I have known for awhile that I had an allergy to bleach. If I use anything with bleach my skin gets all red and blochy, iches and my hands swell. That being said I use gloves when I clean. I got into a friends pool and had to get out because my entire body had a horrible reaction! Come to find out they use bleach in their pool instead of chlorine. I said oh that makes sense because I'm allegic. My friend insisted that there is absolutely no difference between bleach and chlorine. I have been in dozens of pools including my own and never had a reaction. Am I crazy or is there a difference? I know they both get the pool clean, but obviously one causes me to break out in hives and the other doesn't.
Update:Doesn't really answer why I have a reaction to house hold bleach, but not pool bleach. Based off every answer it should be the other way around.
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Chlorine bleach is Hydrochloric acid. The chlorine used to sanitize swimming pools is Calcium hydrochloride. They are different chemicals.
It's the same thing. My dad is a pool technician. He gives chlorine to my mum to clean the house with. It's identical. Household bleach is usually weaker that is all. If you have never noticed a reaction in pools before then maybe your friends pool has a very high chlorine reading. I get allergic to public pool waters because the reading is higher (and must be higher for sanitation purposes) but am fine in most home pools.
If look at a bottle of chlorine bleach, the active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite. In chemical terms, it is a salt of sodium and hypochlorous acid. It is the same compound in both "bleach" and "pool chlorine". They are probably very different in concentration. The pool chlorine is probably a much higher concentration in the bottle.
Chlorine bleach is NOT hydrochloric acid - it's hypochlorous acid, which is a weak acid - hydrochloric acid could cause serious burns to the skin and eyes...
Just got back from Kroger, Laundry Clorox 8.25% $4.19/gal and Pool Clorox 10% $4.98/gal. Good thing I don’t normally do the shopping. I think my roommate gets the discount bleach for $.99/gal.
It can be the equal factor. My dad is a pool technician. He gives chlorine to my mum to clean the condominium with. It can be equal. Family bleach is generally weaker that's all. When you have under no circumstances noticed a response in swimming pools before then maybe your neighbors pool has an awfully high chlorine reading. I get allergic to public pool waters considering the fact that the reading is better (and must be higher for sanitation purposes) but am great in most residence pools.