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Help w/ chlorine odor!

fastdog5's picture
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started by fastdog5 on October 8, 2008

There was a similar post last week about dry skin/lotion, which I did not want to jack, so here you go: I suck at swimming, so I'm focusing on that this winter. Here's the problem: I have access to a pool close to my office, and like to swim at lunchtime. However, when I return to work, I feel like I just reek of chlorine for the rest of the day. Can anyone recommend a soap or lotion that will get rid of this? The soap at the gym isn't cutting it.

CadenceGuy's picture
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CadenceGuy posted 12 weeks ago.

I have ran into this before myself. A lot of times its more that the chlorine is burned into your nose then it is a stink on your body. I can say that because I went around to all our office ladies and asked them to smell my arms haha! I use Old Spice body wash and it works well but unless your washing out the inside of your nose your still going to think all you smell is chlorine.

jwillia852's picture
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jwillia852 posted 12 weeks ago.

I can only swim at lunch, and although I smell a little chlorine (which I dont necessarily mind), it doesnt travel as far as you might think. I will say this though, if you can jump into a steam room for 5 minutes before your shower - the fresh water steam seems to help reduce the smell too.

zagfan's picture
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zagfan posted 12 weeks ago.

I have the same problem. My wife always complains that I smell like chlorine. She can even smell it on my skin after a couple of showers. I've looked into Tri Swim products, they sell them on trisports.com or you can check out their website. I'm not sure if they work but it may be worth trying them out or other products targeted towards swimmers.

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." Lance Armstrong

tri-ac's picture
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tri-ac posted 12 weeks ago.

i guess it's from growing up going to the pool every day in the summer, but i like the post-swim smell of chlorine

TriSooner's picture
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TriSooner posted 12 weeks ago.

tri-ac wrote:
i like the post-swim smell of chlorine
+1 Better than post-run smell. Don't worry about it.

jnrice's picture
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jnrice posted 12 weeks ago.

swimmers are weird... I have a friend who tells stories of carrying around a Nalgene of pool water during tough weeks of lectures (back during the good 'ol college days) so she could "smell the pool" to help her relax. I don't get it. I like the pool, I don't like the smell. If you ever have a chance to swim in a UV treated pool do it! it's awesome! I felt so clean when I got out that it was a shame to take a shower.

lala2021's picture
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lala2021 posted 12 weeks ago.

Yea i always wondered about how bad the chlorine really is for you since you can still smell it
on you the next day. I have heard of some people developing asthma and lung problems
from inhaling chlorine fumes from swimming too much. I would love (If i was wealthy)to have
salt water pool i hear they are great and safer.

kylie's picture
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kylie posted 12 weeks ago.

zagfan wrote:
I have the same problem. My wife always complains that I smell like chlorine. She can even smell it on my skin after a couple of showers. I've looked into Tri Swim products, they sell them on trisports.com or you can check out their website. I'm not sure if they work but it may be worth trying them out or other products targeted towards swimmers.

I have used the TriSwim products and found them to work great. I quit using them because I don't really mind the smell.

kylie's picture
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kylie posted 12 weeks ago.

lala2021 wrote:
I would love (If i was wealthy)to have salt water pool i hear they are great and safer.

Actually from what I understand they are about the same cost. It is just a newer technology, and the conversion cost (from traditional chlorine to salt water) is about the same as that of a new pool, so not many places will do that.

And it's not even really salt water in the sense you think of the ocean. It is a different balance/combo of pool chemicals that has a bit of a salty taste to it.

The apartment I lived in some years back had a 25 (yard or meter, I can't remember) salt water pool... I do miss that part of living there!

cogirl3's picture
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cogirl3 posted 12 weeks ago.

zagfan wrote:
I have the same problem. My wife always complains that I smell like chlorine. She can even smell it on my skin after a couple of showers.

I have this same problem. My boyfriend gets so grossed out by it and I actually do too. The smell of chlorine or whatever they put in the pool never goes away from my skin. And I feel like when I swim it is burning my skin.. is this normal??

tri-ac's picture
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tri-ac posted 12 weeks ago.

cogirl3 wrote:
And I feel like when I swim it is burning my skin.. is this normal??

ummm, no.
do you have any prior scrapes, burns, etc?
maybe ask if they've changed the chemical mix recently in a way that suggests maybe they should redo it?

jnrice's picture
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jnrice posted 12 weeks ago.

Oh to live nearer to the ocean. All of my local water turns to ice Nov-Feb

beads1985's picture
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beads1985 posted 12 weeks ago.

I just take a shower and use soap that has some fragrance to it like Irish Spring.
It takes awhile but I am okay with the smell of chlorine.

Nothing to it, but to do it

LASswim's picture
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LASswim posted 12 weeks ago.

Become a true swimmer...deal with it and learn to love it.

jonovision_man's picture
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jonovision_man posted 12 weeks ago.

Take a shower before you go into the water... really drench yourself. I was told something about the regular water clinging to your skin so the chlorinated water couldn't get to your skin as easily.

jono

stewarba's picture
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stewarba posted 12 weeks ago.

Chlorine = Eau de Toilet for Triathletes

Wear it proud!

Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body!

fastdog5's picture
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fastdog5 posted 12 weeks ago.

jonovision_man wrote:

Take a shower before you go into the water... really drench yourself. I was told something about the regular water clinging to your skin so the chlorinated water couldn't get to your skin as easily.

jono

I always do. Unfortunately, some don't. I spent 30 minutes on Monday swimming in some jerk-off's cologne. Disgusting. I like the chlorine smell better.

harmsz's picture
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harmsz posted 12 weeks ago.

Good luck finding anything that really works. The worst is having an a.m. swim and then going to the gym later in the day, I think I sweat pure chlorine. I never found anything that could really get rid of the smell during my 18 + years of swimming. It could be worse... you could reek of Hockey... now those are stinky athletes.

jnrice's picture
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jnrice posted 12 weeks ago.

fastdog5 wrote:
I spent 30 minutes on Monday swimming in some jerk-off's cologne. Disgusting. I like the chlorine smell better.

Yeah, my pool caters to those all to annoying water aerobics people which means three things:

1) old lady perfume
2) sweating to the oldies at ear shattering volumes
3) very warm pool

stewarba's picture
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stewarba posted 12 weeks ago.

jnrice wrote:
fastdog5 wrote:
I spent 30 minutes on Monday swimming in some jerk-off's cologne. Disgusting. I like the chlorine smell better.

Yeah, my pool caters to those all to annoying water aerobics people which means three things:

1) old lady perfume
2) sweating to the oldies at ear shattering volumes
3) very warm pool

LOL, the best thing about swimming during water aerobics is that some of the exercises they do cause a rythmic wave action in the pool that helps simulate OW swimming.

Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body!

Brad Nicholson's picture
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Brad Nicholson posted 11 weeks ago.

tri swim brand shower gel - works wonders!

jtrimom's picture
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jtrimom posted 11 weeks ago.

stewarba wrote:
jnrice wrote:
fastdog5 wrote:
I spent 30 minutes on Monday swimming in some jerk-off's cologne. Disgusting. I like the chlorine smell better.

Yeah, my pool caters to those all to annoying water aerobics people which means three things:

1) old lady perfume
2) sweating to the oldies at ear shattering volumes
3) very warm pool

LOL, the best thing about swimming during water aerobics is that some of the exercises they do cause a rythmic wave action in the pool that helps simulate OW swimming.


I used to swim during old lady water exercises, and they always used to complain that the lap swimmers were splashing too much- so much so that they were getting their hair-dos messed up...YOU' RE IN THE POOL, PEOPLE, you'll probably get your hair wet