Swimming pool cleaner poisoning occurs when someone swallows these substances, touches the chemicals and acids in them, or breathes in their fumes. Chlorine, a chemical in swimming pool cleaners, is more likely than the acids to cause serious poisoning.

This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

• Bromine
• Calcium chloride
• Calcium hypochlorite
• Chelated copper
• Chlorine
• Soda ash
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Various mild acids (sodium bisulfate, phosphoric acid, sodium thiosulfate, cyanuric acid)

• Various swimming pool cleaners

• Blood
  • Too much or too little acid in the blood -- leads to organ damage
• Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • Loss of vision
  • Severe pain in the throat
  • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
• Gastrointestinal
  • Blood in the stool
  • Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting (may contain blood)
• Heart and blood
  • Collapse
  • Low blood pressure that develops rapidly
• Lungs
  • Breathing difficulty (from breathing in the substance)
  • Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)
• Skin
  • Burn
  • Holes (necrosis) in the skin or tissues underneath
  • Irritation