Homemade Anti-Foaming Agent for Pools

Check for air leaks in your pool's return lines and read the labels of algaecides used before adding a homemade defoamer to your pool. Biguanide and dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride algaecides cause low levels of foam; consider switching to a copper-based algaecide if the foam is too much. Check for leaks in your pool's lines before switching algaecides because air leaks in combination with foam-producing algaecides can result in a large amount of foam in your pool.

Use white vinegar to create a homemade defoamer solution. Add 1 part white vinegar to every 10 parts of water to make the defoamer. For example, a 100-gallon kiddie pool would require 10 gallons of vinegar to work effectively. White vinegar also works as a defoamer in hot tubs, spas and carpet steam cleaners.

Create an additional homemade defoamer by mixing 2 parts white vinegar with 1 part baking soda and 9 parts water. The baking soda and the vinegar combine to create tiny bubbles that dissolve foaming agents in your pool, such as lotion, soap and body oil deposits.