Why you should never pee in a pool

If you've ever felt your eyes burn and go red when you're near a pool, there's a high chance someone has urinated in it. Photo / Getty

Have you ever enjoyed yourself so much in a pool that you've been too lazy to get out and pee in a bathroom?

So you just peed in the pool - yeah, I'm talking to you.

Besides being downright unhygienic (because other people would essentially be swimming in your pee, ew), there's an actual scientific reason as to why you shouldn't ever pee in a pool, at least a public pool (you can be as gross as you want at home).

In simple terms, pools are the perfect environments for microorganisms, such as E.coli and salmonella, to grow.

Chlorine, among other chemicals and disinfectants, is added to swimming pools to kill the microorganisms that can thrive in such environments.

So when you pee in a pool, your pee mixes with chlorine, creating a by-product which can cause negative health effects.

If you've ever felt your eyes burn and go red when you're near a pool, there's a high chance that someone took a leak in it.

The result of peeing in a pool can also lead to respiratory problems such as asthma and can leave the pool smelling.

Researchers at Purdue University in the US already estimate that pools can contain as much as 30-80 millilitres of urine per person.

But it's not only pee that can react badly with the chemicals in the pool.

Organic matter from your body such as sweat, dirt and lotion can leave the pool unclean.
So do yourself and everyone a favour and use a bathroom... or hold it in.