, “Why does my swimming pool form foam?”

Well, there are a number of reasons that actually cause foam in your pool water.

At the same time, bubbles on the water surface are usually caused by one of the three things or maybe a mixture of them.

• Having high levels of polymer-based chemicals.
• Lack of Calcium.
• You have an airflow issue causing some leakage in your pool’s system (this is the most commonly seen problem).

Also, similar in an ocean, pool foam usually means there are heaps of organic debris in the water, like hair, oils, shampoo, sweat, grass and algae etc.

High amounts of Algaecides or other low-quality chemicals (that likely contain additives) can also cause pool foam.

Anyway, all this gunk collectively makes your water thick, and the airflow from the pool jets adds volume to it, causing froth.

Not so cool, right?

No matter how vigilant you’re about your pool cleanliness, maintaining the water balance, still, you may end up with pool foam occasionally.

Why?…

• Either it comes from non-toxic sources, and often, even from pool chemicals itself.
• You constantly have a lot of swimmers, and the pool water hasn’t been replaced in a very long time.
• It might possible that- your filtration system is not functioning properly.

Now you may ask- How Do I Get Rid Of Pool Foam?

So, here it is…

How To Get Rid Of Pool Foam?

So far you would have understood that there may be one or a combination of any of the above factors that are causing you pool foam.

The good news is that it’s not that hard to combat pool foam. Of course, it can be a little time consuming, though.

It only depends on what caused your pool to foam in the first place!

Foam caused by algaecide or inferior chemicals usually breaks down itself, if you give it some days.

But, if a high concentration of organic debris is the cause of your pool foam, it will possibly need some pretty in-depth cleaning.

Here are some helpful steps you should follow to get rid of your swimming pool foam-

Step 1- Check Your Pool Chemistry

The primary thing you need to do is to test your pool chemistry levels. Maybe, your pool water isn’t correctly balanced – the way it should be.

If things get out of order – particularly with your sanitizer, it will result in a case of pool foam.

In this condition, it’s much likely that your chlorine levels are low, and you need to correct those in this process.

But the primary concern is to check the pH and alkalinity of your pool water.

Ideally, your pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6 and alkalinity between 100 -150 ppm.

Once your water is balanced, wait for a few hours to see if the pool foam drives away.

Step 2- Shock The Pool

If your pool is really dirty or you haven’t cleaned it up since a while, you’ll preferably need to shock your pool. You can either use chlorine shock (works best) or a non-chlorine shock.

The super chlorination will wipe out all impurities, leaving your pool back to its normal, crystal clear state. Although you can use chlorine-free shock as well, you may not get as good results.

Leave it overnight, and make sure to check all your levels the next morning and balance any that are required. You can repeat this process if needed.

Step 3- Drain The Pool Water

If your pool chemistry is way off or if you’ve had a pretty good bather load for some time, you would need to drain a little amount of water and fill it up with clean water.

Once you’re done, it’s possibly a good idea to look forward and shock your pool as well.

Step 4- Get an Anti-Foam Chemical

What if any of the above methods don’t work? You have a pool party scheduled, and you only have a couple of hours to get your pool set for guests?

You have one last option: buy an anti-foam chemical, also known as a defoamer. This will dissolve the pool foam immediately.

You’ll need to use only a pinch of this chemical. Defoamer is the best solution if your pool is not very dirty and all you need to wipe off is a little foam.

Keep in mind; it treats the symptom, not the cause. If your pool is extremely polluted, you must consider shocking it.

Step 5- Check Your Filtration System

If you’re uncertain about the cause of the foam, you would also need to ensure if your filtration system is working properly.

Check for calcium build-up and wash out the skimmers. Also, make sure the motor runs when you turn ON the pump.

How To Prevent Pool Foaming?

Prevention is Better than Cure… Do you believe on it?

If you’re a pool owner facing a problem of foam in your pool, you are probably asking why does my pool have foam.

Below are some preventive measures you can take to avoid pool foam formation to a reasonable extent.

1. Shower Yourself Before Jumping In Your Pool

The first thing to do is shower before you start swimming. Make it a rule to anyone who wishes to use your pool.

Swimmers must preferably shower before you allow them to put even one toe in the water.

This will prevent building up dirt caused by lotions, oils, hairsprays, mousse etc. that swimmers might be wearing.

2. Replace Your Algaecide – Algaecide Could Be Causing Pool Foam

The second thing you must be watchful of is the quality of algaecide you’re using. If foaming has become a frequent issue, your algaecide could be causing pool. Look at using a better quality algaecide.

Also, to keep algae from budding in the first place, you must maintain the sanitizer level where it needs to be.

3. Always Keep Your Pool Clean

Lastly, the best way you can avoid pool foam is by keeping your pool as clean as possible. I always recommend keeping an automatic pool cleaner inside the pool.

Testing your pool water regularly, keeping it balanced and shocking it at least once in a month – much often during bulk use.

It’s much simpler to keep things under control if your pool chemistry levels are remaining balanced.

Add in a floating chlorine dispenser decorated with your favorite animals.

Final Verdict

Having pool foam isn’t some type of neat party trick, and it generally warns some kind of debris that needs to be addressed immediately.

Definitely not…

Of course, it’s pretty easy to get rid of, but a lot easier if you take the measures to prevent it initially.

Check on your pool maintenance, use best-quality chemicals, and you should be able to prevent any pool foam disasters.

Share your thoughts about what methods have you used to get rid of pool foam.

Happy Swimming!