Do you remember sitting in your high school chemistry class thinking “when will I ever use this information in my daily life?” Well, today is one of those days where sitting in class wasn't a waste after all! While in class, you may remember enzymes, but it's okay if you don't. What you should know about them is that when used in your pool, they break down organic waste in your pool and work to reduce chlorine to get your water cleaned easier.

Organic waste can sneak into your swimming pool in a multitude of ways: sunscreen, bugs, animals, urine, body oil, sweat, saliva - gross! These are just the realities of owning and enjoying a pool and why taking care of your water is so important. Fortunately, these trusty enzymes will break them down and get your water sanitized easier.

Typically, you would think shocking the pool would get rid of this waste, and while it does, it takes a significant amount of chlorine and time to burn through compounds, and  chlorine is already in short supply. Heavy use of chlorine also leaves behind chloramines that can burn and irritate your skin.

This is where enzymes come in. Enzymes in pool water are not to be confused with sanitizers like chlorine because they are not designed to kill or disinfect bacteria, viruses, or algae. What enzymes actually do is make it easier for chlorine to break down waste more effectively. You can think of it as cutting up your food before you chew it. That makes it much easier to swallow, right?

Enzymes are great at finding and breaking up compounds into pieces just like cutting food, so the pool chlorine can break through it easier. The enzymes then digest organic waste and release CO2 and H2O, which then escapes through the air. With enzymes taking care of this, chlorine can focus on killing bacteria and germs.

Enzymes are a non-toxic, non-hazardous, and eco-friendly alternative to heavy chlorine use that also circulate through your filter system to clean organic waste from pipes and filters, as well. There are many brands of enzymes to choose from, click here to start using enzymes in your pool!