Anybody else think public pools are gross?

[2kidsnutsfordisney]

OOOOHHHH I just had to get in on this one. Personally, I think public pools are disgusting. With that being said, the development we live in does not have a private pool so we use our public "toilet" as I fondly refer to it! Here is what I have witnessed first hand that keeps me totally grossed out - 3 different times I have witnessed people swimming fully clothed (minus the shoes and socks), a child throwing up on the pool deck and numerous kids walking through it to jump in the pool before it was cleaned up, a kid blowing snot in the pool. Our baby pool reeks of urine and last summer our local news did an undercover study and checked the chlorine levels of various pools about town and discovered that our particular pool did not show any registered amounts of chlorine Unforunately, it is the only pool near us and as a result I end up taking our kids there over the summer. Needless to say we take showers as soon as we get home. For those that do have wonderful clean sparkling water public pools I am so envious

 

[monarchsfan16]

Ehh I can go either way on the pool thing. I've seen some public pools that were pretty yucky, and some that were great. I have no problem swimming in the pools at Disney, or over at the Vistana. I've seen them working on those pools. Plus they look clean. We have a pool in the backyard, and trust me, appearance can tell you a lot. I've stayed at some other hotels where I took one look at the pool and headed back to the room. They were gross. I also would never swim in the pool at our local amusement park. My friend used to work there and she said she can't even go into details about how gross the pool is; it grosses her out that much. That's a good enough reason for me.

I don't really swim in lakes. I used to but since I've started seeing things on the news about all the problems they've had with the lakes here I get creeped out by those. I will swim in the ocean and was actually in Long Island Sound on Thursday. We were planning a day at the beach (NH Atlantic) for tomorrow but that fell through. I'm still hoping to get over there before I leave for school. I'm not sure I'd swim in the ocean in shark country, but here in NH, the water's too cold for anything that could seriously hurt me (generally).

 

[Cyndiu]

Sometimes when I see a really full swimming pool, or like the wave pool at Typhoon lagoon, it reminds me of a giant petrie dish full where every swimmer is a germ.

 

[Pop Daddy]

I like getting into water that had sexy women in it

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I don't really think they are gross. IN fact, I was commenting this past weekend as to how clear and clean the pool at Pop Century was.

But then again, I have been using the bedspreads at the hotels too, for years, and never once caught any sort of illness.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would much prefer my own pool in the backyard to going anyplace else....I know after my daughters friends are over that I have to shock the heck out of it because I am sure some pee in there since they can be here for hours and hours and never use my bathroom! But at least they don't poop in it or vomit in it like a public pool. I took my daughter to a water park and it grossed me out in the tidal wave pool with all these people in there and brushing up against me...yuk.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

They gross me out too. I'm a complete germaphobe when it comes to water. I don't mind the ocean so much, but you'll never see me in a lake. I have to deal with pools, because I gave birth to a fish.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I really don't think about it too much. We have a pool in our backyard, plus we have season passes to the local waterpark as well as we frequent the 2 closest community pools. I know kids pee in the pools. Heck, when DH and I were in Jamaica in May, I commented to him how alot of the people sat at the pool bar and drank all afternoon but very few left to use the bathroom. When we get back home from the pool or waterpark, I shower the kids immediately, then take one myself.

 

[chadfromdallas]

Human broth

 

[Disney1fan2002]

For all that are grossed out by public swimming pools, can you list all the people you know or have heard of that has gotten ill or some kind of something from swimming in a public swimming pool?

I mean, even if it is just a rash,(my dd got a rash from too much chlorine) how sick did they get? Really?

Pond swimming is grosser. The bacteria levels that can grow in a pond are SCARY. If a baby poops in a pond, nobody clears out the swimmers, and completely cleans and sterilizes the pond. Try going to a pool in WDW where a "floatie" has been spotted. The pool is shut down for HOURS, while they clean it. Totally frustrating, but we know we are getting in a clean pool.

 

[rayelias]

Public pools = Human Bacterial Frappe

No thanks.

Nor will I use a bath/jacuzzi in a hotel room. For that matter, when I use the jacuzzi in MY home (and believe me it's clean - I bleach the h*ll out of it), I follow up with a shower.

 

[Cyndirella]

For all that are grossed out by public swimming pools, can you list all the people you know or have heard of that has gotten ill or some kind of something from swimming in a public swimming pool?

Honestly, I don't so much worry about getting sick from swimming in the pool, and I'm really not a germophobe.The pool is perfectly clean and appears to be well maintained. It's just the thoughts of what I'm swimming in that grosses me out. For example, this morning another family was in the pool and they had a child who was probably around 2. His nose was apparently running like crazy, and they would occasionally wipe it with a tissue but the rest of the time it was running while they were holding him in the water. Yuck!! Then kids were coming up with mouthfuls of water and spitting it right back into the pool - ugh!!

 

[aprilgail2]

For all that are grossed out by public swimming pools, can you list all the people you know or have heard of that has gotten ill or some kind of something from swimming in a public swimming pool?

I mean, even if it is just a rash,(my dd got a rash from too much chlorine) how sick did they get? Really?

Pond swimming is grosser. The bacteria levels that can grow in a pond are SCARY. If a baby poops in a pond, nobody clears out the swimmers, and completely cleans and sterilizes the pond. Try going to a pool in WDW where a "floatie" has been spotted. The pool is shut down for HOURS, while they clean it. Totally frustrating, but we know we are getting in a clean pool.

A few years back there was a big EColi thing and there were children that actually died from it!

An E. coli outbreak occurred hospitalizing at least eight children who played in the Captain Kid's Cove pool at the popular White Water park near Atlanta June 11 and 12. Georgia Health officials believe that fecal contamination in the pool was the source of the infection.
The children were infected with a dangerous strain of E. coli known as 0157:H7 which often causes hemolytic uremic syndrome in children under five. HUS is a serious complication of E. coli infection which attacks the red blood cells, kidneys, and potentially the heart and brain. Six of the infected children are suffering from HUS and require treatment by kidney dialysis, blood transfusions and respirators.

Among those hospitalized is three year old Brody Weiss, son of Atlanta Braves shortstop Walt Weiss. As of June 24, Brody was listed in serious condition at Scottish Rite Medical Center.
Unsuspecting swimmers have been infected by accidentally swallowing unchlorinated or underchlorinated water in swimming pools contaminated by human feces

 

[Christine]

After my last trip to Myrtle Beach, both my son and I came home with a giardia infection. Symptoms occurred about a week or so after our return. My son's cleared up on its own, mine went on for months. I had the "runs" everyday and I lost 25 lbs. When I finally was treated by a gastroenterologist he told me that Myrtle Beach and other high density resort beach areas were very common places to pick this up. He said that I most like it picked it up swimming in the pool. Chlorine can't touch giardia.

 

[shortbun]

After all the bad press and trash/toxic waste that has washed up on beaches in the world, I have loads more issues going in the ocean!

 

[DoeWDW]

My daughter won't go near the ocean or a lake - says it's like swimming in a "fish toilet".

I'd much rather swim in a well-maintained and well-chlorinated pool. Do most public pools and hotel pools fall into that category - ummm, no.

I'll swim in WDW pools but I'm pretty cautious about the water I swim in.

 

[lilkitty819]

Hi
Has anyone thought about just carrying a pack of the testing strips with them, then you could test the pool yourself. It would at least give you an idea of how well its been taking care of.

 

[toto2]

I have a feeling that we North-American are too afraid of germs and odors . We sanotize everything so much that for one , the germs adapt and get more resistant, and secondly , we become less resistant to them. When I was traveling in Egypt or Turkey oir Israel , I ate in places where ants were running on the table , or the kitchen was a women in front of a fire sitting on the floor. I refuse to miss a unique experience because of germs. ( I drink bottled water because this is where you can get very sick !)


I swin where ever I can . Use to live in front of a public pool and was in it everyday. Swim in lakes , sea etc.

 

[rayelias]

I have a feeling that we North-American are too afraid of germs and odors . We sanotize everything so much that for one , the germs adapt and get more resistant, and secondly , we become less resistant to them.

When I was traveling in Egypt or Turkey oir Israel , I ate in places where ants were running on the table , or the kitchen was a women in front of a fire sitting on the floor. I refuse to miss a unique experience because of germs. ( I drink bottled water because this is where you can get very sick !)
[/QUOTE]


It's a fallacy that we become less resistant to germs the more we sanitize against them. By that logic, we should clean LESS so that we become more resistant to more germs!

2-300 years ago, before we know about the improtance of sanitization, life expectancy was HALF of what it is today!

And, your comment about other countries and their cleanliness... let's compare today's life expectancy in the US & Canada to Egypt or Turkey. I'll take FDA standards anyday over those of other countries.

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddles masses yearning to breathe free", but you can keep your germs, your bug feces, your dissentary, and all the other diseases that go with inadequate sterilization and cleanliness.

Yecch!

 

[Papa Deuce]

No problems at all, EXCEPT if it was a kiddie pool.

Like otheres have said, people swim in the lakes, rivers, and oceans.... I do too. But kiddie pools are kinda gross to me.