SOS - White-foamed due to use of HDX Germicidal Bleach

May 25, 2014
8
edison, nj
Experts: I need some advice here. Opened the pool and tried a new type of chlorine (HDX germicial bleach) from Home Depot. It claims to have about 8% of chlorine sold for only $3.65. Sounded a good ideal. Got a bunch and added about 5 gallons so far. Today I found the pool all foamed-up. Did my research and realized that the bleach has soap/detergent as ingredients!!!

I tried to skim up the top layer of foam as damage control. And I would try to keep the pool as balanced as possible. What other steps I should follow to get rid of the foam quicker? Thanks for any advice in advance!!
 
Eventually chlorine will consume the surfactant. It may leave a scum line on your tile and in your skimmer.

Far better, at Home Depot, is the Liquid chlorine in the Garden Section. 10% for typically the same price you paid, or a little less.

In NJ many people speak of Oceans States Job Lots for low price chlorine.
 
Thanks Marty! I was looking for the regular liquid chlorine at the gardens section but couldn't find them at that HD. That's why I got the germicidal bleach. Will check out Oceans States JOb Lots. Their website sells 12.5% chlorine for $2.99 - super good deal.

I was just afraid that the detergent might ruin my pump/motor or filter. So it sounds like it should be okay to run the pump until the foam is consumed by the chlorine, right?

Thanks,
 
Thanks Marty! I was looking for the regular liquid chlorine at the gardens section but couldn't find them at that HD. That's why I got the germicidal bleach. Will check out Oceans States JOb Lots. Their website sells 12.5% chlorine for $2.99 - super good deal.

I was just afraid that the detergent might ruin my pump/motor or filter. So it sounds like it should be okay to run the pump until the foam is consumed by the chlorine, right?

Thanks,
Hi nearby neighbor! I also started getting my liquid chlorine at Ocean State Job Lot. I think the closest one is in South Plainfield in the Middlesex Mall. Cheapest price and fresh!
 
Experts: I need some advice here. Opened the pool and tried a new type of chlorine (HDX germicial bleach) from Home Depot. It claims to have about 8% of chlorine sold for only $3.65. Sounded a good ideal. Got a bunch and added about 5 gallons so far. Today I found the pool all foamed-up. Did my research and realized that the bleach has soap/detergent as ingredients!!!

Where did you find that information? I've been using HDX Germicidal Bleach for about a month, having had a problem but certainly don't want to continue if it has detergent in it.
 
I think quite a few people here will be interested in this thread - I believe many people use HDX Germicidal Bleach from Home Depot in their pools. I've checked the MSDS and it lists bleach only, but detergent might not need to be listed there. Are you sure you didn't use the HDX Outdoor Bleach? I read in another thread that someone got a box of HDX Germicidal once and found the bottles in the box were actually HDX Outdoor - the box was labeled wrong.

As I said, I've been using it since opening the pool and haven't seen any foaming. I've added a total of 12 gallons since May 3rd.

Anyone else using this product and can report their experiences?
 
Hello - Sorry I wasn't checking the messages. I got the HDX Germicidal Bleach from HD (household section, not garden section). Attached is an image of it. Well, I wasn't 100% sure it had detergent, except that I searched online and somebody else mentioned about the foams after using it. But I could be wrong. If none of you have the same problem after using it for a while, then I was probably wrong. That was the only change in my case.

If so, the question is how else did I get the foamy water. It continued to come up for the past few days after I ran the pump although it is getting better each time. The pool was just opened recently. We added about 2 lbs of stabilizer powder in socks (still dissolving) We also added some non-foaming algaecide (from In the Swim) right after we opened the pool. We also used some Great Value liquid chlorine (non-splash) form Walmart. None of them seem to be the problem. Not sure if matters but our pump wasn't working for a few days.
 

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Your "non-foaming" algaecide is probably part of the problem. Even though it says non-foaming, unless it was Polyquat 60, it can cause foaming. "Non-foaming" = marketing speak. On this forum, algaecides are hardly ever recommended and the only one that is is called Polyquat 60.

When you say you used Great Value "Non Splash" bleach... this will also cause similar symptoms. You cannot use any splash-less or splash free bleach.
 
I have used the same brand for 2 years never a problem, till....
I added some Monday am, and by evening I had foam.

The only difference in the bottles that I can tell, there is a purple mop bucket on the front of the bottle.

EDIT......went to get a closer look this am, it is not foam but cotton from the neighbors cotton wood tree.
Bleach is not causing pool to foam :oops:
 
Last edited:
I have used the same brand for 2 years never a problem, till....
I added some Monday am, and by evening I had foam.

The only difference in the bottles that I can tell, there is a purple mop bucket on the front of the bottle.

EDIT......went to get a closer look this am, it is not foam but cotton from the neighbors cotton wood tree.
Bleach is not causing pool to foam :oops:



I just laughed :) hope you got it all sorted ....
 
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