Lay My Hat

Our pool construction is now in its last couple of stages with lovely white sparkling walls.

I understand that sun tan oil is a 'no no' for a swimming pool but can LMH members advise which suntan creams etc do the least amount of damage to the pool filter and the pool water line.

We have installed a shower but cannot rely on it being used all the time so I'd rather get creams for people to use that minimise the damage rather than take a chance on what they buy.

Does that mean you are intending on supplying guests with sun creams?
I would only ever use my own sun cream and I imagine most people will be the same.
If however you sent me a list of brands that you didn't want me to use because they can cause damage to the pool I would be happy to make sure my brand was not on the list.

Yep, we are supplying a lot of things and providing a 'larder' for guests to help themselves to so sun tan cream is just another item. Guests are welcome to provide their own but are likely to get a heavier hint to use the shower!

After 20 yrs of renting with a pool then whatever you do will normally be ignored. We have a solar heated shower and ask people to shower before getting into the water, BUT try telling that to kids whose parents have just covered them in Factor 50 suncream and its not going to work.
The only way I feel to limit the damage to the waterline (staining) is to keep the flow through the skimmers running as long as possible so that the water does not "stagnate" and allow the oils to attach to the side. If you have an ECO pump and good flow you will be able to achieve reasonable results for little electrical cost.(Teapot will be along in a minute !)
Filter medium if sand will just need regular backwashing and adding some flocculent tablets in the pump basket will help as well.
Get some line cleaning magic pads as well.
Good luck !

I am sensitive to a lot of sun creams and also need a high SPF as I burn easily. There is no way that I would consider using sun cream provided at a holiday rental. I think you are being unrealistic expecting your guests to do this plus it is going to prove very expensive for you constantly replenishing sun preps as it is especially hard to persuade someone to use a bottle that has already been opened and used by someone else. Your best bet is just to work harder at the pool maintenance via the suggestions already made. You can also get devices to put in your skimmer baskets that 'suck up' surface oils. I've not been afflicted by staining from sun tan preparations personally. Just politely request that your guests refrain from using Riemann P20 and you should be okay!

Aside from pool, anything with P20 in it turns sheets red when put in washing machine! Always tell my guests to avoid the stuff save them getting a bill for the sheets, and tell them to shower reference pool but often falls on deaf ears. Only have a small pool but, in summer, often in it with degreaser going around the water line myself getting rid of the stuff after they have left, but the benefits of having a pool in a hot climate are obvious. Have fun

P20 is a no no! no non no.

Years back I did tests on strips of liner material covered in a range of cremes etc. P20 produces a horrible immovable stain in around 20-30mins.
I actually used the P20 on my skin as it was non greasy and single application but it forms a second skin which caused a rash so I chucked it away.

Like Casscat I take a while, a long while to get used to the sun so cremes are necessary but I shower them off for the short while I am in the pool. Bought some Ambre Solaire SPF 30 last year as recommended on here but haven't used it yet. I will try it on the liner patch as well and report back.

Chlorine doesn't break down oils and cremes very well so they are around longer than most things. The floating Water Lily you place in the skimmers can help collect the gunk before it hits the filter.

Some sun products contain titanium dioxide, this could actually be good in your pool! minus the grease they put around it.

Some of the most modern liners have extra coatings of stain resistant lacquer to help with the issue.

I hope to be testing something new this season to see if it will help, if it does I will feed the information back.

Flocculents are not used in the correct way in swimming pools and are only any use if the particles have a + or - charge. Something else like the Jollyjelly or Lo Chlor Miraclear can work well to improve where sand filtration is poor. The sand filter does a lot of work and is often neglected. It need a thorough clean to remove the body oils and sun products etc, chlorine dioxide tablets used as a soak overnight in the filter can help to remove stuff that chlorine by itself cannot.

SW31, the other posters have got it right, you will not be able to stop people jumping in the pool having smothered themselves in oil and not bothering to shower so be prepared for a lot of work in keeping your lovely white sparkling walls clear of that unsightly scum line. The best thing is a line of tiles around the water line that can be easily scrubbed clean, but you may not want that if you want to maintain a pure white image so be prepared for a lot of maintenance.

Before I joined this forum, I'm embarrassed to admit that I would have been one of those people who would have covered myself and daughter with factor 50 and happily jumped in a pool, ignoring all requests to shower first. I had no idea about the problems sun creams cause to pools, and had always thought that the request to shower first was an odd request, purely based on cleanliness. Considering I shower every day without fail, I assumed that that negated the need to shower before entering a pool. I'm sure I can't be the only person who didn't understand the consequences. Had the request been explained, I might have been more compliant (but even then I wouldn't have been happy, as I burn easily). So, my suggestion is that if you wish guests to use a particular brand of cream or shower first, it is essential to explain the reasons behind it. Many will still ignore the request, but I think knowledge could only help.

Tennis Balls in the skimmer.Yes really, they may look tacky but work really well and you can change/clean and refresh with each pool clean. I sometime use them when I get a group using gallons of oil..

cleanforum wrote:Tennis Balls in the skimmer.Yes really, they may look tacky but work really well and you can change/clean and refresh with each pool clean. I sometime use them when I get a group using gallons of oil..

What a great idea!

I have Water Lilies: http://www.poolmarket.co.uk/pool-cleani ... nt-x6.html Same principle I guess. I do have to tie them into the skimmer baskets or they tend to roam free! However nothing removes all sun cream scum/residue other than time, patience, good pool maintenance and guest education.

I would be very wary about supplying sun screen as I can see the potential for complaint arising along the lines of "I used this sun screen you provided and I burnt/developed a rash and I want my money back"

The water lilies never worked for my pool. Nothing did.
I replaced my liner last year and paid extra for a frieze around the water line. That hides all stains very nicely.

Maybe that's to do with pool construction? I think in France pools are generally constructed with plastic liners whereas in Spain they are tiled. I don't find that sun cream stains the tiling, it's just the oily film on the surface that pees me off. It looks ugly and uninviting.