It’s 7 o’clock. Work is done. Dinner is done. Dishes are done. Kids are doing something that doesn’t include bothering you. It’s finally time to achieve the purest form of bliss there is: hot tub bliss – or, alternatively, spa bliss.
You pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage (could be anything), slip on the terriest cloth robe you own (extra points if it’s monogrammed), start playing your favorite album on the hi-fi system (we recommend Reggatta de Blanc by The Police), and cooly saunter over to your own personal paradise. But what you see there isn’t very cool at all.
Cloudy water. Gross. Irritating! Your relaxation level just dropped by at least a couple of points. You’re still going to enjoy your soak, of course, but afterward you’re going to look up the reasons why your hot tub water is cloudy and what you can do to fix it. And here you are.
What Makes Hot Tub Water Cloudy?
With the exception of the water itself, any substance that enters your hot tub can give its contents a cloudy or milky appearance. The most common culprits include:
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Given enough time, usage and exposure to the elements, any hot tub water is bound to become murky as a result of gathering contaminants. That’s why every hot tub owner needs to know what to do when their water is no longer clean enough to soak in with a clear mind.
How to Clear Up Hot Tub Water
Fortunately, you aren’t stuck with cloudy hot tub water. You may be able to resolve the problem quickly – or you may have to replace the water entirely – but the problem isn’t permanent so long as you follow these steps. If one step doesn’t resolve the problem, simply proceed to the next!
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Check filter. This is the first step you should take if your hot tub water doesn’t look right. Give the filter a rinse if it looks dirty, and soak it overnight if a rinse doesn’t do the job. Ideally, you would rinse your filter every two to four weeks, and soak it overnight every three to four months. You should also replace your hot tub filter annually.
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Balance water. You probably use one of two chemicals to sanitize your hot tub: chlorine, or bromide. If you are using chlorine, attempt to keep your hot tub’s pH around 7.2 to 7.6. For bromine, the ideal pH is 7.0 to 7.4. If your water’s pH falls outside of these thresholds, then its sanitizer will become ineffective. That necessitates the use of too much sanitizer – and too much sanitizer makes water murky!
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Shock water. Clarifying your water may be as easy as treating it with chlorine or non-chlorine shock. Doing so reactivates the sanitizer, breaks down suspended contaminants, regenerates bromine, and removes smelly chloramines. For best results, try to get into the habit of shocking your water weekly.
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Add clarifier. True to its name, clarifier helps to clarify murky water. It does so by forcing suspended particles to clump together into larger masses that get stuck in the filter more easily. Clarifier has the added bonus of helping to maintain the ideal pH level.
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Replace water. When all else fails, take the nuclear option: drain, flush, clean and refill the hot tub.
How to Prevent Cloudy Hot Tub Water
Outside of maintaining its water, there are many things you can do to keep your hot tub water clear and pleasant.
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Keep the hot tub covered when not in use
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Always shower before entering the hot tub
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Do not apply sunblock or moisturizer prior to getting into the hot tub
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Use very little – or ideally zero – detergent while cleaning swimsuits
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Keep a specialized oil-absorbing sponge in the hot tub, such as the ScumBug
If you live in the greater Sioux Falls, SD area and want to leave your hot tub’s maintenance to the professionals, then we welcome you to contact Paradise Patio, Pool & Spa today! In addition to offering the world’s highest-quality spas for sale, we offer the regular maintenance services you’ll need to keep your water pristine and comfortable.
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