Money Saving Tip: Using Baking Soda

When I worked at the pool store, I got asked this question all the time:

Can’t I just use baking soda to increase my alkalinity?

The short answer is yes. Baking soda will increase your pool’s alkalinity levels. However, is it really cheaper? That would depend on what type of baking soda you’re buying and what type of alkalinity you are buying. I would only use baking soda if you needed to bump up the alkalinity just a little. Buying boxes and boxes of baking soda to increase your alkalinity by 100ppm would be ridiculous. Not to mention, it might end up costing you a lot more money in the end. In my experience, baking soda is more powdery than Alkalinity Increaser. This may cause your pool to be cloudier longer, although, it shouldn’t really be a huge deal if you only adding small amounts at a time.

So before you assume (or the guy at the pool store recommends it, thinking he’s doing you a favor) check the prices of the Pool Store Alkalinity vs. boxes of baking soda at the grocery store. You might find that buying it at the pool store is cheaper than you thought.

Also, for those who read this blog, you might be aware that I am not one for the big box retailers. They are putting the little pool stores out of business because of the way they can buy pool supplies. The problem with big box retailers like Wal-Mart, K-mart and Target is that they have no knowledgeable people to help you when you have a question about your pool. Sure, they may have cheaper chemicals (which are not the best, I can assure you), but they don’t have experience like the smaller pool stores. Just some food for thought.

[Related Info: How To Reduce Alkalinity In A Swimming Pool]