Bubble baths are normally enjoyable and would bring a lot of calm and fun to your hot tub experience, but foaming, on the other hand, foaming is not. Foaming can, in fact, point out an underlying problem in your hot tub.
There are chemicals used in reducing and removing foam in the hot tub, but if you’d like a natural solution, then this article is for you.
Some natural ways you can get rid of foam are:
- Applying vinegar: Vinegar, apart from helping reduce pH, is also a good defoaming agent. If there’s just a thin layer of foam in your hot tub, you can add vinegar right into the hot tub water. This should be done at a ration of 10-1.
For example, let’s say your hot tub holds about 100 gallons of water. It is advised to use one gallon of vinegar. However, there’s a likelihood of you having a vinegar smell in your hot tub, but this will evaporate overtime.
- Mix vinegar and baking soda: Combine vinegar and baking soda with one part baking soda, two parts vinegar, and nine parts water. Even though this solution would erupt foam initially, the vinegar will help in activating the baking soda.
Pour the mixture into your hot tub, turn on the pump, and let it circulate and work for at least 30 minutes. The solution will eventually dissolve the skin particles and the oils, causing the foam.
- Drain the hot tub: If both procedures prove to be futile, then the best alternative is to drain the hot tub, clean it very well, and refill it with fresh water. In some instances, natural means might not be too effective in getting rid of your foam, hence applying shock treatment can be vital.
Why does my hot tub foam up when I turn on the jets?
A hot tub provides its owner or user with leisure and fun. However, without proper maintenance and treatment, this fun can soon be very disturbing as it will become unhygienic and pose different risks to the soaking people.
Foaming in a hot tub might not be directly harmful to the people using it, but it is generally bad and signifies poor water chemistry, and there might be contaminants thriving in it.
When you turn on your jets, they normally produce bubbles, but these bubbles will go away immediately after you turn them off, but if they do not go away after the jet has been turned off, then the problem is the water foam and should be addressed.
Does bromine cause foam?
Most of the frequently asked questions about hot tub water maintenance are about water foam. There’s a reason why your water is foamy. Though it poses no direct harm to you, it still isn’t good.
Bromine and pH at high levels can cause foaming in your hot tub water. Do not mistake jets infusing air into your water and making bubbles as foamy water; it isn’t.
The real deal in knowing when your water is actually foamy is if after the jet has been turned off and the foam, instead of dissolving in minutes, is still present in the water, then there’s a case for foamy water there.
Also take note that if you’re using water care products like chlorine and bromine, your water hardness level needs to be in the recommended range. If no hardness is added, saltwater is likely to create larger bubbles. Also, not checking your pH level for a long time and balancing it can also pave the way for foamy water.
Does high pH cause hot tub foam?
A foamy water indicates that something isn’t right with your hot tub, and it is necessary to pay attention and rectify the problem, else it might gradually become a serious problem.
A high pH level or unbalanced water chemistry can cause your hot tub water to become foamy. Poor water sanity or use of low-grade chemical products or poor chemical administration can also contribute to foamy water.
Let’s quickly look at some causes of foamy water in your hot tub.
- Regular use: If you use your hot tub a lot or frequently, you are likely to be the culprit behind your foamy water. When you soak in your hot tub, you wash off dead skin cells and oil from your body, which can cause poor water balance and make it foamy.
- Human care products: Lotions, cleansers, and even laundry detergents all enter the water we soak in.
- Eating while in the hot tub: Eating while in the hot tub might lead to crumbs and spills ravaging your hot tub balance. Do not run while inside or close to your spa to avoid situations like this.
Is a foamy hot tub safe?
Coming home from the day’s duties and seeing your hot tub water all cloudy and foamy is not what you want to see when all you’ve been thinking about is getting home and soaking. Obviously, you would have to postpone going into the hot tub because it is not safe. It is an indication that something is just not right in your hot tub.
In a situation like this, the first thing to do is to understand where exactly the problem is coming from. What could be the cause of the cloudiness in your hot tub?
Let’s look at some likely reasons why your hot tub is foamy.
- Bathers or soaking people are likely to leave off shampoo, soap, and lotions that come off their skin into the hot tub. This is why, after a party, or heavy spa use, shock it immediately to prevent any form of cloudiness and foaming.
- Leaves and debris: Leaves drop into your hot tub without being removed and cause other contaminants to develop and alter the sanitizing chemicals in the tub, leaving them useless. This is why you should make it a point to consistently remove leaves and debris that find their way into the hot tub.
- Poor chemical balance: Cloudy or foamy water is also a huge indication of a poor water or chemical balance. This problem can be prevented by testing your hot tub from time to time and applying the necessary chemicals to keep it hygienic.
How much foam is normal in a hot tub?
Foaming is one of the main issues hot tubs face. From enjoying a clear, clean water surface to a cloudy, foamy water surface, it can be frustrating and worrisome. However, not all of these foamy situations call for any real concern. There are cases where the foam in your hot tub is normal and should not be something to stress about.
If your tub water is a little bit foamy, it is normal.
When you turn on your jets, the water becomes a little bit bubbly, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, if you turn off the jet and the foam is still there and stagnant after a couple of minutes, then that’s a foamy water situation.
You can control the foam in your hot tub by using defoaming agents. Spray a small amount of it on your water surface. The chemical will then spread all around the surface and begin removing foam.
However, the best way to handle a hot tub problem is to prevent or stop it from the source. To prevent it means taking the necessary measures towards not having the problem in the first place.
Then stopping it from the source means locating the actual reason why your hot tub is becoming foamy and stopping it from happening again. Defoaming agents will only remove the foam for the moment; it is just a temporal fix.
Why is my hot tub foaming up so much?
The primary reason why your hot tub is foaming too much is a poor sanitary state. It indicates that your hot tub is unhygienic and chemically unbalanced. Cloudy or foamy water is a great turn off to the majority of hot tub users and owners, so in this article, we shall be looking at the common reasons why your hot tub is foamy, in order for you to know where the problem might be coming from.
Foaming in water can be caused by excessive use of the swimming pool. Let’s say you had a party and then so many people got to use the hot tub. It can trigger your water to become unbalanced and foamy.
This is possible because things like shampoo, lotions, personal care products, and conditioners can all cause foamy water. The soaking people leave these off of their skin when they use the spa.
Low calcium levels are likely to decrease the surface of your hot tub water and cause excessive foaming. A poor and unbalanced water chemistry is also the culprit when it comes to foaming and cloudiness.
The solution is to find out what the actual cause of your hot tub’s cloudiness is, so after you have treated it, following the steps stated in the earlier parts of this blog, you can as well prevent it from happening again.
