Store pool chemicals in their original, labeled containers with the lids closed, in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot that is locked away from children and pets. When you use them, read the whole label first, wear goggles and gloves, never mix different products, always add the chemical to the water (never water to the chemical), and keep swimmers out of the pool until the label says it is safe.
Pool chemicals are made to be diluted in thousands of gallons of water. In the container they are concentrated, and most injuries happen while someone is opening, measuring or adding them. The steps below come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and apply to any home pool or spa.
How common are pool chemical injuries?
Pool chemical injuries send thousands of people to the emergency room every year. A 2019 CDC MMWR report estimated 13,508 U.S. emergency department visits for pool chemical injuries from 2015 to 2017, or about 4,500 a year.
The same CDC report found:
- About one third of the patients were under 18.
- Most injuries happened at a residence.
- About two thirds happened between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.
- Poisoning was the most common diagnosis, and most poisonings came from breathing in fumes or dust, often while opening a container.
In other words, the riskiest moments are the everyday ones at home: opening a bucket in a closed shed, standing over a container while you pour, or leaving a product where a child can reach it.
What chemicals do home pools use?
Most home pools and spas use a handful of products, and each one has its own label directions:
- Sanitizers (chlorine or bromine): kill germs and keep a protective residual in the water.
- Algaecides: help prevent or treat algae growth.
- Clarifiers: gather tiny particles into larger clumps so the filter can catch them, which helps cloudy water clear.
- Enzymes: break down oils, lotions and other organic buildup from swimmers.
- Balancing products: raise or lower pH, alkalinity and calcium hardness so the sanitizer works and the water stays comfortable.
For target levels and how to test them, see our quick guide to home pool chemistry. The rest of this guide covers how to store and handle these products safely.
How should you store pool chemicals?
Store pool chemicals where they stay closed, dry, cool and out of reach. CDC’s pool chemical safety guidance (reviewed 2025) and its pool chemical storage poster recommend:
- Keep each chemical in its original, labeled container with the lid tightly closed. Never move a chemical into a different container.
- Store chemicals below 95°F (35°C), out of direct sunlight, in a dry, well-ventilated area.
- Protect stored chemicals from getting wet, including from sprinklers, roof leaks and wet scoops.
- Store each chemical separately and keep incompatible products away from each other.
- Store liquid chemicals low so a leak cannot drip onto dry products below.
- Lock chemicals up to protect children and animals.
- Keep gasoline, gas-powered equipment and other ignition sources out of the storage area, and do not smoke there.
- Keep food and drinks away from pool chemicals.
How do you handle pool chemicals safely?
Handle pool chemicals with the label in hand and your skin, eyes and lungs protected. CDC’s 2019 MMWR report recommends these steps for home and public pools alike:
- Read the entire product label or safety data sheet before you open the container.
- Wear safety goggles, gloves and a mask.
- Work in a well-ventilated area, open one container at a time, and measure carefully.
- Never add water to a pool chemical. Add the chemical to water, and pre-dissolve a product only when the label tells you to.
- Use a clean, dry scoop for each product so traces of one chemical never end up in another.
- Keep swimmers out of the water while you add chemicals, and follow the label for when it is safe to swim again. CDC lists adding chemicals just before someone gets in as one of the common causes of injury.
- Never reuse an empty chemical container, and follow the label or your local hazardous waste agency for disposal.
Why should you never mix pool chemicals?
Pool chemicals can react with each other, sometimes violently. CDC warns that mixing chlorine products with acid products can create toxic gas, and its storage poster also warns against mixing different types of chlorine products. Even a small amount of one product left in a scoop or bucket can start a reaction when it touches another.
To keep products from mixing:
- Add each product to the pool separately, following the label’s order and waiting time.
- Never combine two products in the same bucket “to save a step.”
- Clean up spills right away, and keep spilled product away from other chemicals.
What should you do if someone is exposed to pool chemicals?
If someone swallows a pool chemical, breathes in fumes or gets a chemical on their skin or in their eyes, call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. According to America’s Poison Centers, the line connects you to your local poison center and offers free, confidential expert advice 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
- Have the product container or label with you when you call.
- Follow the first aid directions on the label while you wait for advice.
- If the person has trouble breathing, collapses or will not wake up, call 911.
- Move everyone away from fumes and into fresh air.
Can a pool use less chlorine?
Yes. A hydroxyl-based AOP system such as Clear Comfort works as a supplemental sanitizer alongside a low chlorine residual. Pools with hydroxyl-based AOP typically run at 0.5 to 1.5 ppm free chlorine, which can mean less chlorine to buy, store and handle over a season.
A low chlorine residual is still needed, and the water still needs balancing, so the storage and handling steps in this guide still apply. Clear Comfort system upkeep is an annual cartridge exchange that takes approximately 1 to 5 minutes per year. Learn more about how hydroxyl-based AOP works, and for family pool safety beyond chemicals, read our guide to drowning prevention and chemical safety.
Frequently asked questions
Where should you store pool chemicals at home?
Store pool chemicals in a locked, dry, well-ventilated area that stays below 95°F (35°C) and out of direct sunlight, such as a locked cabinet or shed. Keep them in their original, closed containers, away from children, pets, gasoline and gas-powered equipment.
Can you store different pool chemicals together?
Store each pool chemical separately and keep incompatible products apart, as CDC recommends. Keep liquids on low shelves so a leak cannot drip onto dry products, and never let two products touch in a shared bucket or scoop.
How long should you wait to swim after adding pool chemicals?
Follow the wait time on the product label, since it varies by product and dose. CDC lists adding chemicals just before a swimmer gets in as a common cause of pool chemical injuries, so keep everyone out of the water until the label says it is safe.
What is the Poison Help number for pool chemical exposure?
The Poison Help line is 1-800-222-1222. It connects you to your local poison center for free, confidential advice 24 hours a day; call 911 instead if the person has trouble breathing, collapses or will not wake up.
Does a Clear Comfort system mean you no longer need pool chemicals?
No. Clear Comfort is a supplemental, hydroxyl-based AOP system that works alongside a low chlorine residual, typically 0.5 to 1.5 ppm free chlorine, and the water still needs balancing. Many owners use less chlorine, but the safe storage and handling steps still apply.
See how Clear Comfort works in home pools and spas.
