Foamy Hot Tub? Here’s How to Fix It!

There is nothing worse than being eager to unwind in the warmth and comfort of your spa, only to open your hot tub’s lid and discover a thick layer of foam waiting for you on its surface. 

While low levels of foam may allow your hot tubbing to remain unimpeded, an excessive growth of this common hot tub matter can quickly take your spa experience from relaxing to unpleasant in a moment. 

Luckily there are a range of long-term and short-term solutions for hot tub foam that will have you unwinding in luxury again soon. 

Causes

Buildup of Organic Matter

The most common cause of hot tub foam is a buildup of organic matter such as: body oils, sweat, cosmetics, lotions, hair products, and detergents. As these substances soak off of your hair, body, and bathing suits, your spa’s high-powered jets agitate the matter, causing foaming to take place. 

To prevent this, be sure to take a cleansing shower before entering your spa, keep your hair above water level, and consider purchasing a post-hot tub, detergent-free rinse for your swimsuit. 

As an extra level of care, add Arctic Spas’ Refresh chemical to your hot tub after every use to ensure that your spa water will always remain clean and crisp. Click here for a comprehensive how-to video on using Refresh!

Dirty Filters

Not only does organic matter hide itself in your hot tub’s water, it also gets trapped and stored away as buildup in your spa’s filters. 

To remedy this, rinse your filters regularly with clean water, and perform a monthly deep clean by using products such as Filter Restore to keep your filters in peak condition. 

Be sure to rinse off Filter Restore entirely as excess soaps and chemicals can also be a leading cause of hot tub foaming. 

Remedies

Drain and Refill Your Spa

The best long-term option to fully remove foam from your spa is draining, cleaning, and refilling it with fresh water. 

After you have drained your spa, thoroughly clean its shell, headrests, and water features with a store-bought shell cleaner or a homemade mixture of one part vinegar to three parts water. This will disinfect and remove any foam-causing residue left over after draining. 

Be sure to flush your lines completely with fresh water to ensure the proper removal of any additional contaminants. 

Finally, don’t forget to deep clean your filters during this time. To do so, simply remove your filters from your spa, rinse them off with clean water, and spray them down with a filter cleaner solution. 

Once your spa has been completely cleaned of foam-causing contaminants, it’s time to refill your hot tub with fresh water, rebalance it, and set it to your ideal temperature. 

Use an Oxidizer

An oxidizer functions as a safe and simple method to help boost the effectiveness of sanitizers within your spa. These oxidizing products and systems aid in the breakdown of organic matter, allowing your chemical or salt sanitizers to perform at a higher level. 

Consider including an ozone oxidation system such as Peak Ozone in your next spa, or visit your local Arctic Spas® showroom for information on adding this feature to your hot tub, post-purchase. 

Utilize a Defoamer

Don’t have time to fully drain and refill your spa? Anti-foam products offer a quick, short-term solution to patches of foam that may bubble up on the surface of your spa. Products such as Arctic Spas’ Foam Dissolve will break up the surface tension of the water, preventing foam growth. 

Foam Dissolve is a non-oil-based and pH neutral product, meaning that it won’t affect your water chemistry or spa mechanics*. Simply disperse the solution directly onto the foaming area and watch it dissolve before your eyes. 

Although foamy hot tub water can be invasive and unpleasant, there are a wide variety of simple remedies that will return your spa to a foam-free relaxation haven. 

Consider investing in high-quality chemicals, reduce the amount of organic matter within your hot tub, and always make sure you are performing frequent and thorough cleans on your spa. 

For more information on maintaining a foam-free spa, click here! 

*Do not use Foam Dissolve with disposable filters as this product may create buildup that shortens your disposable filters’ lifespan. Foam Dissolve is safe to use with other filters.