How To Keep Hot Tub Water Crystal Clear in 6 Ways

Picture yourself unwinding in warm, energizing, bubbly water. That’s the sight hot tub owners love to come home from after a long, stressful day. But this image won’t come true if we let our hot tubs and swimming pools sit on their own without regular hot tub maintenance. Don’t let cloudy and frothy water ruin the hot tub season. 

Your hot tub’s water chemistry would quickly go out of hand, become hazy, foul smelling, and potentially even unsafe if you didn’t take a few easy, fundamental actions. 

You’ll get a more enjoyable hot tub experience if you keep your hot tub water crystal clear. Don’t know how? Tune in until the end of this article to learn how to keep your hot tub water clear easily and quickly.

6 Ways To Keep Your Hot Tub Water Crystal Clear

hot tub water

To not experience the adverse effects of having foaming, milky, and cloudy water, here are some practical, easy-to-follow ways to help clear your hot tub regularly.

Regularly Clean Or Replace Your Filters

If you want the water in the hot tub to be crystal clear, hot tub filters need to be cleaned or changed frequently. To maintain your water clean, water flows past your filters. They accumulate a lot of debris over time, which needs to be cleaned or replaced if you cannot clean it.

You can give hot tub filters a  quick washing with water from your hose.  Alternatively, you might perform a chemical soak using a water-diluted filter cleansing solution. If you choose this approach, you will immerse the hot tub filter in the cleansing solution or hot tub chemicals for twenty-four hours. After this, you can then start to reinstall them carefully. 

Make Sure To Shower First Before Entering The Hot Tub

Our daily use of lotions, body oils, and hair products can cause the water in the hot tubs to become cloudy and less clear. Hair follicles are deposited in the hot tub every moment you and other people soak in it. These impurities accumulate over time and cloud your water. You might ask friends and relatives who wish to use the hot tub to rinse first before they utilize it to maintain the water clean for a more extended period.

Have A Good Hot Tub Cover

One of the easiest methods to prevent dirt and other debris from the water when the hot tub is not in use is to cover it. Dust, leaves, sticks, and other particles can negatively alter your water’s chemicals. A big part of maintaining the water clean and clear is keeping those things out of it. A good cover keeps your hot tub water clean and clear and cuts your operating expenses. An adequately fitted hot tub lid will limit water and chemical dissipation, as well as the degree of heat that evaporates from the tub.

Regularly Sanitize The Hot Tub

Chemicals with a chlorine component are frequently used to sanitize hot tubs. When adding the sanitizing chemicals, ensure the hot tub is already operating. After adding the chemicals, keep the spa cover off and allow the hot tub to operate for at least 15 minutes.

Drain And Refill Hot Tub Water

It’s a smart option to drain your spa every six months to allow it a thorough cleaning before filling it back up with new water, even though your water chemistry is consistently balanced all year long.  It will increase the lifespan of your hot tub’s parts and give your water chemistry a new start. You should use filtered water to refill your hot tub to ensure that any minerals or other pollutants in the water supply won’t alter your test findings.

Check The pH And Alkalinity Levels

Your hot tub’s water pH level should range from 7.2 to 7.8. Alkalinity is a value above 7.8, which might make your water appear cloudy. Check the water level once and up to twice per week if you use it frequently to maintain it clear. Use a test strip or a water testing kit to perform the test. Higher pH levels or one that falls below 7.2 can hurt your skin, in addition to having an impact on the quality of your water.

What Happens When Your Hot Tub Water Is Not Clear?

Know what would happen if the water is not clear.

If your hot tub water is not clean, it could make it foamy, milky, and cloudy. What exactly are these hot tub water conditions?

Foamy Water

Foamy hot tub water has a noticeable foaming accumulation on the water’s surface, which can occasionally cause a biofilm to remain there around the waterline. Compared to cloudy or milky water, the reason for this issue is a little bit simpler to pinpoint. Non-organic materials like personal cosmetics such as deodorant, makeup, and soaps on bathing suits produce foam buildup. It may also be brought on by  PH levels imbalance. However, this is not as common.

Milky Water

A milky water condition of most hot tubs causes the water to appear milky, giving it a white tinge and making it challenging to see the hot tub’s bottom. There is no single reason for this problem, just like there isn’t one for cloudy hot tub water. Poorly balanced basic levels of sanitizers, PH, and total alkalinity may be the root of the issue. Additionally, a sanitizer concentration that is too high, trapped insoluble particles, dead algae, organic particles, and inadequate filtration caused by filthy filters may all be contributing factors.

Cloudy Water

Cloudy hot tub water occurs when the water in your hot tub appears to have tiny particles moving around it, but they are too small to touch and appear to be air bubbles. There is no single explanation for this problem; you will notice that this is true for other water problems. Low disinfectant levels, trapped insoluble materials, dead algae, organic waste, inadequate filtration produced by filthy filters, frequent use of the hot tub, and airing out with the hot tub pumps on can all contribute to the issue.

Is It Safe To Soak In A Hot Tub Water That Is Not Clear?

The quick answer to this question is a big no. Hot tub water that is not clear is not a safe place to soak and swim. This water condition indicates that something is wrong with your hot tub. 

Cloudy or frothy water is sometimes a sign that the water chemistry is imbalanced and needs to be adjusted. It may cause corrosion on the specific components of your hot tub, like the jets, pumps, or filters. Likewise, it will cause stains on the walls of your hot tub over time.

It can also be very comfortable to soak in dirty and foul-smelling water, knowing that various bacteria are lurking in the water. You might risk having skin irritations, stinging sensations in the eyes, and many other health conditions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions to guide you in making your hot tub water clean and clear.

Should A Hot Tub Be Crystal Clear?

The short answer is yes. A crystal clear hot tub of water should be the standard. If you find your hot tub water cloudy, foamy, or milky, there is a possibility of contamination and problem with your hot tub. If this happens, you can refer to the practical ways mentioned above.

Why Does My Hot Tub Keep Going Cloudy?

One of three factors high pH, high alkalinity, or poor sanitizer is probably to blame for hazy or cloudy water. Cloudy water may also be caused by dirty filters, personal care items, and stale water. Make sure that you know the exact reason that is causing your hot tub water get cloudy, so you’ll know what to avoid and what to prepare for when it happens again.

What Do You Put In A Hot Tub To Keep The Water Clean?

If you frequently use your hot tub, adding a few drops of clarifier to the hot tub water every week can be your trump card for ensuring that any body oils, hair gel products, deodorant, and bacteria are bonded together and removed from the water before they can get caught in your filtration system. Many people discover that adding a little clarifier greatly improves the water maintenance routine.

Conclusion

hot tub on a house's deck

You are now closer to a clean and clear hot tub of water. If you encounter cloudy, milky, or foamy water, simply choose among the practical ways above to ensure crystal-clear water and save money from expensive fixing. You can also decide to use a combination of these ways. Remember that hot tubs require regular maintenance, and you will reap good benefits from cleaning them religiously. Have fun soaking in your crystal clear water and your next warm bath!