I Have a Hot Tub Foaming Problem

Among the myriad of hot tub problems you may have, the arrival of a few extra bubbles doesn’t seem to be that severe of an issue. I think in high school we used to put a little dish soap in the water to achieve that exact effect just for kicks and giggles (sorry, Courtney’s mom). For some, however, hot tub foaming is an annoyance that has a few causes and coinciding remedies.

One of the main causes of hot tub foaming is that the rapidly moving water react to the soaps, detergents, and lotions on a bather’s skin/swimming suit. If a suit has been run through the washing machine after each use, you could have plenty of detergent build up in the fibers.

There are a few ways to solve this particular problem. First of all, you might want to encourage those taking dips in your hot tub to take a pre-soak shower. This will be the best way to rinse off any excess lotions, gels, soaps, deodorants, etc. from skin.

Here’s a little note on swimwear care: you shouldn’t be washing them in the washing machine with regular detergent in the first place. It deteriorates the fabric and going through those cycles is really tough on it. Instead, follow our swimwear care guide and hand rinse swimsuits in cool water and occasionally with swimsuit specific cleanser. This will also help solve your foaming issue.

If you’re a girl with long hair, put your hair up in a high ponytail or bun to keep it out of the water. That way, residual shampoo and hair products won’t get in the water.

One extreme suggestion is to hot tub without wearing anything at all. While that may be a solution for some private dips, it’s probably not best if you’re having a hot tub party. Unless you want to get to know your guests REALLY well.

The foaming may also be attributed to a buildup of organic waste in the water. This kind of problem arises with heavy hot tub use but can be eradicated by regularly shocking the hot tub water either after every major usage or once a week. This oxidizes the waste from the water and often reduces foaming.

You might also want to keep an eye on your water chemistry. If your calcium hardness levels are off or your pH is out of whack, this could also cause foaming. If you need a fresh start, feel free to refill your water completely making sure not to refill with soft water.

If none of these adjustments seem to fix the problem, you can always use a spa defoamer. A product like Clear Spa No Foam is highly concentrated and effective at knocking eradicating any obnoxious water foaming. Simply add two capfuls to the surface of the water with the jets on and that should do the trick. Defoamers don’t clog filters or damage equipment and are compatible with all kinds of spa sanitizers.