6 Healthier Alternatives to Chlorine for Cleaning Swimming Pools
Chlorine is the most common pool sanitizer. It is very inexpensive and efficient when it comes to killing germs, bacteria and viruses in water. Despite its effectiveness, there are some people who are allergic to it. The good news is, it is not the only purifying method that can be used to achieve such great results. Other great alternatives include;
Bromine
Bromine is a great alternative to chlorine. It can sanitise water as well as chlorine and is much gentler on your skin and eyes. Therefore, it will reduce skin irritation and will feel softer on your skin. Interestingly, it is perfect when used in high temperatures and that is why it is commonly used in spas and hot tubs.
Salt Water
This is a natural way of sanitising water. Instead of using chlorine, you will add salt to the water to purify it. The salt will become charged and break down to form chlorine. However, it won’t be like the usual chlorine that irritates your skin or hurts your eyes.
Ozone generator
This generator can break down all organic debris in the water. It also softens the water because it has a neutral PH. Therefore, you will not have any calcium scaling problem. It works by adding ozone gas into the water so it can react with any impurities of dirt. However, you will need to use another sanitising option as well in order to get the most out of this method.
Mineral water
The system has minerals that will be all microorganisms. It does not fully substitute chlorine because you will need to use it as well. However, it reduces the need to add chlorine by 50%.
Ionisation
In this method, the swimming pool cleaner will introduce metallic ions into the water through a low voltage current. The positively charged ions will attract negatively charged viruses, bacteria, algae, oils and other debris and destroy them. The most common ionisation system is copper ionisation, which is a great outdoor sanitization method because the copper ions are not affected by sunlight.
UV Light
This cannot substitute chlorine, but it will help you to use less chlorine. The UV light will kill most germs, bacteria and viruses while the chlorine will deal with the organic debris.
Although chlorine is the most popular sanitization method, there are other alternatives that are just as good if not better. Methods like the ozone generator, UV light, salt water, mineral water, bromine and ionisation are just a few of the many ways you can make your water safe for use throughout all seasons. Moreover, these methods are affordable and very effective. Additionally, they do not cause skin or eye irritation the way chlorine does, especially if it is in high concentration.