I’ve always had a keen sense for detecting chlorine. At hotels, I could easily tell if the pool was nearby as soon as the elevator doors began to slide open. A trip to a heavily chlorinated indoor waterpark once left me feeling out of sorts for days. Because of this, I’ve been cautious around chlorine when swimming. However, after listening to a well-known doctor discuss the link between chlorine and various health issues, including thyroid problems, I decided to dig deeper into the matter.
Chlorine is a common disinfectant, existing as a gas at room temperature but often pressurized into a liquid for transportation. It’s a key ingredient in many household bleaches and is widely used for water treatment and pool cleaning. Even in small doses, chlorine is toxic. When inhaled, it can combine with moisture in the lungs to form acids that can damage tissues.
The substance we typically call “bleach” is actually sodium hypochlorite, diluted for household use. This, too, can be dangerous in small amounts and is especially hazardous when combined with other chemicals like ammonia. If this ever happens by accident, it’s crucial to leave the area and contact a poison control center immediately.
Chlorine exposure can be quite harmful, with symptoms appearing quickly. These symptoms range from wheezing and difficulty breathing to skin or eye irritation and dizziness. More severe reactions might include fluid buildup in the lungs. While we’re mostly not exposed to concentrated chlorine gas, many people encounter it daily through drinking water, swimming pools, and household cleaners.
Drinking water is the most common exposure source since chlorine is used to disinfect it. Although this is an essential step for safe drinking water, there’s growing research linking chlorine exposure to dementia and other issues. Indeed, a study from the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality found that people drinking chlorinated water face a 93% higher cancer risk.
It’s relatively easy to avoid chlorine in swimming pools or non-essential sources, but drinking water, a necessity, often contains it. Pool exposure is associated with conditions like asthma, skin and eye irritation, and enamel erosion. Baths and showers are another significant source of chlorine exposure. Surprisingly, we can absorb more chlorine through showers than drinking water because it vaporizes quickly and is inhaled and absorbed through the skin.
Chlorine and its byproducts can enter our bodies, air, or water supply. Most municipal water systems treat water with chlorine to kill bacteria, which is crucial, but other better, albeit costlier, methods are available now. Since we can’t fully control our water supply, I focused on reducing chlorine exposure at home.
First, we switched to homemade laundry soap to eliminate the need for chlorine-containing products like bleach. This change was practical and cost-saving, especially with young kids around, as we preferred less toxic products in the house. Next, we installed a shower filter, as we tend to absorb more chlorine during warm showers than from drinking water.
I chose a New Century Shower Filter for our bathroom, easy to set up. Also, I got a chlorine-neutralizing bath ball for the kids’ baths. This device removes chlorine and related compounds quickly before they bathe. For those looking to reduce bath water chemicals, there are several tips worth exploring.
I did extensive research on water filters and ultimately settled on a couple of excellent options. Though reverse osmosis systems remove chlorine and other contaminants, they also strip away beneficial minerals, and some types waste water. Meanwhile, pitcher filters may not effectively eliminate chlorine and sometimes add plastic chemicals.
We used two particular filters in our home. Our under-sink 14-stage filter delivers convenience, though the Berkey served us well for years by removing both chlorine and fluoride. With filtered water at home, we rely on plastic-free reusable bottles for outings, avoiding chlorine and plastic usage simultaneously.
Ultimately, a whole-house filter offers the best chlorine and contaminant removal. We finally installed one when we moved to our current home. This system starts at the water main, filtering out chlorine and dozens of other pollutants. It eliminates the need for separate filters for showers or baths, proving highly effective for comprehensive water purification.
If I’d had the budget, I would have installed this whole-house system sooner. Though it’s a costly and complex installation, its benefits are apparent now, and I wish I’d prioritized it earlier. Do you steer clear of chlorine? What strategies do you use to minimize exposure?
