Shock your pool at least once a week in summer.

Purpose: pool shock kills bacteria, algae, and breaks down chloramines (the stuff that makes your pool smell like bleach and sting your eyes). It’s a high-dose chlorine treatment that resets your water’s sanitation levels.

Frequency depends on use. If you swim daily, have kids, or it’s hot out, once a week is minimum. After a big party or a rainstorm, shock immediately. During winter or if nobody uses it, you can go longer—maybe every two weeks or just when the water gets cloudy.

Test strips are cheap. You don’t need to guess.

Don’t overthink it. Shock weekly, test pH, and your pool will stay clear enough to swim in without feeling like a science experiment.