5 Things to Know About Using Vinegar to Lower Pool pH

Vinegar works for small pH adjustments only Household vinegar is only 5% acetic acid, while muriatic acid is about 30% hydrochloric acid. For a 10,000-gallon pool, you might need a gallon or more of vinegar to drop pH by just 0.2.

Citric acid is a similar alternative Available at grocery stores, citric acid works like vinegar but also requires large volumes. Neither is practical for big corrections.

Vinegar is fine for pH between 7.8 and 8.0 For slight highs, vinegar works without cloudiness. For pH above 8.4, skip it and buy a dedicated pool decreaser.

Vinegar can mess with your alkalinity Using large amounts of vinegar to lower pH can throw off your total alkalinity. It also gets expensive compared to pool chemicals.

Never mix vinegar with chlorine Mixing the two creates chlorine gas, which is dangerous to breathe. Always add vinegar separately and wait before adding any chlorine.