America’s swimming pools are disgusting. According to the nation’s top medical experts, many public swimming pools contain unacceptably high amounts of dangerous bacteria. You may believe that your backyard pool insulates you and your family from exposure to these bacteria. Unfortunately, that is not the case. These are a few parts of your body that are at risk from water-related infections in your swimming pool.

Unsanitary Pools Hurt Your Eyes

A commonly held belief is that red, itchy eyes in your swimming pool result from too much chlorine. While excessive chlorine can irritate your eyes, that is not the primary reason for your red and swollen eyes.

Urine, sweat and feces are all bodily fluids that cause the water in your swimming pool to irritate your eyes. They also cause nose and throat irritation. Do not allow your swimming pool to become the neighborhood bathtub.

Dirty Pools Hurt Your Gut

Many people assume that the strong smell of chlorine in a swimming pool means no germs are present. In reality, if you detect a strong chlorine odor, that means the pool has a maintenance problem. You should detect very little odor in a properly maintained swimming pool.

According to the CDC, a disease called Cryptosporidium, or Crypto for short, contains a germ that tolerates chlorine for nearly 10 days. It takes just a small amount of water for Crypto to invade your system. When it does, you get sick and have severe diarrhea.

Contaminated Pools Hurt Your Lungs

When urine or feces encounters chlorine in your pool the combination forms something called chloramine. Think of chloramine as something you normally would wear a gas mask around. Chloramine causes moderate to severe respiratory problems, including chemical inflammation and swelling of the airways.

If you allow neighbors and your children’s friends to use your pool, then educate them about the harm they cause if they use your pool as a toilet. Regular pool maintenance limits pool-related problems. However, your pool maintenance company cannot wait alongside the pool to treat it on an hourly basis.

Poorly Maintained Pools Hurt Your Skin

When people fail to shower with soap and water before using your swimming pool, sweat and germs invade your pool water. Pool-related skin irritation and rashes are increasingly common. Furthermore, many amateur pool cleaners believe dumping more chlorine into your swimming pool system eliminates the problem.

Not only is this incorrect, too much chlorine is a leading cause of skin rashes and irritation. It can also cause severe respiratory distress. Chlorine is one ingredient in mustard gas. It does not mix well with your skin or your lungs.

When you thoroughly screen and educate anyone allowed in your pool, and keep your pool clean and well maintained, then you and your family should enjoy a safe swimming experience.