Why Does My Hot Tub Water Smell? How to Fix Smelly Hot Tub Water
You open up the hot tub cover for a soak after a long week of work and it hits you. That rancid, sharp smell hot tub water sometimes gets. So, what causes smelly hot tub water? Unfortunately, the same warm, steamy conditions that make hot tubs a favourite retreat also make them the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
You don’t always go into the hot tub squeaky clean, and over time the minute volumes of bacteria slipping off you multiply into a stinky ecosystem in the hot tub water.
But your family doesn’t have to hold their breath and brace for that unexpected and unwelcome smell every once in a while. A little maintenance can keep it away for good. Follow these steps below to get rid of smelly hot tub water for good!
1. Take a Few Minutes to Just Look at the Water Every Couple of Days
Open up the cover if you haven’t used the tub for 2 days and take stock of the water quality.
Look out for:
- Slime.
- Sour or sharp smells.
- Unclear water.
2. If You Notice Something is Wrong, Do Some Easy Maintenance
Wipe down the underside of your hot tub cover and filter the hole in the tub wall with bleach and a cloth. If the cover is waterlogged, replace it – no amount of wiping will remove the bacteria building up inside there.
Remember to test the levels of sanitizer as often as you can.
3. Don’t Ignore the Filter
If your hot tub’s filter is over a year old, it’s time to replace it.
A new filter is affordable and can actually reduce your hot tub energy expenses (by just a few dollars a month, but it’s something!).
Pick up a few to keep in storage so you don’t have to run out one night when you notice your filter is clogged.
4. Shock Your Hot Tub Water
The disinfectants in your hot tub actually react with organic material in the water like dirt, soap, shampoo, body oils, etc.
A shock treatment gets your sanitizer back to the right balance. The treatment removes the combined available sanitizer in a hot tub by raising the sanitizer level 10x higher than the normal concentration, then slowly leveling off to the recommended level.
Shock treatments should be done anytime your water has less than 0.5 ppm of sanitizer present.
We think BioGard products are the best for this job.
5. Leave the Pump Running
Water becomes stagnant in the pipes when you turn off the pump, forming a concentration of bacteria in ideal conditions to proliferate.
- Run a pump 24 hours a day to circulate water through all the pipes; or
- Set a timer to turn the pump on for a few hours, at least twice a day, to flush out all the lines; and
- Make sure all filters and pumps are maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- OR, if you have a hush pump equipped on your tub, like all our Beachcomber Hot Tubs do, the water will continuously circulate, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You won’t have to set a timer at all!
The safety and comfort of your hot tub is important. It’s an investment you want to enjoy! Get in touch with a member of our team to help you find the right products to ensure a stress-free hot tub experience.
