As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.
If you swim regularly and shower thoroughly and still smell of chlorine at lunchtime, that is not poor washing. It is chemistry, and understanding it changes what you should buy.
Chlorine does not simply sit on your skin — it reacts with it. In a pool, chlorine combines with organic material (sweat, skin oils, urea) to form chloramines, and those compounds bind to the proteins in your skin and hair. That is what produces the characteristic smell, and it is also why ordinary soap fails: soap is a surfactant, designed to lift oils and dirt off a surface, and it has no mechanism for breaking a chemical bond. You can wash for ten minutes and the bound chloramines stay exactly where they are.
What does work is a wash that chemically neutralises the chlorine rather than trying to rinse it away. Formulations built around ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or sodium thiosulfate convert the chlorine compounds into inert ones — the same chemistry used to dechlorinate water — and the smell genuinely goes. This is a different product category from ordinary body wash and it is the one to look for.
The second thing, and it is more effective than any product: shower before you swim, not just after. Skin and hair absorb water, and hair in particular soaks up a substantial share of its own weight. Hair and skin already saturated with clean water have far less capacity to take up pool water — so you come out with meaningfully less chlorine in you to begin with. It takes two minutes, most pools require it anyway for hygiene reasons, and almost nobody does it properly.
Third: the dryness is a separate problem from the smell. Chlorinated water strips the skin’s lipid barrier, which is why swimmers get tight, itchy, flaky skin regardless of how well they wash. The answer to that is moisturising immediately after showering, while the skin is still damp — and that is a different product again.
Ten picks below, addressing all three.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chlorine-Neutralising Body Wash | $12-$30 | Amazon |
| 2 | Swimmer’s Shampoo | $12-$30 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Pre-Swim Barrier Lotion | $12-$28 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Fragrance-Free Moisturising Body Wash | $10-$25 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Body Moisturiser with Ceramides | $12-$30 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Silicone Swim Cap | $10-$25 | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Leave-In Conditioner for Swimmers | $10-$25 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Antifungal Foot Powder or Spray | $8-$20 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Pool Sandals or Flip-Flops | $10-$30 | Amazon · eBay |
| 10 | Eye Drops (Preservative-Free Lubricating) | $8-$20 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Chlorine-Neutralising Body Wash
The product category that actually solves the smell, and it is worth searching for by mechanism rather than by marketing. A wash built around ascorbic acid or sodium thiosulfate chemically converts bound chlorine compounds rather than trying to rinse them off — which is why it works where ordinary soap does not. Look for one of those actives named in the ingredients. Leave it on the skin for a minute rather than rinsing immediately; the reaction needs a little contact time.
- Ascorbic acid or sodium thiosulfate active
- Neutralises rather than rinses
- Body wash and shampoo versions
- Needs brief contact time to work
- Removes the smell ordinary soap cannot touch
- Works on the actual chemistry rather than around it
- Also available as a shampoo for hair
- More expensive than ordinary body wash
- Needs a minute of contact rather than an instant rinse
Swimmer’s Shampoo
The same chemistry applied where it matters most, because hair holds chlorine far more than skin does — it is porous and absorbs a substantial share of its own weight in water. A chlorine-removing shampoo neutralises the bound compounds and, on treated or light-coloured hair, addresses the green tint that is actually copper from pool plumbing rather than chlorine itself. Use it after every swim if you swim daily, and a regular conditioner afterwards, since these shampoos can be drying.
- Chlorine-neutralising actives
- Chelating agents for copper and mineral deposits
- Addresses green tint on light hair
- Usually sold with a matching conditioner
- Hair holds far more chlorine than skin does
- Chelators address the green tint from copper
- Genuinely removes the smell
- Drying — needs a conditioner afterwards
- More expensive than ordinary shampoo
Pre-Swim Barrier Lotion
The preventative approach, and it works on the same principle as the pre-swim shower. A barrier lotion applied to skin and hair before entering the water creates a film that reduces how much pool water is absorbed in the first place. It is not a complete seal and it does reduce the load meaningfully, particularly for people who swim daily and find their skin never recovers between sessions. Apply to dry skin ten minutes before swimming so it has time to set.
- Film-forming barrier for skin and hair
- Applied before entering the water
- Reduces absorption rather than removing afterwards
- Pool-safe formulations
- Prevention rather than removal
- Particularly useful for daily swimmers
- Reduces the skin dryness as well as the smell
- Not a complete barrier
- Needs applying ten minutes before, to dry skin
Fragrance-Free Moisturising Body Wash
For the dryness, which is a separate problem from the smell. Chlorinated water strips the skin’s lipid barrier, and a foaming, fragranced body wash strips what is left — so a swimmer’s daily wash should be as mild as possible. A cream or oil-based cleanser without added fragrance cleans while leaving lipids behind. Alternate it with a neutralising wash: the neutraliser on the days you swim hard, the gentle cleanser otherwise, rather than using an active product twice a day.
- Cream or oil-based cleanser
- Fragrance-free
- Low or no foaming
- Formulated for dry or sensitive skin
- Does not strip what chlorine has already damaged
- Fragrance-free avoids irritating compromised skin
- Cheap and widely available
- Does not address the chlorine smell at all
- Low-foaming cleansers feel unfamiliar
Body Moisturiser with Ceramides
Applied within a few minutes of getting out of the shower, while the skin is still damp, this is the single most effective thing for swimmer’s dry skin. Ceramides are a component of the skin’s own lipid barrier, and a moisturiser containing them helps rebuild what chlorinated water stripped out — rather than simply sitting on top. The timing genuinely matters: on damp skin it traps the water that is there, on dry skin it does considerably less.
- Ceramides and humectants
- Fragrance-free options
- Applied to damp skin
- Large pump bottles for daily use
- Rebuilds the barrier chlorine strips
- Applied damp, it traps the water already in the skin
- Large bottles are economical for daily use
- Must be applied promptly after showering to work well
- Heavier formulations feel greasy in summer
Silicone Swim Cap
The most effective single item for hair, and far more so than any wash. A well-fitted silicone cap does not keep hair dry — nothing does — but it dramatically reduces how much pool water circulates through it, which is what causes the damage. Silicone is gentler on hair than latex and less likely to pull. Wet your hair thoroughly before putting it on: hair already saturated with clean water absorbs far less pool water underneath the cap.
- Silicone rather than latex
- Long-hair versions available
- Snug fit without excessive tension
- Various sizes
- Reduces pool water circulating through hair
- Silicone is gentler than latex on hair
- Also keeps hair out of your face
- Does not keep hair dry
- Can pull hair if put on or removed carelessly
Leave-In Conditioner for Swimmers
Applied before the cap goes on, and it works the same way the pre-swim shower and barrier lotion do — by occupying the space pool water would otherwise get into. A leave-in conditioner or a light oil saturates the hair shaft, so there is less capacity for chlorinated water to be absorbed. It also reduces the friction damage of putting a cap on and taking it off. A small amount, worked through damp hair, is all that is needed.
- Leave-in conditioner or light hair oil
- Applied to damp hair before the cap
- Reduces absorption of pool water
- Small quantities per use
- Prevention rather than after-the-fact repair
- Reduces cap friction damage
- A small bottle lasts months
- Too much makes the cap slip
- Needs washing out afterwards
Antifungal Foot Powder or Spray
The problem nobody mentions in a swimmer’s routine. Pool decks, changing rooms and communal showers are where athlete’s foot spreads, and the combination of warm damp feet and a shared floor is exactly the condition it wants. An antifungal powder or spray used after showering, with particular attention between the toes, is straightforward prevention. Dry between the toes properly first — powder on damp skin does very little, and the damp itself is half the problem.
- Antifungal powder or spray
- Applied after drying, between the toes
- Also treats shoes and flip-flops
- Prevention and treatment versions
- Directly addresses a real and common swimmer’s problem
- Cheap and quick
- Can be used on footwear as well
- Useless applied to damp skin
- Established infections need proper treatment
Pool Sandals or Flip-Flops
The prevention that makes the powder less necessary. Wearing sandals from the changing room to the poolside and in the communal shower removes the contact that spreads athlete’s foot and verrucas in the first place. Choose a pair with a textured sole, since a smooth rubber flip-flop on a wet tiled floor is genuinely slippery — and choose ones you can rinse and dry, since a permanently damp sandal becomes its own problem. Cheap, and the most effective item in this part of the routine.
- Quick-drying rubber or EVA
- Textured non-slip sole
- Rinse and dry easily
- Cheap enough to replace regularly
- Prevents the contact that spreads foot infections
- Textured soles are much safer on wet tile
- Very cheap
- Smooth-soled flip-flops are slippery on wet tile
- Need drying or they grow their own problem
Eye Drops (Preservative-Free Lubricating)
For the red, gritty eyes after a session, which is caused by chloramines rather than chlorine itself — the same compounds behind the smell, formed when chlorine reacts with sweat and urea in the water. Preservative-free lubricating drops flush and soothe. Well-fitted goggles are the real fix and drops are the aftercare. If your eyes are persistently painful or your vision is affected, that is a doctor rather than a shopping problem, and worth taking seriously.
- Preservative-free lubricating drops
- Single-use vials or multidose bottles
- Soothes irritation after swimming
- No medicated actives
- Relieves the irritation chloramines cause
- Preservative-free suits frequent use
- Single-use vials travel well
- Aftercare, not a substitute for good goggles
- Persistent pain or vision change needs a doctor
Buying tips
- Ordinary soap cannot remove chlorine smell. Chlorine reacts with sweat and skin oils to form chloramines, which bind chemically to skin and hair proteins. Soap lifts oils off a surface; it has no mechanism for breaking a chemical bond. A wash containing ascorbic acid or sodium thiosulfate neutralises the compounds instead, which is why it works where washing harder does not.
- Shower before you swim. Hair and skin already saturated with clean water absorb far less pool water, so you come out with meaningfully less chlorine in you to begin with. It takes two minutes, most pools require it for hygiene anyway, and it is more effective than anything you do afterwards.
- Leave the neutralising wash on for a minute. The chemistry needs a little contact time, and rinsing it off immediately is why people conclude these products do not work. Lather, leave it while you wash your hair or brush your teeth, then rinse. Same for the shampoo version.
- Moisturise within minutes of getting out of the shower. Chlorinated water strips the skin’s lipid barrier, and a moisturiser applied to damp skin traps the water already there. Applied to dry skin twenty minutes later it does considerably less. This timing is the difference between a moisturiser working and merely feeling nice.
- Green hair is copper, not chlorine. The green tint that appears on light or treated hair comes from copper in the pool plumbing and from algaecides, not from chlorine itself — which is why chlorine-removal alone sometimes does not fix it. A shampoo with chelating agents binds the metal and removes it.
- A silicone cap does more for your hair than any product. It will not keep hair dry, and it substantially reduces how much pool water circulates through it, which is what causes the damage. Wet your hair thoroughly and apply a leave-in conditioner before putting it on — saturated hair absorbs far less underneath the cap.
- Wear sandals everywhere on the pool deck. Athlete’s foot and verrucas spread on wet communal floors, and the changing room and shower are where it happens rather than in the water. Sandals with a textured sole are also much safer on wet tile than bare feet or smooth rubber.
- Dry thoroughly, especially between the toes and in skin folds. Damp skin is where fungal problems start, and a swimmer’s routine puts skin in exactly that state several times a week. It takes an extra thirty seconds with a towel and it prevents most of the problems the products in the second half of this list are for.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.