5 Things to Know About Using Bleach in a Pool

Household bleach works in a pinch for raising chlorine levels, but it is not a perfect substitute for pool shock.

Pool shock is typically 10–12% sodium hypochlorite, while household bleach is usually 6%, so you need to use more bleach to get the same effect.

Avoid bleach with additives like scents or thickeners, as they can mess with your pool’s water chemistry.

Bleach lacks stabilizer (cyanuric acid), which protects chlorine from the sun, so it is less effective for outdoor pools.

For a full shock treatment, especially if you have algae or combined chlorine, use pool-specific shock instead of bleach.