Hot Tub Foamy? Foam in Hot Tubs and Hot Tub Foam Remover
Foam in hot tubs or swim spas can be an annoying problem. If your hot tub is foamy it could be for a number of reasons that you could prevent prior to proceeding directly to using hot tub foam remover chemicals. In this guide we will discuss how to avoid hot tub foam and how to remove foam in hot tubs.
Hot Tub Foam - What is it and is it dangerous?
Most hot tub foam is not immediately a health risk. However, the best way to be sure you are providing a healthy bathing environment is to have crystal clear water. Anything other than clean water in your hot tub could potentially be harmful. And at best, bathers will be left with an unsure feeling about the water and find it hard to relax. So it’s always best to address hot tub foam issues in terms of both causes and remedies.
Hot tub foam happens when surfactants are present. Surfactants are simply compounds that lower surface tension between a liquid and a gas. When air (that’s your hot tub bubbles) passes through clean water, they simply rise to the surface and escape. However when surfactants are present, they result in a skin which causes foam to collect at the surface.
Before jumping to the Hot Tub Antifoam: What causes hot tub foam?
Before simply dosing the hot tub with an antifoam product, let’s address a few key causes that lead to a foamy hot tub. By avoiding certain mistakes you can prevent foam in hot tubs before they happen rather than using more chemicals than you need to.
Poor Balancing, Sanitising and Basic Maintenance
A well balanced and regularly sanitised hot tub will not foam. All hot tubs will eventually become foamy even with good maintenance. At which point, it’s usually down to needing a water change. But with good maintenance, water changes should only be required 3-4 times a year.
- Check pH levels
- Make sure sanitiser levels are sufficient at all times.
- Change water periodically
Poor Hot Tub Filter Cleaning
Cleaning the filters regularly will help to prevent foaming. Good filtration is vital to a healthy hot tub and washing spa filters will ensure that you have the best filtration possible. But be sure to use specialist spa filter cleaning products and don’t be tempted to use regular soaps or detergents which can be a common cause of foam in hot tubs. (See our guide)
- Clean hot tub filters regularly
- Use hot tub filter cleaning agents only.
Failing to Avoid Contamination in your Hot Tub
The most common causes for hot tub foam is contamination that usually comes in two forms. The first and very common mistake to make is skin care, hair and body products. Make-up is also a huge mistake. Hot tubs are very good at dealing with organic matter. But all these oils and soaps are impossible to remove with regular sanitisers. They will build up inside all your plumbing. They will form a greasy band around the walls at the waterline. It only takes one use to result in a situation that is only recoverable by conducting a complete water change. You would also need to apply a hot tub flush product to degrease the plumbing at this time.
It’s not just the things we put on our body. Our own natural oils and skin will eventually cause the same problem, which is why we have to change water periodically. And another common contamination that can lead to hot tub foam is drinks or snacks that end up in the water. These aren’t as hard to deal with as unnatural contaminants, but also contribute to the general cleanliness and clarity of the water and any subsequent hot tub foam.
One last contaminant that is often overlooked is over-using spa fragrances, or using a bad brand. We advise to stick to dedicated hot tub aromatherapy products, or not using them at all. Using them is fine, but may result in the need for a water change more frequently.
- Avoid make-up completely
- Shower before using the hot tub.
- Be careful not to drop or spill food and beverages in the hot tub.
- Use hot tub flush when doing water changes
Anti Foam for Hot Tubs - Hot Tub Foam Remover
Regardless of preventative measures, every owner will experience foam in the hot tub. A very useful product is Anti Foam for Hot Tubs. Sometimes called Hot Tub Antifoam, or Hot Tub Foam Away. They all do the same thing. A small drop of this liquid when added to the spa causes all the surfactant to disintegrate and the foam will magically disappear before your eyes. One bottle will last a long time. And if it’s only minor foaming, you can delay your water change for a while longer.
Specialty Hot Tub Chemicals for Problem Solving Hot Tub Water
Use both your regular hot tub chemicals and specialty hot tub chemicals for dealing with foam in hot tubs. Correct use of your sanitisers, weekly shock dosing, pH balancing is all important for preventing foam. And hot tub foam remover is used when all else fails. Much like dealing with cloudy water, prevention is better than depending on addition problem solving chemicals.
We stock a wide variety of hot tub chemicals for regular maintenance and specialty products for problem solving. For any questions you can contact us for some assistance. Our trained team is available to help guide you through problems and provide a solutions to all water maintenance issues. And we provide fast shipping on hot tub chemicals throughout the UK.
