Chlorine is safe enough for kids and pets.

Yes, standard chlorine and bromine are fine when you follow the label. The real danger isn’t the chemical itself — it’s using too much, shocking while swimmers are in the pool, or storing it where kids or pets can get into it.

For pets, watch out for algaecides with quaternary ammonia compounds — those can be more irritating. For kids, just wait 15 minutes after adding chemicals (or longer per the product instructions) before letting them in. And obviously don’t let anyone drink the pool water, regardless of what’s in