If you’ve never encountered this before, you may be stumped about how to keep ducks out of your pool. Luckily, it’s not really that difficult, and it won’t cost you a lot of money. And you won’t end up with a bunch of ducks as pets.

Why Do I Need to Know How to Keep Ducks out of My Pool?

Other than the obvious answer that ducks just don’t belong in your swimming pool, you do have some compelling reasons for wanting to keep them away.

It’s Unhealthy for You

A lot of wild animals carry diseases, and birds are no exception. Some of the bacteria and viruses spread by ducks and other birds—bird flu, salmonella, E. coli, and others—can make humans sick.

Theoretically, the chlorine (or other sanitizer) in your pool will eradicate those contaminants so you don’t have to worry about infection and illness. But if the chlorine in your pool isn’t at the correct level, it’s not going to be as effective at killing those bacteria and viruses.

Also, some of those things are spread through the animals’ feces. If the ducks poop on your pool deck (so rude!) where there’s no chlorine, and then you accidentally walk in it with bare feet … you see where we’re going.

Your best bet to avoid illness is to keep ducks out of the pool altogether.

It’s Unhealthy for Them

All animals drink water, including the ones that live in it. If ducks hang around in your pool too long, and drink too much water, they could suffer irreparable damage to their kidneys.

Then you’ll need to know how to get dead ducks out of your pool, and that’s even less fun. In fact, it’s no fun at all.

Keeping ducks out of your pool helps them just as much as it helps you.

Why Do Ducks Like Pools?

Well, the most obvious answer is, they’re water fowl, and your pool is full of water. It’s a logical and comfy environment for them.

The other thing is, there are no predators in your pool. No alligators waiting to have duck confit or duck a l’orange. We’re kidding. Alligators aren’t that fancy with their food.

Seriously, though, a swimming pool is a safe place for ducks. They can relax, eat, and do their ducky business without worrying about being eaten. That’s a pretty sweet deal if you’re a duck.

Tell Those Ducks to Duck Off!

You may find that using more than one tactic is your best bet for making sure ducks stay out of the pool. You may also need to deploy your prevention tactics for several days until the ducks learn your pool isn’t as comfortable and inviting as they thought it was.

Keep an eye on the bird traffic, and when you don’t see ducks trying to land in your pool anymore, you should be able to remove the measures you put in place.

Use a Solar Cover

Putting a solar pool cover out will keep ducks from being able to land and float in the water. If they can’t do that, they won’t stick around.

Plus, the cover will help keep your pool heated and free of debris. It’s a win-win!

Use an Automatic Pool Cleaner

Ducks are easily frightened. They fear predators, and nothing looks more like a predator than a moving, underwater robotic pool cleaner. Unfortunately, they don’t make any in the shape of an alligator. Maybe someday.

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If you don’t have an automatic pool cleaner, a robotic pool cleaner or an above ground pool cleaner (if you have an above ground pool) will work just as well.

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Leave Inflatable Pool Toys Out

This is probably the easiest way to keep ducks out of a pool. Keep a few inflatable pool toys floating in your pool when it’s not in use. But not just any pool toys. Get some that look like predators. You can find them in a few varieties, such as:

• Alligator
• Killer Whale
• Snake
• Bobbing Dolphin

Let Your Dog do the Work

It’s a pretty safe bet that if any ducks try to land in your pool, your dog is going to bark at them and scare them away. Problem solved! It’s even better if your dog has a view of the pool when he’s inside so he can alert you to the invaders from which he must protect you!

Important: Barking at ducks to keep them out of your pool isn’t a reason to get a dog. A dog (or any pet) is a long-term commitment that requires love, care, attention, and yes, money for food, toys, and veterinary care. Only get a dog (or any other pet) if you’re prepared to make all of those commitments to another living creature deserving of the best care possible.

Use Duck Off

No, we’re not making this up. A company called Lo-Chlor company makes a pool chemical called Duck Off. It works by breaking the water’s surface tension, which makes it impossible for ducks to float.

But we don’t recommend adding unnecessary chemicals to your pool. This is an absolute last resort if you’ve tried everything else multiple times, and nothing has worked.

How NOT to Keep Ducks Out of Your Pool

The idea is to keep them out, not hurt them.

Fishing Line

You may have seen advice to string fishing line across the surface of your pool. This is dangerous to ducks and other birds.

Because it’s transparent, the line will be invisible on the water. When a duck lands on it, they can become tangled and unable to fly. They could end up injuring themselves or worse, drowning in your pool.

The same is true for any other little critters that may come to your pool for a drink of water. Your goal isn’t to set up a death trap in your pool. It’s to deter the animals from wanting to be there in the first place.

Bird Netting

Avoid this for all the same reasons as the fishing line.

Killing Them

Please don’t do this. They’re just looking for a place to rest, eat, and be ducks. They’re not purposely trying to harm your pool or make your life difficult.

Wild animals live outside. When we clear land and build communities, we’re displacing all the animals that lived there first. It’s only natural that they’ll try to remain in the area they already called home.

When you put a swimming pool outside where the animals live, it stands to reason they’ll see it as part of their environment. They don’t know it’s something to avoid.

If none of that dissuades you from killing ducks (or other birds) you find in your pool, it’s also important to know the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes killing many birds illegal—including 15 types of duck. Numerous species of bird are protected for one reason or another, including their being on the endangered species list in some cases.

Removing or diverting ducks and other animals from your pool without hurting them is always a much better solution.

Stay the Duck out of Your Pool!

All right, we know. We’re talking about how to keep ducks out of your pool. We just couldn’t resist a little wordplay (that autocorrect never gets old, by the way). In all seriousness, you should have a few good tactics in your pool care arsenal now that will help you keep ducks from setting up home in your pool.

And if you try something that doesn’t work, try two or three tactics together. Whatever it takes to keep the ducks where they belong, and keep both birds and humans happy, healthy, and safe.

Happy Swimming!

Duck photo courtesy of Dave Hosford

The post How to Keep Ducks Out of Your Pool appeared first on Swim University®.

The problem is, because it’s not actually a pond with a gradual slope, frogs can find their way into the pool, but be unable to get out again. Then you end up with poor froggy bodies floating in the water. To prevent it, take some time to learn how to keep frogs out of your pool.

Why Do You Have Frogs in Your Pool?

Because they don’t know the difference between a clean, chlorinated pool full of water and a natural, murky pond. Even more than that, it’s because your pool can be a bountiful source of food for them.

Some insects are also attracted to water. A bunch of flying, water-loving bugs hovering around your pool is like a big, buzzing buffet to a frog. Lily pad for two, please!

And at night, when light reflects off the water, or you have pool lights on, the light will attract more bugs, which is just a second course for your froggy pals.

That’s right, we said pals. You actually want frogs in your yard and garden. Just not in your pool.

Why Don’t You Want Frogs in Your Pool?

The fact is, frogs are actually doing you a favor by keeping some of those six-legged, flying pests away from and out of your pool.

And they’re not poisonous, despite some rumors you may have heard. They may be carrying some bacteria on their bodies from hanging out on the ground and in the dirt, but as long as your water is properly balanced, the sanitizer should take care of that.

There are two other, much better reasons you don’t want frogs in your pool.

They May Lay Eggs in the Water

Because frogs are amphibians and not mammals, they reproduce by laying eggs, which turn into tadpoles, which grow into adult frogs. But rather than laying their eggs just anywhere, they must lay them in water.

Frog eggs don’t have a hard shell-like reptile and bird eggs do. If they were left out on the ground, in the open air, they’d dry out, killing the tadpoles inside.

A pool owner reached out to us on Facebook and sent us these photos. She had no idea what she was skimming out of her pool.

If you’ve never seen them before, those are frog eggs. Lots of them. Depending on the species, a mature female frog can lay anywhere from 2 to 50,000 eggs at once. Once the frog lays her eggs, they’ll likely sink to the bottom of your pool, suspended in a jelly-like cloud.

If you find frog eggs in your pool, simply skim them out and find a more suitable place for them away from your pool. If there’s a pond on your property, that would be ideal. If not, you could put them in a shallow kiddie pool filled with just enough water to cover the eggs.

They May Die in Your Pool

Once frogs get into the water, they can’t always get out because the pool edge is too high for them to jump to from the water, and they can’t see the steps.

Even if they could see the steps, their little froggy brains may not make the connection with them being an exit. They’ll desperately swim around and around the pool, looking for a way to get out until they become exhausted and drown. Then you’ll come out the next day and find a little froggy body floating in your pool, or possibly in the skimmer.

This would be sad, but let’s be honest—it would also be kind of gross to have to dispose of a dead frog. So your best bet is just keeping them out altogether.

How to Keep Frogs Out of the Pool

Posting a sign won’t be enough. Frogs are known to ignore signs telling them not to do things. They’re contrary that way. But you have several other options available to you.

Install a Fence

If you don’t already have a pool fence installed, it can do a lot more than just provide safety and security. In addition to keeping small kids, pets, and cheeky neighbors out of your pool area, it can prevent all manner of critters from finding their way into the water as well.

Just be sure to choose the right type of fence. Iron bars or chain link? The frogs will laugh their throaty laughs while they hop right through those. Your best bet will be solid wood or vinyl fencing.

Use a Cover

At night or whenever you’re not using your pool, consider covering it. This will help keep bugs out of your pool, and the fewer bugs in the pool, the less frogs will try to get into it. A regular pool cover should be easy to install and remove, but still fastened securely so children and animals can’t accidentally slip under it and get trapped in the pool.

For extra peace of mind, consider using a pool safety cover. They’re made specifically to keep things from falling into the pool. And because they’re pulled taut, it’s also difficult to impossible for anything to squeeze in between the cover and the ground.

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01/27/2023 08:38 pm GMT

Pull the Weeds

A dense patch of weeds is almost as inviting to a frog as your pool is. It’s a good place to hide until they’re ready to jump into the pool.

Next time you go out to do a little pool landscaping, clear the area around your pool deck of weeds and tall grass.

You may see advice to use ammonia-based fertilizer to reduce the frog population in your yard. It does that by killing them. Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is highly toxic to frogs, and they’ll die a horrible, painful death if exposed to it.

If you don’t want to scoop dead frogs out of your pool, you definitely don’t want to pick them up from your garden. There’s no need to kill them. Remember, they eat lots of bugs. Just divert them away from the pool with other tactics.

Turn Off Lights

Sure, it may look nice at night to have the pool lights and landscaping lights on in the back yard. But it’s also an invitation to bugs, which is, by extension, an invitation to frogs.

When you’re not using the pool, turn all the lights off in and around it. No bugs, no frogs.

Install a Water Feature

Insects aren’t crazy about moving water. They prefer still, stagnant water because it’s an ideal place to lay their eggs. The more eggs they lay, the more insects you’ll have, which means the more frogs you’ll have as well.

Pool fountains and waterfalls that move the water around will prevent insects from getting too comfortable in the water. They’ll move on, and so will the frogs.

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01/28/2023 06:59 am GMT

Heat the Water

Why do frogs prefer cold water? No, it’s not because they’re cold-blooded. It’s because it’s how they get oxygen into their blood.

A frog’s skin is permeable, which allows them to absorb oxygen directly through their skin. Cold water holds more dissolved oxygen than warm or hot water.

So the colder the water, the more oxygen it has, and the better environment it is for frogs. This is especially true when they’re hibernating.

Heating your pool may not keep frogs out completely, especially if it’s not winter when the frogs will be looking for oxygen-rich environments in which to hibernate. And depending on where you live, the water may warm up quite a bit on its own without the help of a heater.

If not, you can heat the water a few ways:

• Solar pool cover: a bubble-wrap-like floating cover that’ll keep your pool warm while keeping frogs out.
• Liquid solar cover: Inexpensive, but doesn’t create a physical barrier.
• Solar rings: Fairly inexpensive, creates somewhat of a physical barrier, but not a solid one.
• Pool heater or heat pump: Can be expensive, no physical barrier at all, but more efficient heating than liquid covers or solar rings.

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01/27/2023 03:35 pm GMT

Buy a Frog Log

Want to help frogs get out of your pool if they fall or jump in? For less than 20 bucks, you can place a frog log, critter net, or rescue ramp near the pool’s edge. It’s held down on the deck by a weight, and attaches to a small pad or ramp that floats on the water.

Frogs (and other small animals like mice and even birds) can climb up onto the pad, and then climb out of the pool. No mess to clean up. No dead animals. No guilt. No crying when the kids come outside and find a cute little frog dead in the pool.

They’re so inexpensive, you can buy a few and place them around the pool for best results. And it’s a much more affordable option than installing a fence or buying a heater.

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Create an Alternative Habitat

This would require more work and time, but you could create a pond on your property that’s much more attractive to frogs than your pool.

Line it with plants and flowers, and include stones or logs to help frogs climb out of the water or you’ll just have the same problem in the pond that you had in the pool.

Just make sure you build it a good distance away from your pool so you’re not basically building a frog duplex.

Hop to It!

Now that you know how to keep frogs out of your pool, it’s important to remember that no matter which or how many measures you take, it’s still always possible one little guy will find his way into the water. This is why using multiple tactics is much more effective than relying solely on just one.

And by the way, frogs aren’t dangerous or poisonous, and won’t hurt you if you touch them. So if you see one swimming in your pool, gently scoop it up with a skimmer before it drowns, and release it a good distance from your pool, or in that pond you built. You’ll feel better about it, and the frogs will definitely feel better too.

Happy Swimming!

The post How to Keep Frogs Out of Your Pool appeared first on Swim University®.

I know what you’re thinking. Why can’t I get rid of them completely? Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions to worm infestations, but by simply taking a few precautions, you can greatly reduce the number of worms in your pool and sometimes stop them from ever entering your pool again.

Remember, Worms Are Good

Sure, they are a little gross to look at, but they do serve a very important purpose. If you like your landscaping, you definitely want to make sure they are around. Worms naturally till and fertilize the soil helping your plants grow and look their best. If you get rid of the worms in your soil, then you will find that you have a lot more work ahead of you with your landscaping, I promise you that.

When Are They a Problem?

Most of the time you won’t have to worry about worms taking a dive into your pool, as they prefer to stay buried in the ground chewing away at the soil, minding their own business and just doing their thing. However, in the spring and even the fall when it gets a little cooler outside or during heavy rains, the worms tend to come out and have a look around.

You know what I mean. We have all seen worms squirming their way across the pavement of our sidewalks and driveways. The moisture and cool air drives them to the surface to take a look around and if you happen to have landscaping around your pool, they will often make their way from underground to your pool’s deck.

Once they have done that they don’t seem to have the best sense of direction, and they can often simply fall into your pool. Once they fall in, they are trapped and can’t get out.

Keep Those Worms Away

No matter how good they may be for your soil, they are pretty gross if you have to try to fish them out of your pool or dig them out of your skimmer. So what can you do about it?

Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all fix that will take care of them, and you may never be able to totally eliminate the problem. Still, you aren’t left without options. Let’s take a look at a few strategies you can use to reduce or eliminate your pool worm problem once and for all.

1. Use a Solar Pool Cover

Solar pool covers aren’t always the most convenient to put on or take off, but if you have a big worm problem they will do the trick. A solar pool cover will prevent those slimy little worms from crawling into your water and filling up your filter. Of course, you will have to put it on and take it off in order for it to work, and that isn’t all that convenient.

Try only using this solution when it is cooler or if you are expecting heavy rains. Look for covers that are quick and easy to take on and off so you can quickly cover it and then uncover it when you are ready to use your pool. Here’s our list of the best solar covers.

Our Pick

Clear Solar Blanket for Inground and Above Ground Pools (14-Mil)

$136.77

This solar blanket will increase the water temperature by about 15 degrees and prevent up to 95% of pool water and chemical evaporation. This reduction of evaporation is environmentally friendly, save you time, and money. Comes with a 6-year manufacturer warranty.

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If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

01/27/2023 08:38 pm GMT

2. Check Your Pool After a Storm

I know this isn’t always possible, after all we all work. However, if you can, after the storm has passed go ahead and give your pool’s deck a quick check and a cleaning if need be. If you can get to it soon enough after the heavy rains, you may be able to catch those worms before they have had a chance to reach your pool and maybe before they get cooked by the sun. Pick them up and move them to the grass so they can go about their business of, well, being worms.

3. Move Your Landscaping

Who doesn’t love great-looking landscaping around the pool area? In many ways, it really completes your pool in ways that cannot be replicated by concrete and decorations. Still, with plants, comes soil. That means that there will be worms, there is just no way around it.

If possible, you could try moving your landscaping approximately 20 feet or more away from your pool. This will increase the distance any worms that come out have to travel meaning fewer will make it before they are cooked by the sun.

4. Elevate Your Deck

Does the concrete of your deck meet the dirt of your landscaping or the grass of your yard evenly? If so you may want to consider altering the design, at least a little bit. Instead of keeping it even, elevate it a little, if possible. Even a slightly higher concrete pool deck can’t stop those worms from reaching your pool because it is very difficult for these worms to traverse that small incline.

Some will inevitably manage to make it, despite the odds, so don’t expect this solution to put a stop to it. But it will reduce the number of worms that reach your pool meaning you will have less to skim out of the water.

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5. Crushed Limestone

Try adding a little crushed limestone around the perimeter of your pool’s concrete. You can even add it just on top of the soil where the concrete meets the ground. This crushed limestone will raise the pH of the soil around your pool, something the worms really don’t like. When they come out, they will actually head the opposite way of your pool.

Be careful, however, if you get heavy rains this crushed limestone could get washed into your pool affecting your water chemistry and even coating your filter in the process. If you do choose this method, make sure you test your water regularly to make sure it stays in perfect balance.

6. If All Else Fails, Insecticide

I want to start off by saying that I don’t recommend this, but I will talk about it just so you understand that there is another option. If bugs and worms are a problem, and you have tried everything and just don’t know what else to do, you could always try an insecticide.

Spray the landscaping and grassy areas around your pool. This will kill any insects present in that area and discourage others from going there. Now, I only think you should do this if it is a major problem and you have tried everything else, as it will also kill the insects that are very beneficial to your ground and plants.

Worms in your pool won’t really hurt your pool, it’s just kind of gross, especially if you jump in and get one running down your back. There is no set cure for worms in your pool, however, there are many options for you to try to reduce or eliminate your worm problem once and for all.

Experiment with the different solutions and maybe even use a combination of more than one for the best results. If worms are a problem in your pool, what do you have to lose?

Happy Swimming!

The post How to Get Rid of Worms in Your Pool appeared first on Swim University®.