My husband dumped used cooking oil in a bleach bottle in the area where I store my bleach and I inadvertently started dumping it in the pool thinking it was bleach, I think I probably dumped about 2 cups in before I realized it was oil. What can I do to get it out? I tried scooping it off the top with beach towels but there is too much and the water is still too cold to get in. I am beyond overwhelmed, and if we don't end up in divorce court it will be a miracle. I saw online about using enzyme product from pool store, can anybody tell me quick if that will work and if it will mess up the balance I have worked so hard to achieve. I need quick answers, the pool store closes in an hour...please help!
Help, My husband had poured cooking oil in a bleach bottle, I dumped at least 2 cups
- Thread starter Ladyofone
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,797
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
:calm: Believe it or not, there's been worse. 2 cups in your 33K pool, it will be okay. For the most part, time, filtering, and chlorination will resolve the issue. You might also consider laying some paper towels in the skimmer as long as you can do so without stopping flow to the pump. There are some oil-absorbing products for pools (i.e. Scum-Ball) that pick-up oils, but if you don't get one quickly, the filter may have already done it for you. I'd increase the FC by an extra 2-4 ppm for a couple days just to help break it down. You should be fine. Plus, it's cheaper than going to court. 
Here's a somewhat recent thread with a similar situation. Maybe it will help. Extreme Oil Cleanup Help Needed
I was surprised how many TFP articles popped up regarding oil dumped in pools.
For speed, do you have any tennis balls handy? They will collect some oils. I'd dump a bunch in especially if you don't make it to the pool store soon enough. You can buy cheap tennis balls at a dollar store. Also, put some in the skimmers, too. Any puppy pads or bed pads? They might also absorb some of the oil if it's still floating on top. Just cover as much as you can then fish out with your brush pole and net. Oh, and if using puppy pads, get plain and not scented or baking soda infused to cut down on messing with your chemicals.
Do you use skimmer socks? They will catch some of the oil.
Maybe others can answer this - is it better to leave the pump off until you can try to get more of the oil off? Or better to let it run and then clean it - and when and how often?
I've never had this happen, so I'm just throwing out whatever I can think of...... in a hurry.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you,
Suz
I was surprised how many TFP articles popped up regarding oil dumped in pools.
For speed, do you have any tennis balls handy? They will collect some oils. I'd dump a bunch in especially if you don't make it to the pool store soon enough. You can buy cheap tennis balls at a dollar store. Also, put some in the skimmers, too. Any puppy pads or bed pads? They might also absorb some of the oil if it's still floating on top. Just cover as much as you can then fish out with your brush pole and net. Oh, and if using puppy pads, get plain and not scented or baking soda infused to cut down on messing with your chemicals.
Do you use skimmer socks? They will catch some of the oil.
Maybe others can answer this - is it better to leave the pump off until you can try to get more of the oil off? Or better to let it run and then clean it - and when and how often?
I've never had this happen, so I'm just throwing out whatever I can think of...... in a hurry.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you,
Suz
You can get oil absorbing sock things at marine stores too. We used to keep them in our bilge. Not sure how the price compares to the scum balls (and no I don't mean your husband)
I'm still trying to learn how to reply when you guys give me answers. I had a whole big answer typed and it said I did not have permissions. Hopefully this is the right reply component, anyway, we got big bottle 32 ounces of Clear and Perfect Clarifier poured the whole thing in. I was told by girl at pool store to leave the filter on recirculate because I was concerned about the oil getting in the sand in the filter, my question:
Should I leave it on recirculate over night or should I turn it back on to filter?
Husband went out to buy tennis balls, to float on top. We were able to absorb some of it by using king sized sheets, the clarified made it coagulate in big circles all over pool, so that made it easier to absorb with the sheets. Thanks for all your advice.
Should I leave it on recirculate over night or should I turn it back on to filter?
Husband went out to buy tennis balls, to float on top. We were able to absorb some of it by using king sized sheets, the clarified made it coagulate in big circles all over pool, so that made it easier to absorb with the sheets. Thanks for all your advice.
First off, please don't rely on advice from pool stores. Some pool stores care and give decent advice, most do not. Clarifier will not do much for oil, and it's an unneeded chemical for TFP methods. Plus it can have other weird effects on your water, depending on your chemistry.
You can get scum balls (as mentioned above), or get oil absorbing booms/pads. Boating stores should have them. There are some that are engineered to only absorb oil and not water. If I were you, I would get as much out as possible and let the chlorine handle the rest. Even if any gets into the filter, it won't stay there forever. Chlorine will oxidize and break it down over time.
You can get scum balls (as mentioned above), or get oil absorbing booms/pads. Boating stores should have them. There are some that are engineered to only absorb oil and not water. If I were you, I would get as much out as possible and let the chlorine handle the rest. Even if any gets into the filter, it won't stay there forever. Chlorine will oxidize and break it down over time.
You can also get oil pigs or pads from a lot of auto parts stores.
Once you have as much of it soaked up, you may want to try Pool Perfect, or another enzyme product to finish the cleanup.
Once you have as much of it soaked up, you may want to try Pool Perfect, or another enzyme product to finish the cleanup.