Owning a swimming pool always makes the summer season more fun and enjoyable, but it also comes with responsibilities. Keeping your pool water clean and safe for swimmers is of the utmost importance, as it can otherwise be very harmful. In fact, swimming pool water that is not properly treated and maintained can cause swimmers to develop infections and other illnesses. However, by following a few simple steps that will allow you to keep your pool water clean and healthy, you and your friends and family will be able to enjoy a great season of swimming and splashing. One such important step is shocking your swimming pool with the proper pool chemicals.

Swimming pool shock or pool shock treatments refer to the addition of large amounts of chlorine to the water in order to ensure that it is safe and clean. Sometimes also referred to as super chlorination, swimming pool shock typically involves the addition of five to ten times the normal amount of chlorine, depending upon the particular circumstances and conditions. By adding such a high dose of pool chemicals to the water, the chlorine level will rise dramatically, allowing it to break down and destroy any bacteria, organic waste, debris and other contaminants that may be present in the water. This will also allow for a positive level of free chlorine to be re-established, effectively restoring the chlorine's cleaning power. Since this is so important with respect to keeping pool water safe, super chlorination is one of the most important steps of pool maintenance.

Swimming pool shock should be added to pool water at every pool opening and closing. In addition, pool shock should be used once per week during the swimming season, in order to maintain the cleanliness and safety of the water. It's typically a good idea to choose a particular day and time for weekly pool shock treatments. For example, Sunday evening is one of the most commonly chosen times for performing super chlorination, as pools are often used most heavily on the weekends. Also, by adding pool shock in the evening, the chlorine won't be as affected by the sun's ultraviolet rays and will have time to work overnight and return to normal levels by the next day. Typically, swimming pool shock treatments will actively oxidize contaminants for approximately twelve to twenty-four hours.

In addition to weekly pool shock treatments, there are situations when extra shock treatments should be given. Since oils, lotions and organic waste can build up in pool water heavy bathing can lead to significant accumulation, even when your swimming pool filter is working well. Thus, additional pool shock treatments should be administered after heavy swimmer loads and whenever the pool water appears cloudy or hazy. Any sign of algae growth or unpleasant odors also signals the need for super chlorination. Other situations which will give rise to the need for swimming pool shock treatments include whenever swimmers complain of burning eyes, after heavy rain falls and high winds and after periods of intense sun.

Pool shock treatments should be administered with the pool pump and filter in operation. Since pool chemicals can be dangerous and require specific steps to handle them correctly, it's extremely important to always read the manufacturer's instructions very carefully. Generally, swimming pool shock should be pre-dissolved in a bucket. Since water should never be added to chemicals, the water should be placed in the bucket before adding the pool chemicals. By stirring and agitating the water, the swimming pool shock should dissolve quite quickly. Once the chemicals are dissolved, the bucket's contents should be slowly poured into the pool in front of a return line fitting. The pool chemicals should be added slowly enough so that they won't settle on the floor of the pool.

Swimming pool shock should typically be repeated for a few hours, until a stable free chlorine level is reached. In order to know when this occurs, you will need a test kit that is free chlorine capable. Since it's dangerous to swim in water with high chlorine levels, it's important not to swim in the pool until the water's pool chemicals return to a normal level. Once the pool shock treatment is complete, you can once again enjoy swimming safely in clean, healthy water.

When cleaning your pool, it's important to use the right pool chemicals and pool shock products. By choosing a product that will kill bacteria and control algae, you will be able to provide your pool with optimal cleaning. Various types of swimming pool shock and other pool chemicals are available for good value from a variety of trusted retailers, including Intheswim.com. Once you have the right pool shock products, you will be well on your way to enjoying a safe, memorable and fun-filled swimming season with family and friends.