Why Hot Tub Chlorine is The Solution You Need
Swimming pools and hot tubs rely on a delicate chemical balance to maintain their pristine appearance and sanitization, otherwise in short order, they would be overrun by a litany of unwelcome critters, such as bacteria, molds, and fungi.
One important chemical in question that is usually tasked with keeping your pool and hot tub clean is of course chlorine. The scent of chlorine is one of the most recognizable smells of summer, and no wonder, as the chemical is basically a mandatory component in the vast majority of all pools.
Hot tub chlorine is just as important as the chlorine you use for a typical pool, if not more so. While many pools have certain measures in place to help filter water, most hot tubs are not equipped in such a manner. This fact, coupled with the smaller size and hot temperatures, makes them a breeding ground for all kinds of unsavory bacteria, protozoans, and a host of other things you much rather not have lurking in your tub.
Proper hot tub maintenance requires attention to the chemical balance of the water, which can quickly be thrown off if you aren’t diligent. Not only will a hot tub that’s not properly kept become a ripe hotspot for bacteria and mold, but it could also render your tub obsolete due to the presence of such dangers. Many kinds of mold and bacteria aren’t simply ugly to look at, they carry serious health risks along with them, which you want to prevent at all costs.
What’s more, the longer you wait and allow molds to settle in, the more difficult it becomes to clean them down the line. Overall, not chlorinating your hot tub is simply not in your best interest, no matter how much the smell of chlorine bothers you.
Whether you are looking forward to enjoying your outdoor hot tub or spa as the weather gets nicer, or if you simply want to know more about how to properly treat your indoor model because you think you’ve spotted some mold, knowing how to properly administer hot tub chlorine is essential for the regular upkeep and maintenance of your tub.
What Happens When You Don’t Chlorinate Your Pool or spa?
A great hot tub can provide you with years and years of quality relaxation and fun with very minimal maintenance and oversight, but that’s only if you are actually treating it right and keeping the bacteria and mold at bay. If not, you might be putting the longevity of your hot tub at risk, not to mention your own health and safety.
There’s nothing relaxing or fun about soaking in a vat of bacteria and other microscopic pests. But this is exactly what happens in the hot, small confines of a hot tub unless the proper chemicals are in place to combat them. Algae, bacteria, and molds form easily in such places, which is why hot tub chlorine is so important. Just a few weeks of neglect can provide the perfect breeding ground for all kinds of life. While it may set the stage for an amazing science experiment, your hot tub is meant to be kept functionally sterile.
You would be surprised how easy it truly is for bacteria and other microbes to proliferate in a hot tub setting. So common is this phenomenon, there is even a condition known as “hot tub rash” that results from exposure to certain kinds of bacteria present in untreated or improperly treated tubs.
Clearly, this should tell you everything you need to know about what happens when you don’t address the situation at hand and treat your tub with the right amount of chlorine. Not doing so could result in rashes and worse or at the very least an unattractive and downright disgusting looking tub.
The Important Difference Between Pool and Hot Tub Chlorine
What is the difference between pool chlorine and hot tub chlorine? Treating your hot tub is not as simple as just dumping some chlorine into the water. This is not something you want to do and could even pose a health risk. Because of the different conditions that are present in hot tubs in comparison to your average pool, chlorine has to be administered differently.
Typically, hot tub chlorine is usually found in some kind of tablet form that includes a specific “dose” that is appropriate for the size of your hot tub and which dissolves evenly in the warmer water. Here at Hot Tub Club, we carry high effective BioGuard Super Soluble Granular Chlorine, which is pH balanced and is specially designed not to clog your filter or cause any other kinds of issues.
It’s vital that when looking for the right chlorine to use in your hot tub, that you go with a suitable product that is designed specifically for the job and not just any old chlorine you find in a jug in a hardware store meant for pools. A hot tub needs to maintain a certain chemical balance and cannot handle liquid chlorine.
As long as you take advantage of a reliable product that’s designed to treat hot tubs, you won’t encounter any issues. Likewise, granular chlorine such as the previously mentioned BioGuard Super Soluble Granular Chlorine can also be used for general preventative maintenance. Don’t wait until there’s a suspicious film forming over your tub or black mold has begun to grip every crevice and corner to start cleaning and maintaining everything. The best way to take care of your tub and ensure it lasts as long as possible is to maintain a proper pH and use the right cleaning products as soon as possible and on a regular basis.
General Hot Tub Maintenance Tips
Hot tubs, in general, are not difficult to maintain if you know what you have to do and you keep to a basic schedule.
The first major point you want to remember is to keep after your hot tub filters. These are one of the most important parts of your hot tub and do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to making sure that your tub is clean and usable. Therefore if you want to make sure that your tub is as clean as can be and is running optimally, take the time to rinse your filters down often, and soak them every so often in chemical cleaner whenever you drain the entire tub. This helps get rid of anything that a rinse would otherwise miss, and ensures that no perks bacteria or molds have found a way to take up residence on them.
Shocking your hot tub should also be a semi-routine ritual that you get used to, especially if you go a couple of weeks straight without using the tub and then want to dive back in. Various kinds of hot tub and “spa chemicals” are used to properly shock a hot tub and bring it back to an optimal state, many of which also utilize chlorine. In fact, if you generally clean and maintain your hot tub with chlorine, you want to shock it with a product like our SpaGuard Chlorinating Concentrate that you can find right in our store.
A spa shock is effectively a stronger than average dose of chlorine or similarly functioning chemical compound, which is meant to push the pH in a certain direction and really eliminate the chance of anything unwanted floating around such as mold or dangerous bacteria. A simple and effective method such as chlorine concentrate is enough to shock your hot tub right back into a usable state.
Keep in mind that even if you regularly maintain your hot tub and keep it chlorinated like you’re supposed to, there’s no harm in giving it a shock every so often just to make sure it is maintaining the proper level of cleanliness. If you suspect that there is mold or fungi afoot, a shock is also a good way to lay those fears to rest.
Another important aspect of hot tub maintenance is your alkalinizing agent. Always keep in mind that your hot tub equipment requires a delicate water pH balance in order to not only stay clean but to function properly in general. Water that is either too alkaline or too acidic will eventually deteriorate the system and cause various problems, some of which may even necessitate repairs or replacements. Again, this is a situation that can be easily avoided with proper maintenance and upkeep.
One way this is done is by adding the right alkalizing agents to your pool, such as SpaGuard Total Alkalinity Increaser if the water has become far too acidic. This product goes a long way in preventing corrosion from acidic water, which can cause anything from tub staining to costly repair bills. It’s all about maintaining that balance with the right chemical products to ensure your tub stays working at optimum levels.
Purchasing The Chlorine You Need From The Right Place
After looking over everything that is needed in order to properly maintain your hot tub and keep it at the right pH balance and appropriate level of clean, it’s fairly clear that you need a reliable way of finding all these chemical products when you need them most.
If you own a hot tub, you can’t rely on pool chemicals or other substances you may have laying around your house in order to do the right job and actually maintain your tub properly. This kind of wishful thinking will only lead to corrosion, damages, molds, and bacteria buildup. All of this can be readily avoided by taking care of your hot tub responsibly.
This responsibility begins with finding a reputable outlet for the best hot tub cleaning and maintenance supplies. Here at Hot Tub Club, we’ve worked hard to provide our customers with the finest products based on years of experience working with pools, spas, and hot tubs. We know how important it is to keep your hot tub looking great and functioning at peak performance.
Our online store carries a substantial amount of hot tub cleaning and maintenance products for all of your needs, including various types of chlorine products that you can use to effectively eliminate any threat of bacteria and mold in and around your hot tub. Keeping your tub free of these pests and dangers is a critical part of what is required when you own a tub, but you can’t properly do this task without first knowing how to get your hands on the right products for the job.
Trust in LeisureQuip for all of your needs when it comes to taking care of your hot tub, spa, or pool, even if you need to shock your tub back to life or remove the water acidity. Our catalog of products will help you tackle any issue you may have with your tub, as well as allow you to continue with the general upkeep and not have to worry about molds popping up when you least expect them.
When it comes to keeping these bacteria at bay, you don’t want to deal with just any chemical product from a random hardware or department store. Here at Hot Tub Club, we’re experts in all things hot tubs and pools, and our products are specifically formulated to ensure the longevity and health of your tub. You don’t have to second guess if you’re using the right product or if you are making the right choice, because we have poured our experience into everything we do here at Hot Tub Club, and it’s reflected in the results we get for our customers. We love what we do and seek to provide the highest level of customer service in the industry.
If you have any questions about our amazing products or simply need help deciding what’s best for maintaining your hot tub or pool, contact us at 1-866-5HOTTUB (866-546-8882) and we’ll be happy to help you with any concern you have.