With the peak summer heat is upon us. Let’s talk Sunscreen and your Pool.
Sunscreen Application and Reapplication Guidelines
- Why it matters: Anyone wanting to enjoy your pool should ideally apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before diving into the water.
- The Science: Sunscreen needs time to bond and form a stable, protective film on dry skin. Jumping in too early washes the lotion straight off into the pool, leaving the swimmer unprotected and clouding the water.
- Las Vegas Heat Tip: In a desert climate like Las Vegas, applying sunscreen indoors before entering the yard is best so it doesn’t melt off with immediate sweat.
- Reapply Every Two Hours Minimum: Sunscreen filters break down under intense UV rays and dilute during water play. It must be reapplied at least every two hours.
- The “Towel-Off” Reset: Even water-resistant sunscreens lose effectiveness after 40 to 80 minutes of swimming. Reapplication is required immediately after towel-drying, as the friction physically wipes the protection away.
- Dry Skin Only: Never apply fresh lotion to wet skin. Towel off completely, apply, and wait another 15 minutes before getting back in the water so it can re-adhere.
How Sunscreen Impacts Your Pool & Pool Chemistry
- The Dreaded Scum Line: Sunscreen is formulated to be water-resistant, meaning it floats. When it washes off, it binds with airborne dust, desert pollen, and body oils, creating a sticky, yellowish-brown skum line right along your beautiful waterline tiles.
- Spike in Chlorine Demand: Sunscreen introduces organic contaminants into the water. This forces your chlorine to work overtime breaking down waste from swimmers rather than killing harmful bacteria, leaving the pool vulnerable to green algae blooms.
- Clogged Filtration Systems: As oily sunscreen residues cycle through the system, they coat the filter element (whether you use cartridge, sand, or D.E.), reducing water circulation and gumming up internal equipment.
Proactive Solutions for Pool Owners
Here’s what can help keep your water pristine:
- Pre-Swim Rinsing: A quick 60-second shower before swimming hydrates skin cells so they absorb less pool water and helps lock in the absorbed sunscreen layer.
- Mineral-Based Options: Encourage sunscreens utilizing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These physical blockers absorb less into the water and have a lower chemical impact on pool water balance compared to active chemical ingredients like oxybenzone.
- Enzyme Treatments: Mention that this is where a professional service like ours shines. Regularly adding natural pool enzymes proactively breaks down these complex oils and sunscreens before they can clog the filter or stain the tile line.
PoolStar is Your Partner
PoolStar is your partner in both keeping your swimmers safe and helping address the damage sunscreen can do to your pool. We are there every week to keep your chemicals balanced and scrub your tiles and clean out your filters. We also use natural minerals on your pool to proactively break down the complex oils of sunscreens before they can do to much damage to your filters or too much staining of your tile line.
PoolStar has been serving the Las Vegas Valley as an independent, family-owned business for 20 years so we know a thing our two about what it means to address pools in high heat areas where sunscreen cannot be avoided, and regular, weekly swimming pool maintenance is a must.