A variation on my favorite pomegranate-opening method proved useful while cleaning the pool yesterday.
In the old days, chlorine tablets were sold in a 40-pound bucket. Now, each tablet is individually wrapped for inconvenience. I’m sure there are safety reasons for wrapping each tablet in cellophane but I wonder if the reasons are offset by the messy process of opening the wrappers.
I pulled ten tablets from the bucket and carried them to the edge of the pool. Instead of going directly to the pump equipment, I sat on the deck with my feet resting on the top step in the water. I submerged the wrapped tablets and opened each one under water. Instead of getting a puff of chlorine dust and spilling a few crumbs, I ended up with a clean wrapper and all the smaller particles dissolved in the water. Not a molecule of chlorine was wasted. Then I carried the wet tablets to the pump area and placed them in the dispenser.
When we lived in Burbank, I used liquid chlorine in my pool. I found it easier to dump in a gallon of liquid than to deal with the tablets. The liquid chlorine had the added benefit of curing athlete’s foot. All I had to do was stick my toes in the way of the chlorine as it poured from the bottle into the pool.
