Whether you’re a serious athlete who regularly exercises at a public lap pool, or a parent who occasionally takes their kids to an open swim in San Diego, you need to know how to behave in a way that reduces the chance of unpleasantness or injury. 

In order to help you out, we have provided a list of easy-to-follow swimming pool rules that will ensure you and your loved ones are always welcome at both public and private pools. Keep reading to learn more. 

What’s the right way to behave at a swimming pool? 

Like any other public place, public pools have some written and unwritten guidelines that visitors are expected to follow. The good news is, most of these come down to exercising common sense and basic hygiene. 

Here are the top 7 universal rules for swimming pool etiquette:

1. Look and think before entering

Leaping or diving head-on into a swimming pool is a recipe for disaster even when no other swimmers are present. In order to stay safe while swimming, you should always take a moment to make sure there’s nothing in the way before getting into a public pool.

2. Stick to your lane

Public pools often have lap lanes that are clearly marked as fast, medium, or slow. Pick a lane that’s right for you and stay in it to avoid interfering with other swimmers. 

3. Bandages, rashes, and wounds

Imagine swimming alongside someone who’s covered in rashes, bandages, or scrapes. Now imagine this individual swimming next to your children. Sounds alarming, doesn’t it? That’s how other people feel when you or your kids show up at the pool sporting rashes and band-aids, so please don’t do this. 

4. Refrain from splashing

Splashing can be quite fun, but only if you’re the one doing it. Other people will just get annoyed, and it may even cause kids to get in a fight. For this reason, you should teach your children not to splash in public (or other people’s) pools. 

5. The restroom is there for a reason

We really wish we didn’t have to keep repeating this, but peeing is something you should never do in a swimming pool. In addition to being disgusting, bodily fluids in the water can react with pool chemicals such as chlorine and create unhealthy substances in the water. 

You’ll need to be extra vigilant if your toddlers are wearing swim diapers. Make sure to change the diaper often and teach your kid to communicate with you when they need to “go”. The last thing you want is to notice your child’s accident after they’ve already been in the water for awhile. 

6. Dress appropriately

Make sure your swimwear fits well and covers all your private parts. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get a tan or show off your “beach body”, but a public pool simply isn’t the right place to wear barely-there bikinis or dirty jeans shorts. 

7. Trim your toenails

Not only are long toenails gross and more prone to getting dirty, accidentally kicking someone while swimming can easily lead to your toenails cutting their skin. In addition to being painful, this can actually cause the water to become contaminated with bacteria and other pathogens.

Where can I find the top open swim in San Diego?

Located at the heart of Mission Beach, The Plunge is a state-of-the-art public pool that boasts fully heated water, seven 25-yard lap lanes, a sauna, spin bikes, and more. In addition to open swim, we also offer private swimming lessons, water aerobics programs, pool rental services, and a number of other options. 

Visit us today and enjoy a pleasant afternoon at the finest public pool in San Diego!