Even with the best care and regular maintenance, some hot tubs still get a build-up of biofilm, which is a mass of microorganisms that reproduce rapidly and form globs of yuck. Biofilm can grow and fester in the piping of your hot tub, so you won’t see it until it’s a problem affecting your water quality and chemistry. That’s why it’s important to purge your hot tub to get rid of that gunk and give your hot tub a thorough, refreshing clean.
6 Signs It’s Time to Purge Your Hot Tub
1. The Water Smells Bad
One of the first noticeable signs of biofilm piling up in your hot tub pipes may be a strong, unpleasant odor coming from your spa water.
2. Foamy Water
Another sign is that when you turn on the jets, your spa water becomes foamy, and the foam doesn’t go away when you turn the jets off.
3. Slimy Film on the Water Surface
A grosser sign is a slimy film on the surface of the water that clings to the shell and maybe even your skin.
4. Scaling on the Shell
Some of this foam and slime can harden on your hot tub interior shell, causing scaling.
5. Water Chemistry Is Off and Hard to Balance
When you see these signs, you may try to balance your spa water’s pH first. However, no matter how much you try, you can’t seem to get it right. This is because biofilm continuously alters your water’s pH balance.
If you’re finding that you can’t seem to balance the pH levels and are using extra spa chemicals to clean and sanitize your spa water without success, this is usually a big indicator that you need to purge your hot tub.
How to Purge Your Hot Tub
Don’t worry—purging your hot tub pipes and plumbing isn’t as hard as it sounds! All it takes is a small dab of Hot Tub SERUM Total Cleanse gel and less than half an hour of your time.
Bill Meyer from Hot Tub SERUM stopped by Colorado Custom Spas to demonstrate how to use Total Cleanse, step by step, on one of the display hot tubs in our showroom.
Step One: Prep Your Hot Tub for Purging
When purging your hot tub, you can use the water that’s currently in it, then drain and fill it after the purge. Remove the filter from its housing and place it in the water—the Total Cleanse will clean it too.
Then, turn on your jets and open all the air valves.
Step Two: Put in the Hot Tub SERUM Total Cleanse
Using your fingers or a measuring spoon, simply scoop out half a jar or one (1) ounce of Total Cleanse gel and put it in the bubbling water.
Step Three: Wait
The Total Cleanse will get to work! Let your hot tub run for 25 or 30 minutes so the gel solution can pass through the plumbing. You’ll soon see the spa water foam up and a yellow-green sludge substance line the tub’s shell. This is the dead biofilm purged from your hot tub pipes.
Step Four: Drain, Clean, and Fill
After half an hour, turn the jets off and drain the purged spa water. As it drains, wipe away the biofilm slime from the shell. Meyer notes that you may need to use a shop vac to get the remaining water at the bottom of the hot tub shell when it’s done draining. Then clean and refill with fresh water as you usually would.
When You Need to Purge Your Hot Tub
Even with normal use, there are a lot of things that can cause biofilm to grow in your hot tub, such as:
- Bacteria or fungi traveling on human bodies including algae, mold, mildew, spores, and even viruses and parasites.
- Human waste like sweat, blood, tears, urine, mucus, saliva, and more.
- Body care products such as lotion, cosmetics, deodorants, shampoo, conditioner, and even residual laundry detergent from swimsuits.
Since your hot tub is exposed to these contaminants every time you or someone else soaks in your hot tub, it’s a good idea to purge your hot tub at least once a year.
You should also consider purging your hot tub after heavy use, like if you host a large backyard get-together and many party guests use your hot tub. That way, you’ll have a fresh, clean space to enjoy the next time you want a serene soak.
Purge Your Hot Tub with Hot Tub SERUM Total Cleanse
Let’s clear out your hot tub pipes so you can have an even more relaxing soak! If your hot tub is showing signs of needing to be purged, choose Hot Tub SERUM Total Cleanse spa purge from Colorado Custom Spas. You can either stop by one of our showrooms in Denver or Castle Rock or conveniently shop from home on our online store and get it delivered to your doorstep. Let us know if you have any questions!
