April 22nd, 2020 by Sarah Miles

Hot tubs were once the reserve of spa breaks or fancy log cabins but now that they are more affordable, they are increasingly becoming a feature of many a back garden and patio. What better way to help you relax than a soak in your own hot tub and you know you’ll never want for company when your friends and family find out that you have one!

Though beloved by adults and children alike, one thing that perhaps deters some people from buying a hot tub is the perceived complexity of keeping it clean. A dirty hot tub is nobody’s idea of luxury so this is a critical responsibility of hot tub ownership, however, it’s really not as complicated as it may seem and you certainly don’t need a GCSE in chemistry to be able to do it. This post, therefore, debunks the myth that you need to be a semi-scientist to maintain your hot tub and explains what chemicals and products you need and why you need them. (Don’t worry, there’s no test at the end!).

Limescale remover

Just as you may be aware that hard water in your area can affect washing machines and kettles, so can it be harmful to hot tubs. Hard water is water with high mineral content and this can cause limescale to build up in tubes and filters. The hardness of your water is usually determined by the area you live and you should be able to find more information about how hard yours is on your local water authority’s website. That said, if you see limescale building up in your kettle that’s a good indication that you’re in a hard water area. You can stop limescale building in your hot tub with a product called Hot Tub and Spa Scalestop Limescale Remover.

5L Hot Tub and Spa Scale Stop

The Pro-Kleen Hot Tub and Spa Scale Stop prevents and effectively removes limescale deposits that may build up in your hot tub, especially in hard water areas. 

Price: £16.99

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Calcium chloride

After reading the section on limescale, you’re no doubt assuming that hard water is bad and soft water is therefore good? Well, not necessarily. Soft water likes to absorb minerals and chemicals, in particular calcium. As calcium is a key element of grouting, sealant and plasterwork it means that over time, soft water would erode these parts and can even corrode metalwork. Don’t worry though; again this is something that can be resolved by adding some calcium chloride which makes your soft water a little harder.

Seems complicated? Actually, it’s as simple as using a testing kit to measure how hard or soft your water is. You can then use the above measures to achieve the perfect balance.

Filter cleaner

You don’t need to be an engineer to know that filters are the bits of any machine or appliance – from vacuum cleaners through to cars - that remove the dirt and trap it. It should, therefore, be pretty self-explanatory that these filters need cleaning and maintaining. You could argue that they’re the most important part of your hot tub due to the job they do keeping it clean. You will need to replace the filters periodically but you can lengthen their life by using a filter cleaning product such as some Hot Tub Filter Cartridge Cleaner. This will mean you don’t have to change them as often and therefore save money as well as keep your hot tub super clean. Those who really appreciate high standards of hygiene may wish to add Hot Tub and Spa Clarifier. This clever product causes the teeny tiny particles that are too small to be caught by the filter, to bind together allowing the filter to pick them up. Between the two, your hot tub water will be crystal clear!

Anti-foam

In a hot tub, bubbles = good, foam = bad: you’re not in Ibiza! It’s not the nicest thing to think about but too much foam in a hot tub is caused by the things that we deposit from our bodies and swimwear: makeup, deodorant, fake tan, soap, laundry products etc. Foam can spoil the experience and potentially clog the filter so if you find that you have too much use some Anti-Foam and keep the froth for the bath!

5L Pro-Kleen Hot Tub and Spa Anti Foam

Hot Tub and Spa Anti foam by Pro-Kleen is a liquid foam suppressant that removes and prevents unsightly foam from forming on the water surface of your hot tub or spa.

Price: £23.99

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pH increaser or reducer

Something that may ring a bell from school science lessons is pH levels. In the same way that water being too hard or too soft can damage your hot tub, so can the pH levels (in other words how acidic or alkaline the water is). The pH level will be affected by the hardness of the water but also the products from our skin and hair so it’s not always the same. A pH testing kit will enable you to check the pH level, which should ideally be between 7.2 – 7.6pH. If it’s below this use a pH increaser (eg Soda Ash pH Increaser). If it’s above this use a reducer (eg Sodium Bisulphate pH Reducer).

Chlorine

Don’t worry, you’re not going to smell like a public swimming pool, nor will it make your eyes run and your swimming costume rot. The smell that you think is chlorine in a pool is actually chloramine – the chemical produced when chlorine mixes with the sweat and other bodily fluids (sorry!) of lots of people. Chlorine granules in your hot tub will just help keep the water clean and kill any bugs that could otherwise fester, but it won’t smell bad.

System flush

While regular maintenance and level testing as outlined above is a great way to keep your hot tub running properly, you are going to need to give it a bit of a boost every so often. Flushing out the pipes will ensure that bacteria and dirt are removed and any blockages starting to build are blasted through. Use a System Flush every 3 months to complement the maintenance work you’re doing with your day to day adjustments.

5L Hot Tub and Whirlpool System Flush

The Pro-Kleen Hot Tub System Flush effectively breaks down and powers through dirt and grime build up in your hot tub or whirlpool pipes.

Price: £16.96

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Why is it so important to keep your hot tub clean?

Err, well apart from the obvious aspect of it being thoroughly unpleasant to sit in a dirty hot tub and the practical consideration of the compromise to performance that you would start to experience as pipes and filters started to block, you need to keep it clean to avoid the nasty consequences of bacteria such as legionella which disperses via water vapour.

It’s really mainly about keeping a check on levels and taking the right measures. Trust us, it will soon become second nature and mean that you can enjoy your lovely clean hot tub all year round!