DIY Swim Spray to Neutralize Chlorine
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This DIY swim spray helps remove chlorine from skin and hair after swimming. Made with vitamin C, this simple after-swim spray neutralizes chlorine quickly and helps reduce dryness, irritation, and that lingering pool smell.
If you or your kids spend time in chlorinated pools, this easy homemade chlorine neutralizing spray can help protect skin and hair with just a few inexpensive ingredients.
Summer is a time for fun in the sun and fun in the water, which can mean a lot of time at the pool. However, it also means more exposure to chlorine, which isn't so great.
Thankfully, with this easy DIY Swim Spray, you can neutralize some of that chlorine and give yourself more peace of mind regarding your family's health.
We live by a community pool and our boys took swim lessons there for a few years. They were required to shower after leaving the pool, and while I was glad about that, I didn't want my boys using the toxic shampoo at the pool, so I sent them with safer options.
However, I have noticed that the chlorine smell still lingered on them, even after their sometimes prolific showering.
I found out that shampoo and other cleaning products don't wash chlorine off the skin, and that's when we started making this super easy homemade swim spray.
Where Chlorine Exposure Happens (Pools, Showers, and Tap Water)
Chlorine is something that we're all exposed to. It's in our tap water, in bleach used for disinfecting around the home by some, and of course it's used heavily in most swimming pools. If you have the privilege of frequenting a salt pool, your exposure to chlorine can be less, but even that's not guaranteed to be the case.
Clearly, it has its place. I mean, who wants to swim in a pool where some kid might have done something, plus there are all kinds of other things in our water that we don't want on our body or in our drinking water.
However, chlorine in and of itself has health risks.
We all know how when you spend too much time in a chlorinated pool, you tend to have some irritation like red eyes and possibly a rash.
However, the health implications go beyond that.
Health Concerns Related to Chlorine Exposure
Chlorine can:
– dry out hair
– cause breathing problems
– cause dental erosion
– dry out skin
– cause stillbirths (from byproducts of chlorinated water)
– cause bladder cancer
– lead to rectal cancer
– cause cardiovascular disease
– cause allergies due to sensitization
How This DIY Swim Spray Works
- Vitamin C neutralizes chlorine on skin and hair
- Helps reduce chlorine smell after swimming
- May help prevent dry hair and skin from pool exposure
- Takes less than 2 minutes to make
How Vitamin C Neutralizes Chlorine
Vitamin C neutralizes chlorine by converting it to other things via a chemical reaction. In this case, vitamin C donates electrons to chlorine compounds, reducing them into harmless substances like hydrochloric acid and water. Then the vitamin C is oxidized into dehydroascorbic acid (DHA). This chemical reaction is called oxidation-reduction (redox) and it's a very fast and effective reaction.
Vitamin C is used to neutralize chlorine in water systems. It's safe for aquatic animals, and it's also safe for you to use on your skin and hair.
While it won't address chlorine that's been inhaled or absorbed beyond the skin, it can certainly help remove some of the problem.
What This Spray Can and Can’t Do
This DIY swim spray can help neutralize chlorine on the surface of the skin and hair after swimming. However, it’s important to know that it isn’t a complete solution to chlorine exposure.
Chlorine exposure in pools happens through:
- breathing chlorinated air above the water
- absorption through the skin while swimming
- exposure to chlorine byproducts formed in pool water
This spray simply helps remove some of the chlorine that remains on the skin and hair after you leave the pool. While that can help reduce irritation, dryness, chlorine odor, and addresses some of the toxicity issues involved, it doesn’t prevent all potential exposure.
Showering, limiting time in heavily chlorinated pools, and swimming in well-maintained pools are other things you can do to reduce chlorine exposure.
Not all products actually remove chlorine from skin and hair. Many soaps only wash the surface but don’t neutralize chlorine. Here's how common chlorine removal methods compare.
|
Chlorine Removal Method |
Removes Chlorine? |
How It Works |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular Shampoo |
❌ No |
Cleans oil and dirt |
Chlorine smell often remains |
|
Soap or Body Wash |
❌ No |
Cleans surface oil |
Does not neutralize chlorine |
|
Baking Soda Rinse (see baking soda uses) |
⚠️ Partially |
Helps deodorize |
Doesn't chemically neutralize chlorine |
|
DIY Swim Spray |
✅ Yes |
Neutralizes chlorine chemically |
Fast and effective |
|
After-Swim Commercial Products |
✅ Usually |
Often contains vitamin C |
More expensive |
As you can see, most soaps and shampoos don’t actually remove chlorine—they mainly clean oils. Vitamin C works differently by chemically neutralizing chlorine.
Does Showering Remove Chlorine?
Showering alone does not fully remove chlorine from skin and hair. Soap and shampoo mostly remove oils and dirt, but chlorine binds to proteins in hair and skin. Neutralizing it with vitamin C is needed to help remove chlorine more effectively.
Supplies for This Spray
Vitamin C
Two kinds of Vitamin C neutralize chlorine: sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid.
While either version of vitamin C will work for this after swim spray, there are several reasons why sodium ascorbate is the better choice here.
First, ascorbic acid is more acidic, so it can lead to irritation, especially when used often.
Secondly, sodium ascorbate dissolves much more readily than ascorbic acid so it's a bit easier to use.
Bottle Recommendations
Plastic is the best choice to prevent any breakage around the pool area where bare feet could end up with painful slivers in them, but make sure to choose a high-quality plastic bottle so that the optional essential oils and vitamin C won't be likely to cause leaching of the plastic.
Light will cause the vitamin C to degrade so tinted bottles are best.
A fine-mist spray bottle can help distribute the solution more evenly over skin and hair while using less product. This can be especially helpful for long hair or for spraying active children who don't stand still for long.
Tips for Using Vitamin C Swim Spray
- Shake Before Using: Ensures ingredients are well-mixed.
- Make Small Batches: With time, the solution will degrade, so it's best to only make the amount you will likely use within a few days to a week.
Storage
- Use Dark Glass or Plastic Bottles: Again, this will protect the solution from exposure to light which causes it to lose effectiveness.
- Store in a Cool, Dark Place: Keep away from heat and sunlight, again to help it not lose effectiveness. Storing this spray in a dark bottle in the fridge is a good option.
How to Use This DIY Swim Spray
- Spray generously on skin and hair after leaving the pool.
- Let sit for 30–60 seconds so the vitamin C can neutralize chlorine.
- Rinse with fresh water or shower.
- Repeat if chlorine smell remains.
Optional: spray directly onto hair before rinsing to help reduce chlorine damage.
FAQ
Does vitamin C really remove chlorine?
Yes. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate) neutralizes chlorine through a redox reaction that converts chlorine into harmless compounds.
Can I use this spray on hair?
Yes. It can be sprayed directly on hair before rinsing to help reduce chlorine damage and dryness.
Is this safe for kids?
Yes. The ingredients are very gentle, but you should avoid spraying directly into the eyes.
How long does vitamin C spray last?
Vitamin C breaks down when exposed to light and air. For best effectiveness, make small batches and use within about a week.
DIY Swim Spray for Neutralizing Chlorine
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup filtered water (see my recommendations on How to Filter Water here)
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered sodium ascorbate
- A quality Glass Bottle or quality Plastic Bottle
Instructions
- Using a funnel, add water to a glass bottle or stable plastic spray bottle.
- Add the sodium ascorbate.
- Put lid on bottle and shake to combine.
- After swimming, spray the solution all over, including on hair.
- Rub the vitamin c spray into your skin and massage your hair to cover as much of your skin and hair as possible.
- Shower as usual.
Notes
- Shake Before Using: Ensure ingredients are well-mixed.
- Make Small Batches: With time, the solution will degrade, so it's best to only make the amount you will likely use within a few days to a week.
Don't Feel Like DIYing?
This recipe is so simple to make, but Rowe Casa makes a great Swim Spray that's similar to this recipe, but with added essential oils.
Have you ever used an After Swim Spray to neutralize chlorine?
Bladder cancer, and, rectal cancer. . is that from that smack of water you feel hitting you down there when you jump in?
I think there is an incontinent swimsuit bottom to keep urine in. Maybe this would also keep chlorine water “smack” out ?
How much contact w water does our private parts get?
Ugh – I don’t know.
Interesting stuff.I have a hot tub I soak in several times a week to help with aches and pains of old age. After a week or so my skin becomes itchy and I get little red bumps,especially on my back where the jets hit it. So using your formula, I go in the hot tub and after I get out spray on the solution then take a shower. What is the shelf life of the solution and where do I store it? Hope this works !!!
Shelf life isn’t long b/c water is a breeding ground for bacteria so I wouldn’t make that much and plan to use it w/in 4 days and store in the fridge. Thanks for reading!
Ascorbic acid and not the pure form of vitamin C has been shown to damage cells, not fight free radicals as previously thought. Most supplement and skin care companies add the ascorbic acid but people buy it anyway thinking they’re doing something healthy. There are lots of powders out there. Be sure to check for L ascorbic aced. It’s very expensive, and, as you point out, sensitive. Light, heat, and oxygen will break it down in no time. Further, you will have difficulty finding the pure form anywhere, and, you need to make any formula in temperature controlled, bacteria free environment with not just filtered water, but processed water free of oxygen. That’s chemistry for you. Unfortunately, it isn’t really practical to buy what you truly need to do this. I’m reading this post because a company I know is starting to manufacture it. I wish I could share who but I can’t at the moment. .
Hi there. Thanks. I would love to know where you got that info about ascorbic acid. I have heard negative things but can’t remember what and when I looked now there are articles touting ascorbic acid’s actions against free radicals.
Can you help please? Thanks!
Could this be used to take the chlorine and chlorine smell iut of clothing washed in city water? Hiw wiuld i use it?
I have never heard of a chlorine smell in clothes from washing them? I guess you could try it? I’m talking to a company about this product and it sounds promising. https://amzn.to/2gZ795g (that’s an affiliate link)
Hi Adrienne.
Thanks for this information. I really appreciate your blog. One person already commented abiut this, but I wanted to repeat it because it really seemed to work. When my son was taking swimming lessons it was required to rinse off in the shower BEFORE getting in the pool. I noticed that the smell of chlorine in my car on the way home was barely there compared to when my other sons had taken lessons without rinsing off before swimming. I wouldn’t know why this was the case, but it sure helped a lot. I’m assuming since I couldn’t really smell it, the chlorine residue must have been way less. Just a thought.
I wonder if the chlorine is more likely to adhere to the skin if you have dirt or other impurities / lotion on your skin when you swim? I don’t know. I looked around on the internet but couldn’t find anything easily.
Hi there, I too am a swim instructor (for more years than I care to divulge) and was given the same information years ago about showering before swimming in the pool by a German parent, who had read it in a German study. Not only is it better for the pool quality and other patrons, but it does significantly cut down on the amount of chlorine a body absorbs.
Thanks for sharing. I wonder why the body absorbs less. How have you known that this is happening? Do you know where we can find the study? I have looked and can’t find it. Thanks!
This does work! Think of your body as a sponge…. our skin is SO absorbent. If you put clean water on your body first it will soak that up. Then just like a sponge, if it already has a lot is water in it, it can’t pick up much more right?
Hi Pcjae,
When you rinse off before a swim, the water soaks into the pores of your skin and into your hair so when you are swimming the chlorine can’t soak in to the same intensity. I’ve been a swimming teacher for 6 years and notice a massive difference when I rinse off before work.
Hi there. Are you certain that this is why it happens? I would love something to back this up. Thanks!
I have buffered Vitamin C as Calcium Ascorbate. Will that work? You don’t mention that type in this write up.
I don’t think it does. Sorry for the delay in responding.
Hello,
What is the difference between crushing a vitamin c tablet into a powder, and ascorbic acid powder that you buy?
They should be the same thing.
Is there any reason why I could not just mix the powdered Sodium Ascorbate into my little bottles of shampoo, face wash, and body wash that I take to the gym for post-swimming showering. Seems like I could eliminate the spraying step and also have one less thing in my bag.
Also wondering if you had any follow-up to the 2/17 update. You said you were doing more research on the subject.
Hi there. Sorry for the delay in responding. I think that would work possibly, but perhaps spraying on first and then removing with the soap is a better way to do it?
Which update are you referring to? Sorry and thanks!
Are the essential oils ok without a carrier oil? I’ve been using essential oils on my 2 year old but I always dilute them, will it be ok without?
Hi there. I’m sorry but I’m confused. This recipe isn’t about using an essential oil without diluting. I always recommend diluting oils. Let me know if I’m not understanding your question. Thanks for reading.
I think she’s referring to the lavender, frankincense and peppermint drops in the recipe? You don’t mention diluting them in any carrier before adding them to the spray, and oils do not dilute in water as oil and water don’t mix.
Hi there. So sorry for the delay in responding to this. I just updated the post with information on the best practice.
Hi there. So sorry for the delay in responding to this. I just updated the post with information on good practices for emulsifying the oils. I was chronically ill for a long time and am finally better so I’m weeding through old comments now that I couldn’t get to at the time. Hope that help!
maybe this is dumb to ask but can you use citric acid to make a spray to help neutralize the chlorine?
Not a dumb question. Don’t do it. It makes chloroform which you don’t want on your body. Thanks for reading!