Add the chlorine to the water — never the other way around

Always pour liquid chlorine into a bucket of water, never pour water onto chlorine. Reversing that order creates a chemical reaction that can splash boiling-hot bleach into your face.

For small pools, pre-dilute in a clean five-gallon bucket first. Fill the bucket with pool water, measure your chlorine (follow label dosage for your pool volume), then slowly pour the chlorine into the bucket while stirring. Pour that mixture into the pool near the return jet. Don’t just dump straight bleach into the skimmer or onto the pool floor — that can damage the liner or leave undiluted streaks.

Wear gloves and eye protection. Liquid chlorine burns. I’ve seen a buddy get a drop in his eye — not worth the risk.

Add chlorine at dusk if you can. Sunlight burns off chlorine fast, so dosing at night means it does its job while UV can’t touch it.

Store the jug upright, sealed, in a cool shaded place. Never near pool chemicals that say “acid” or “stabilizer” — mixing those fumes can kill you.

**This is not where you save six bucks or skip the gloves. It