How to Get Rid of Frogs in Your Pool: 10+ Methods That Work

If you’re a pool owner, you know how annoying frogs can be when they keep entering your pool. These little creatures love water and seek it out anywhere they can find it. But pools are a death trap for their little bodies.

So, how to get rid of frogs in your pool? You can use methods to keep these critters from entering the water.

Let’s go through the most effective ways to remove frogs from your pool, including using at-home frog repellents and barriers like covers. 

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What Should You Do If You Find Frogs in Your Pool?

Depending on where you live, finding frogs in your pool might be a common occurrence. Some frog species spend the majority of their life in and around water, so they search it out frequently. Sometimes, your pool is the only source of water for some distance. 

So, these frogs enter your pool, but they can’t leave. The pool’s high sides make it impossible for the frog to jump out, and these creatures are also incapable of using the ladder. That leaves the frogs defenseless and prone to death due to exhaustion and exposure. 

So, what should you do if you find frogs in your pool? First, don’t worry too much about diseases. It’s best to clean up any dead frogs immediately, but the risk of disease transmission is low.

When you see a frog, dead or alive, in your pool, try to remove it with your pool net. That way, you won’t need to touch the frog, which reduces the likelihood of disease transmission even more. 

If you can’t remove it with the net, another option is to use your hand. Make sure you use gloves, especially if the frog’s dead.

It’s best to bury dead frogs. You shouldn’t put them in your compost or trash because they can attract other animals, like raccoons or rats. 

But even before these frogs end up in your pool, there are some methods you can employ to ward these critters off. Let’s go through the best ten ways to keep frogs away from your pool so you can enjoy it!

10 Best Methods To Get Rid of Frogs in Your Pool

Prevention is the best method to keep frogs out of your pool. Once they’re in, you must quickly get them out before your pool has a floating corpse. So, let’s go through the methods to prevent that from happening!

Invest in a Pool Cover

Pool covers are barriers that roll or extend over your pool. Pool covers are one of the most effective ways to prevent frogs (and any other animal) from accidentally getting stuck in your pool.  

Most pool covers use vinyl and mesh as their primary materials, which can support a significant amount of weight. Some pool covers can even support more than 200 pounds. That means you would need a pretty hefty frog to enter the pool by accident. 

Pool covers can carry this weight because manufacturers designed them to withstand other things, such as dogs or children falling onto them. Not only can pool covers stop frogs from entering your pool, but pool covers also provide extra safety for your family.

Keep it Dark

Pools with lights are more attractive to frogs than dark pools. Keeping your pool lights on during nighttime will attract bugs.

Bugs are attracted to light at night because the bright lights throw off their navigation system; they think any light is an opening to another place and instinctively fly towards it. 

If your lights are on in your pool, bugs will fly toward the lights. And where there are bugs, there are frogs. Keeping your lights off in the pool will attract fewer bugs.

Frogs usually hang around their food sources. So, without the bugs, the frogs should leave your yard. 

Install a Fence

One effective way to deal with frogs is to install a fence. If you get a chain link fence with large holes, it won’t stop any frogs. So, you need to invest in a solid fence without any large gaps or holes a frog could slip through. 

You can use a fence made of wood or plastic. The most important part is creating a perimeter around your pool. The fence can be any height, although most people opt for a waist-high enclosure. That way, they can prevent other animals or children from falling into the pool.

Some people have had success building a frog barrier around their pool. We can’t call these fences because they’re only a few inches tall, but they can stop frogs from getting too close to the pool. This could be an option if you need a quick fix but don’t have the cash. 

Keep Your Yard Trimmed

Frogs love to hang around places with food, and for frogs, that means bugs. If you keep your yard untrimmed, filled with weeds, or littered with debris, it becomes a haven for bugs and other critters. Soon, frogs will follow to eat them up.

So, if you keep your yard trimmed and free from weeds and debris, you’ll reduce the number of bugs living there. And without those bugs, the frogs will find another place to hang out and find food.

Use Vinegar

The active ingredient in vinegar, acetic acid, is an effective way to keep frogs away from your pool. Frogs have extremely absorbent skin, and when they walk on vinegar, it causes a burning sensation on their skin. After a few moments, the frog will decide that the pool isn’t worth it.

The best part about this method is how quick and easy it is. Simply fill a spray bottle with half vinegar and half water. Then, spray all around the pool’s edges, ensuring you drenched every inch of the edge in the solution. 

You’ll have to spray the pool about once a week until you think you have solved your frog problem. If it rains, you’ll also need to reapply the solution. 

Use Citric Acid

If you don’t want to use vinegar due to the smell or any other reason, you can also use citric acid. Citric acid is the active ingredient in lemon or lime juice. To start, mix a solution of one part citric acid with six parts water in a spray bottle.

Then, do the same as the vinegar, spraying every edge of the pool. Citric acid works in a very similar way to vinegar. When frogs walk over it, the acid will burn their skin, causing them to quickly turn around and search for a place that doesn’t cause them pain.

Heat Your Pool

Frogs prefer cold water to warm water. Unlike humans, frogs can breathe through their mouth and their skin. Their skin absorbs oxygenated water and uses some of the oxygen to breathe while spending long periods in the water.

Frogs prefer cold water because colder water has more oxygen than warm water. If the water is colder, it will attract more frogs.

The best thing you can do is keep your pool heated. By heating your pool, frogs will look for more inviting water sources to swim in.

Use Coffee Grounds

You can spread coffee grounds around the outside of your pool to ward off frogs. Simply spread coffee grounds around the outside of your pool, particularly on the vegetation.

The coffee grounds provide nitrogen to your plants, which benefits them. But it also makes the ground more acidic, which irritates the frog’s feet and skin. 

Although coffee grounds are an effective way to keep frogs away from your pool, there’s one major downside. Those coffee grounds will end up in your pool, which means more pool cleaning. 

Circulate Your Water

Keeping your water circulating is a lot easier for people with an in-ground pool than for those without, but it’s a great way to keep frogs out of your pool.

Frogs prefer still water because it attracts bugs and it’s a great place to lay eggs. 

By keeping the water moving at all times, you’ll prevent frogs from seeing your pool as an attractive place to make their home. And without any bugs, frogs quickly move on.

Create an Escape Ramp

Whether or not you’ve tried any of the other methods, creating an escape ramp is a great way to help any frogs who end up in your pool. Essentially, these are any devices you can install that help small animals escape the pool. 

These devices have one end that stays in the water while the other end hangs over the edge of the pool. You can purchase specially made products, like “frog logs,” which are essentially little bridges that extend out of your pool.

Alternatively, you can also rest a bodyboard or surfboard on the edge of the pool. That way, frogs can grab onto the board in the water and pull themselves out.

Although escape routes won’t prevent frogs from getting in your pool, they will prevent having to fish out frog bodies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions we get asked about how to get rid of frogs in pools.

Does chlorine kill frogs?

Chlorine is toxic to frogs, but it likely won’t kill them. Frogs are much more likely to die from overexerting themselves trying to get out of the pool. They are also more likely to die from exposure to the elements than chlorine. 

Why do frogs like pools?

Frogs are attracted to pools because water provides food and life for frogs. Water attracts bugs, which frogs use as their main food source. Frogs also make their homes close to water, so when they find a pool, they see a potential home.

Why is it important to keep frogs out of your pool?

It’s essential to keep frogs out of your pool because you don’t want to have to clean up after them. If you don’t get rid of frogs from your pool, they’ll swim until they get exhausted. Then you’ll be left with a frog corpse that you have to dispose of. 

How do you get rid of frogs at your house?

Getting rid of frogs at your house is more complicated than getting them out of your pool. If you want them to stay out of your yard, you can install a fence to stop them from entering your yard.

Aside from that, you can use things like vinegar or citric acid to keep them away from things like your garage or deck.

Will vinegar get rid of frogs?

Vinegar won’t eliminate frogs, but it’ll make your yard less attractive. Vinegar doesn’t kill frogs. But once a frog experiences the burning sensation caused by vinegar, it won’t return for a while. 

More FAQs

What kills frogs around pool?

Frogs around pools are killed by the dehydration caused by chlorine, resulting in their deaths. To prevent frogs from lingering in your pool, it is advisable to promptly remove them when spotted and consider installing a frog log, which allows them to easily hop out on their own.

Will fake snakes keep frogs away from pool?

Fake snakes can be effective in deterring frogs from pools as they rely on water for survival and reproduction. Placing a fake snake in the pool or fountain can potentially frighten the frogs away. Additionally, maintaining trimmed plants and grass can minimize potential hiding spots for the frogs.

Does salt water keep frogs away?

Saltwater does have an impact on frogs similar to its effect on slugs. The moisture on their skin is burned by the salt, which causes them to retreat. To deter frogs, create a mixture of saltwater and apply it as a spray in the locations where they gather. When frogs hop across the sprayed areas, their feet will be burned.

Why is my pool full of frogs?

Your pool is full of frogs because they are attracted to it when they are searching for food. The presence of water in your pool already attracts a variety of insects, and the pool lights often attract even more bugs that end up getting trapped in the water. This abundance of food entices the frogs to jump into your pool.

What are pool frogs threats?

Pool frogs face threats such as the drainage of fenlands, and they are also vulnerable to predation by Grass Snakes, herons, owls, and certain wading birds. In late spring, adult frogs leave their overwintering sites and migrate to a pond for breeding purposes.

What will keep frogs away?

To keep frogs away, you can spray vinegar in the areas they often visit, remove water sources in your yard to encourage them to seek water elsewhere, and utilize a natural snake repellent that deters reptiles, as both snakes and frogs dislike it.

What chemicals keep frogs away?

Chemicals that can deter frogs include citric acid, vinegar, and concentrated black coffee. Spraying a solution of lemon juice or vinegar around the pool can help keep frogs away. However, using concentrated black coffee as a deterrent may not be ideal due to its strong smell and potential mess.

What animals eats frogs?

The question “What animals eat frogs?” can be restated as the statement “Various animals prey on frogs.” In terms of rephrasing the provided answer, here is a possible alternative: Frogs serve as food for a diverse range of creatures, including snakes, lizards, water shrews, herons, birds, reptiles, and fish. Due to their remarkable defense mechanisms, frogs remain vulnerable to predators on land, in water, and from the air.

How do I keep snakes and frogs out of my pool?

To keep snakes and frogs out of your pool, you can use mint leaves and lemongrass as they are disliked by snakes. To deter frogs, it is important to make the water unappealing to them. One effective method is to place a rubber snake in the pool and on the deck, as this serves as a great deterrent for frogs.

What repels snakes and frogs?

Snakes and frogs can be repelled by various substances. Naphthalene, commonly found in many commercial snake-repellent products, is an effective option. Powdered sulfur is also a great choice for repelling snakes. Clove and cinnamon oil have been proven to be effective snake repellents. Additionally, garlic and onions can help repel snakes and frogs. Ammonia, vinegar, and lime are other substances that can be used to deter these creatures.

How do I keep critters out of my inground pool?

To keep critters out of your inground pool, you can take the following precautions: Build a fence around the pool, install water-exit devices like the Skamper-Ramp or Froglog, and place knotted nylon ropes along the sides, securing them to the pool edge. These measures will help prevent animals from entering the pool and provide them with a means to safely exit if they accidentally fall in.

Do rubber snakes keep frogs away?

Rubber snakes can be effective in deterring frogs. Additionally, maintaining well-trimmed plants and grass can help reduce potential hiding spots for them.