What is the BBB method for pool chemicals?

Pools are becoming more and more popular and affordable for people to have in their yards, especially above ground pools. However, any pool that you fill with water and leave in place, spas, hot tubs or in-ground pools will need pool care. It is essential to take care of the pool or spa, or in a matter of days, it will be little more than a slimy, green, breeding ground for mosquitoes or a health hazard for those who use it. The only problem is that as you learn to take care of your pool, you feel a little like you’re back in 10th grade chemistry, only the chemicals you are using are really expensive.

There may be a way to alleviate that pinch on your wallet. The BBB pool care technique is one that many people are curious about. BBB is short for bleach, borax and baking soda. Traditional methods of pool care include a variety of products with long names and fancy packaging sold exclusively at pool care stores or in the pool care section of department stores. The BBB method allows you to use three very common and cheap products for the same purposes as those much more expensive pool products.

Bleach is simply half-strength chlorine and is a perfect substitute for expensive liquid chlorine for your pool. It is however an unstabilized chlorine source and therefore you must add a little stabilizer to pool water when you use bleach, especially if the pool or spa is outside. This helps to keep the free chlorine in the water higher than the combined chlorine. The combined type is chlorine that has organic products attached to it and is no longer effectively disinfecting your pool or spa. When the balance of free chlorine to combined chlorine is not high enough, you need to shock your pool with an excess of chlorine. Bleach can be used effectively for shock treatments in pools that use chlorine or bromine as sanitizers.

Borax and baking soda are products that can be added to the water in order to change the pH of the water. Having the proper pH in pool or spa water is essential. Therefore it must be checked regularly using a testing kit and the appropriate steps taken to correct any imbalances. Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. The packaging it comes in at the pool store calls it total alkalinity increaser. The price of the product is much higher than the price of grocery store baking soda. Borax is used in the place of the pool products called soda ash, sal soda or washing soda. Borax will increase the pH of the water, while unlike the “real pool products” will not increase the alkalinity. This is actually beneficial, because quite often the pH needs to be increased and the alkalinity is fine.

No matter the type or size of pool or spa you have, proper care will ensure that it remains a fun, safe and healthy place to exercise, play and relax. Saving money while caring for it is an added bonus!