That lingering "chlorine" smell is mostly not chlorine: it's chloramines, which form when pool chlorine reacts with sweat, urine and dirt from swimmers. Rinsing before you swim, washing with a cleanser straight after and washing your hair too are what credible sources point to. If you've ever sniffed your wrist at your desk and thought "but I showered twice", you're not imagining it. Here are five things that help, plus an honest note on what nobody has measured yet.
This article is part of our swimming series. For the bigger picture, start with Is Swimming Bad for Your Hair? What Chlorine Actually Does (and What Helps).
What is the chlorine smell, really?
Mostly chloramines. Public health guidance puts it plainly: if you smell "chlorine" at the place you swim, you are probably smelling chloramines. These form when chlorine binds to the body waste swimmers bring into the pool, then turn into gas in the air above the water, particularly indoors.
Chemists explain that the odour forms when chlorine reacts with compounds in urine and sweat. Which is why the pool often smells strongest on a busy Saturday morning, after hundreds of people have been in, and much milder in the first lane at 7am on a quiet weekday.
Why does the chlorine smell stay on your skin after a shower?
Honest answer: we couldn't find a solid study that explains exactly why it clings so long. Plenty of blogs sound confident, but nothing from a health body or peer-reviewed paper pins it down, so we won't pretend.
What we do know is useful, though. Chloramines are in the water and the air above it, so you're surrounded by them the whole session. And dermatologists don't treat a quick rinse as the finish line: the advice is to take a shower after swimming and use a gentle cleanser to get that pool water off you. So a ten-second blast in a cold changing room probably isn't doing the job you hope.
What helps get rid of the chlorine smell? 5 things
Start clean, wash properly, don't forget your hair, and keep your kit fresh. Here's each one, with the sources listed at the end of the article.
1. Rinse before you get in
It feels backwards, but the smell starts with what goes into the water. Public health guidance is that rinsing for just one minute can remove most of the dirt on your body, and that even a quick rinse shower removes much of the body waste that helps form chloramines. A Polish pilot study found that when swimmers were required to shower first, levels of a group of chlorination by-products in the pool water fell by 27%. If you're unsure whether your pool allows soap in its showers, see Can You Use Shampoo in a Pool Shower?
2. Wash with a cleanser straight after
Besides the dermatologists' advice above, allergists recommend a rinse after pool time to minimise chlorine exposure on your skin. "Straight after" matters: the longer you sit in a damp swimsuit while your kid hunts for a sock by the lockers, the longer you're wearing pool water.
This is where a lot of people quietly give up. Three bottles in a pool locker, a shower gel that leaked onto your towel last week, a bag already full of goggles. Making the wash easy to pack is half the battle.
Shampoo, body and face wash, all in one bar. Cooling, refreshing and designed for those always on the go.
As the founder of a brand that sells bars, I'll be honest: the habit is what counts here, and a bottle you actually use beats a bar left at home. We make no claim that any bar removes chlorine smell.
3. Wash your hair too
A lot of "my skin still smells" is really your hair, resting on your neck all evening. Dermatologists advise rinsing straight after swimming, wearing a swim cap, and wetting your hair with clean water first, because that reduces the amount of chlorinated water your hair can absorb. More in Do You Need to Wash Your Hair After Every Swim? and Which Shampoo Should You Use If You Swim a Lot?
4. Moisturise afterwards
This one is about comfort rather than smell. Dermatologists recommend a moisturiser after your shower, and allergists suggest a thick one made for dry, sensitive skin. If your skin gets red or rashy rather than just smelly, read Am I Allergic to Chlorine? and please talk to a pharmacist or GP.
5. Keep your kit fresh
Common sense, no study needed: a swimsuit and towel that sit in a sealed bag until Thursday will smell of pool, and so will you. Rinse your costume, hang everything to dry, and let your wash stuff dry too. A ventilated tin or mesh pouch works well (see How to Store a Soap Bar).
A soggy, crowded bag is exactly where the "three bottles, one leak" problem lives, which is why some swimmers keep one solid bar in a dry pouch and call it done.
Shampoo, body and face wash, all in one bar. Keep your hair and skin healthy on the go. Monoï-infused scent with a touch of vanilla. Designed for those always on the go.
Whatever you choose, know what's in it. Every Rinsed bar contains Parfum (fragrance); our guide to fragrance allergens on the label explains what that word can include.
Which habits make the biggest difference?
The ones that stop chloramines forming, and the ones that get pool water off you properly.
| Habit | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Rinse for about a minute before swimming | Less body waste in the water, fewer chloramines |
| Shower with a cleanser straight after | Gets pool water off your skin |
| Wet hair before, rinse it after, wear a cap | Less pool water absorbed by hair |
| Moisturise afterwards | Comfort for dry-feeling skin |
| Rinse and dry your kit | Stops it carrying pool smell back to you |
And if your pool hall smells overpowering every time? Public health guidance for pool operators says bringing fresh outside air into the swimming area helps deal with chloramines. It's fair to mention it kindly to the staff; that part is their job, not yours.
Does vitamin C really neutralise chlorine?
In water, yes. On your skin after swimming, nobody has shown it. A technical note on water treatment says two forms of vitamin C, ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate, neutralise chlorine, and fast. But it's about treating water, not people, and it doesn't mention chloramines. So file it under "plausible, unproven": if you try it, treat it as an experiment and stop if your skin objects.
If you swim in the sea too, see our guide to saltwater, chlorine and sun, and lather only where the water goes into a drain. For a pool-day checklist, try What to Pack in a Swim Bag, where a solid bar is one less thing to leak.
Shampoo, body and face wash, all in one bar. Cooling, refreshing and designed for those always on the go.
Back to that smell on your hands at your desk: annoying, yes, but also a sign you're swimming regularly. A few small habits usually make it fade much faster.
Summary
That "chlorine" smell is mostly chloramines, which form when chlorine reacts with body waste from swimmers. Nobody has clearly measured why it clings to skin, but public health guidance and dermatologists agree on the basics: rinse before you swim, wash with a cleanser straight after, and look after your hair too. Vitamin C neutralises chlorine in water, but there's no good evidence yet for skin.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I smell of chlorine even after two showers?
No study we found explains exactly why it clings. The smell is mostly chloramines, and dermatologists recommend a shower with a cleanser straight after swimming, plus washing your hair.
Does a strong chlorine smell mean the pool is very clean?
Not necessarily. You're probably smelling chloramines, which form when chlorine binds to body waste from swimmers.
What are chloramines?
Chloramines form when pool chlorine reacts with sweat, urine and dirt from swimmers. They are in the water and turn into gas in the air above it, particularly indoors.
Why does the pool smell stronger when it is busy?
The odour forms when chlorine reacts with compounds in urine and sweat. That is why the pool often smells strongest on a busy Saturday morning, after hundreds of people have been in, and much milder early on a quiet weekday.
Should I shower before swimming?
Yes. A one-minute rinse removes most of the dirt on your body and much of the body waste that helps form chloramines.
Is a quick rinse after swimming enough?
Probably not. Dermatologists advise taking a shower after swimming and using a gentle cleanser to get the pool water off you, so a ten-second blast probably isn't doing the job you hope.
Is the chlorine smell coming from my hair or my skin?
Often your hair: a lot of "my skin still smells" is really your hair, resting on your neck all evening. Dermatologists advise wetting it with clean water before you swim, wearing a swim cap and rinsing straight after.
Does vitamin C get rid of chlorine smell on skin?
Vitamin C neutralises chlorine in water, but we found no good evidence for skin after swimming.
Why does my swim bag smell of chlorine?
A swimsuit and towel that sit in a sealed bag for days will smell of pool, and so will you. Rinse your costume, hang everything to dry and let your wash stuff dry too.
Do Rinsed bars remove chlorine smell?
We make no claim that they do. A Rinsed bar is one solid 3-in-1 bar for hair, body and face, so nothing leaks in your swim bag. Every Rinsed bar contains Parfum (fragrance).
Sources
The facts in this article are based on the sources below, checked in October 2026.
- Preventing Eye Irritation from Pool Chemicals. CDC, 2025.
- Chloramines and Pool Operation. CDC, 2025.
- What are pool chemicals, and how do they protect swimmers? Chemical & Engineering News, 2017.
- Does Pool Water Affect Your Skin and Hair? Cleveland Clinic, 2024.
- Is That a Chlorine Rash? Cleveland Clinic, 2026.
- How To Protect Your Hair From Chlorine. Cleveland Clinic, 2026.
- Pilot Test on Pre-Swim Hygiene as a Factor Limiting Trihalomethane Precursors in Pool Water. Ratajczak and Pobudkowska, IJERPH, 2020.
- Using Vitamin C to Neutralize Chlorine in Water Systems. USDA Forest Service, 2005.
