Owning a hot tub is paired with the responsibility of maintaining it clean. You don�t just take advantage of the relaxing warm bath you can get from it without treating it with reasonable care and maintenance.
While cleaning solutions may help keep your water chemistry balanced and your hot tub water clean, sometimes these sanitizers are insufficient to maintain the water’s cleanliness. They break down, leaving you with the best option of shocking the hot tub water.
Adding more oxidizer compounds to the water is known as shocking or oxidizing. But how often should you do this? Continue reading this article until the end to learn more about hot tub shocking and the frequency of doing it.
What Does Shocking A Hot Tub Means?
“Shocking” anything in the context of pool and spa maintenance is pouring a little chemical like chlorine or bromine into your hot tub.
This shock therapy destroys the germs and chemical substances that may have entered your spa. In return, this keeps the water in your hot tub clear, odor-free, and safe to use. One of the numerous various techniques used to disinfect a hot tub is shock treatment. This is among the most popular sanitization techniques, not to mention among the most efficient.
You need regular shocks for various reasons, not just to keep the hot tub clean. Below are a few valid reasons:
- You should use shocking to keep your water from appearing murky or dirty.
- Your hot tub’s water is cleaned of potentially dangerous organic contaminants by shocking it.
- You can eliminate bacteria in the hot tub water by shocking the system.
- Additionally, it is the ideal method for reactivating sanitizers like chlorine, which helps to fight bacteria.
How Often To Shock Hot Tub?
You should shock your hot tub at least once every week. It’s also advisable to shock your hot tub using hot tub chemicals once every three days. There will also be instances where the hot tub must be shocked daily, primarily if it is used heavily.
This goes to say that shocking your hot tub will depend on your use. To determine the frequency, these are the guidelines that you must consider.
- If hot tubs are shocked once a week, they are kept in good condition. This is suitable for a typical-sized hot tub used around once daily. There won’t be as many bacteria because there isn’t much usage involved.
- Hot tubs that are rarely utilized must be shocked every two weeks. A loaded hot tub still poses a health danger even if you do not utilize it since bacteria will continue to develop there. The best course of action if your hot tub has been sitting unused for a while is to empty it, clean it, and then refill it when you’re ready to use it. If you leave the tub full, shock it after a time if you have not used it.
- Hot tubs must be shocked twice weekly if they have exceptionally heavy use. For instance, if you held hot tub parties weekly. Change it back to a weekly scheduled shock as soon as used in your hot tub returns to normal.
- Hot tubs utilized in a public spa must be shocked every day. Possibly with less chlorine. Hundreds of people visit saunas and public baths every day. That is sufficient justification to shock your hot tub on a regular basis.
What Are The Indicators That You Need To Schock Your Hot Tub?
Besides your set shock treatment schedule, even though your pH and alkalinity level is normal or you recently applied sanitizer, shock treatment can still be necessary if you see any of the following conditions:
- The water has turned milky and cloudy and is no longer clear. You should shock the hot tub when you find that the water in your hot tub is becoming hazy or has a lot of foaming.
- When your hot tub hasn’t been used in nearly a month, even if you are a serious hot tub lover, there may be occasions when you simply cannot utilize the tub as frequently as you normally do. That’s okay. Just make sure to do a shock to your hot tub when you’re ready to use it again.
- When your hot tub is producing a bad odor, check the hot tub’s water quality when it smells a touch ripe. It’s time to shock your hot tub if it has a musty or sour odor.
- It’s impossible to ignore how slimy the tub feels. If your water has a slimy texture, some leftover sanitizer remnants from the bacteria you tried to remove may be left out.
What Are The Types Of Shock Treatment For Hot Tubs?
Interestingly, there are many kinds of shocks using hot tub chemicals that you can employ. A chlorine shock and non-chlorine shock work effectively, but you must also consider their disadvantages.
A Chlorine Shock
It is a good method to shock your hot tub using chlorine-based substances. If applied correctly, it is a valuable technique. Remember that this procedure can cause chemical harm when chlorine levels increase. You should use chlorine shock following a freshwater changeover or when the hot tub is used for a prolonged period.
A Non-Chlorine Shock
If used frequently, a non-chlorine shock works better than a chlorine shock. To get rid of dangerous bacteria and make the water pure, non-chlorine substances help oxidation water. Water is always safe because all significant water pollutants are eliminated.
You should take aspects like shock dosage and volume into account. This method has other safety precautions to follow when using cleaning agents.
- To avoid harm, never mix dry chemicals.
- Follow the experts’ recommendations to shock the hot tub when necessary.
- The area should be well-ventilated while the chemicals are mixed.
- Always wash your hands, and keep the substances out of your mouth.
- Check the water in your hot tub regularly.
- Place the chemicals in a secure, dry location.
Frequently Asked Questions�
Here are some frequently asked questions to guide you in knowing how often you should do a hot tub shock.
How Much Shock Should I Put In My Hot Tub?
Most products call for 17g of non-chlorine or 35g of chlorinated shock per 1500 liters. Put the solution into your spa slowly and carefully close to the water inlets. It will be able to circulate appropriately as a result. Use your spa once after 20 mins.
How Soon After Shocking On My Hot Tub Do I Need To Wait?
No certain amount of time must pass before you can start using your hot tub. Every brand has a unique recommendation, ranging from 20 to 24 hours. However, it is advised to utilize a water test strip to help ensure that your chlorine levels are safe before putting on your swimsuit and entering the pool.
Non-chlorine shock solutions don’t sanitize the water, so remember that as a top recommendation. This indicates that you can often start using your hot tub 20 minutes after administering the chemical.
Can You Shock A Hot Tub Too Much?
Over-shocking your hot tub is possible, and many knowledgeable owners unintentionally do it. It can harm seals and other components and upset the water’s chemistry balance. Unless you consistently over shock your spa, you won’t probably ruin your hot tub.
Can I Put Clorox Bleach In My Hot Tub?
Using Clorox to kill bacteria in the hot tub water won’t work because it has an incorrect pH and will dry your skin. Ensure the formulation is sodium dichlor rather than calcium hypochlorite, which should only be used for swimming pools when sanitizing dry chlorine.
Can Bleach Be Used To Shock A Hot Tub?
You can use bleach when you do a hot tub shock as it can also kill bacteria, but it will take a little more effort than buying a ready-made solution from a pool store. If you’re determined to do it, ensure you have all the necessary knowledge and have checked the tub’s final condition before starting. It can turn out badly if you do it carelessly.
How Much Bleach Do I Put In My Hot Tub?
Combine 1 part bleach with 1 part water in a mop bucket. Likewise, 5-gallon buckets also work well. Coat the bottom of the hot tub with a bleach solution using a long-handled scrubbing brush or mop. Use caution because even diluting, this might still leave stains on your clothes. Pouring it in the hot tub immediately is not recommended because it may cause a lot of puddles.
Conclusion
You now understand how and when to shock a hot tub. It also implies that you can no longer skip it and consider this part of your hot tub maintenance. While it may seem that hot tub shocks, like all the other cleaning procedures, your hot tub can be a real pain in the rear, you’ll be happy you did it once you can relax in clean, hygienic water without worrying about unpleasant things like mildew or bacteria.
Always read the manufacturer’s directions before you start to shock your hot tub frequently, and do it once a week if you don�t use it heavily. Otherwise, do it daily.
