# Pool being cleaned with Comet



## wdube (Jul 19, 2005)

This morning our family went to our community pool for a swim. The woman who cleans it was there -- and she was using Comet (among other things) to scrub the sides!!! Is this normal? I'm freaking out. There were actually people swimming laps as she was cleaning. Am I overreacting? Would you swim in it? She said she cleans it like M-F, and that she would never use it if it would be harmful. Aren't there warnings on this stuff. I realize it's super diluted, but still ... we left and decided to play tennis and basketball instead.

I'd love to recommend something more green. Any ideas?

Thanks!


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

20 years ago, we used Comet to scrub the tiling on the sides/edges of the pool (where the water laps on the tiles it gets scummy/grungy).

It's chlorine, is it not? Any public pool (except salt water ones) will have chlorine added to it, probably daily.

Yeah, kinda gross to be swimming in it as it is being done, but I *think* it is the same product as the liquid chlorine they dump in on a regular basis.


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## wdube (Jul 19, 2005)

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I assumed it was chlorine bleach, but it still grosses me out. I think we're going to aim to swim either first thing in the morning or in the afternoons from now on.


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## Sailor (Jun 13, 2006)

Well, with the amount of chlorine in pools anyway ... I don't think that Comet will make much of a difference. If you're swimming in a chlorine pool anyway, I wouldn't worry about it.









The condo community where I live has a pool. And while they have a salt water system ... the stuff they clean it with, well I shudder to even think of the ingredients. So, I know the feeling!


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## RiverSky (Jun 26, 2005)

Yikes!!! No way!! What the he*& was she thinking?!? I would call your public health department, because I think that is completely wrong. The PH of Comet and the additional agreements would be all wrong. You can't just use Clorox Bleach or no-name brand laundry bleach in your pool...you have to use chlorine that you buy at a pool store or through a pool supply company, different formulations.

Yikes!!! I'd be writing letters of complaint and such. There are pool cleaning stones (pumice stones, really) that you use to scrub mineral deposits off of the sides of pools.

I'm shocked!


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

Totally normal. I've worked at numerous pools & this is the general protocol for scrubbing the "scumline" in a chlorine pool (usually some no name brand to save money). People are generally more careful with their own backyard pools but the chemical levels (& water volumes) are so much higher in a commercial pool that it really doesn't affect the overall balance.

That said, they shouldn't be doing it right beside where someone is currently swimming. We generally had a schedule of which sections of the pool got scrubbed which days of the week (the scum builds up ridiculously fast) & we would try to do it between activities not during public swims or lessons.

The complaint to make is the timing of the cleaning - not the method.


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## wdube (Jul 19, 2005)

Thank you all so much. The association president lives across the street from me -- and likely doesn't know it is happening -- so I think I'll speak with him. You are right, at a minimum the cleaning schedule should be posted. I'm sure if others knew they would be concerned, too.


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