Have you ever been sitting in your hot tub and found yourself surrounded in foam? It’s not quite as pleasant as a nice relaxing bubble bath is it? Normally this hot tub foam is the result of a foreign agent being introduced to the water and reacting with the spa chemicals, which can be easily prevented. There is a common misconception that foaming is a natural result of cleaning, but the fact is that quality cleaning products should not cause foaming. Our Chlorine Shock Granules, for example, will clean your water without causing a bubble bath effect.

So, what is it that is causing the foam to appear and how can you stop it?

The three big culprits

Generally speaking, there are three common things which can cause  foam to build up in your spa or hot tub. These are:

1. Shampoo residue in your hair
2. Shower gel, body products or lotions on your skin
3. Left-over washing powder on your swimming costume

Most of these are easily preventable by simply taking a quick, product-free shower before getting in the hot tub and making sure you thoroughly rinse your hair.

If you have long hair, it makes sense to tie it up before getting in the spa and make sure it stays out of contact with the water. Hair is one of the worst culprits for introducing foreign ingredients, as it is often full of products like shampoo, conditioner and hair spray.

Don’t wash your swimming costume with the rest of your clothes – simply rinse it out after each use and leave to dry. If it is made out of cotton it will really cling to the detergent used in normal washes and cause the foam to build up. It’s also important to not to put on any body lotion or other products on your skin right before you get in the spa. If you put the lotions on in the morning, chances are it won’t affect the water if you’re using the hot tub at night.

Is your hot tub foaming still?

If you’ve taken all the preventative measures and your hot tub is still foaming then there are additional steps you will have to take. Have you been using the spa chemicals properly? Adding the wrong quantities of chemicals can make the problem worse by creating an improper water balance. As relaxing as spas are they do require regular maintenance; if you haven’t been taking care of your tub then this could be a result of bacteria build up due to neglect.

Correcting the foam build up

There are several solutions to getting rid of the foam that forms on the surface of hot tub water, such as our Spa No Foam formula. The Spa No Foam works to eliminate these pesky bubbles by being applied directly to the built up froth. This is not supposed to be a long term solution but can be used in conjunction with other spa chemicals to stop the foam being built up in the first place. Spa No Foam is a neutral chemical and therefore will not affect the pH levels of the water, leaving you with one less thing to worry about!

(Image: Michael McCullough)