While foam is ideal in fancy coffee drinks and bubble baths, you don’t really want it forming in your hot tub. If you experience foam in your tub and are wondering how it got there, it’s because the water is too “thick.” Tiny bubbles are then activated by the air jets and this will eventually result in foam.

What causes foam in a hot tub?

There are several products and items that can promote foam in your tub. These include drinks, soap, laundry detergent, deodorant, body lotions, makeup, hair spray, hair gel, mousse, and shampoo. In addition, the cause could also be TDS (total dissolved solids), too many chemicals, or inferior chemicals. To cut down on foam the only items that should enter a hot tub are the required chemicals.

How to prevent foam

1-One of the easiest ways to prevent foam in a hot tub is to take a shower before soaking in it. This will remove body chemicals, makeup, and/or any soap residue that may be on your body. Just remember to rinse off thoroughly before getting into the tub.

2-Purchase the proper chemicals and use the recommended amount.

3-Drain the tub and give it a good cleaning at least three or four times a year.

4-Keep your head above the water for safety reasons and to keep your hair out of it. If your hair is considered long it’s a good idea to keep it up by wearing a shower or baseball cap.

5-While it’s tempting to enjoy a drink when relaxing in your hot tub, you risk spilling it into the water if you do.

6-clean your bathing suit and rinse it off with fresh, clean water before entering the tub.

How to eliminate foam

If you have foam in your hot tub even though you’ve done everything possible to prevent it you should try to solve the problem by testing the water. It’s important that the chemicals are properly balanced when it comes to sanitizer, alkalinity, and pH. When testing the chemicals it’s also a good idea to check the level of TDS since total dissolved solids can cause foam. If you have an overabundance of chemicals in the water and/or other types of solids they will eventually build up cause foam. When this happens you’ll to drain the tub and refill it.

How to test hot tub water

Test Strips
You can’t accurately test your hot tub water if you’re unclear on how to properly do it. It’s a relatively quick and simple procedure which will come naturally to you the more you perform it. One of the most popular methods is to use a test strip to test your water. To do this, take a water sample from the tub with a clean glass or plastic container. Try to collect the water from the middle of the tub and about elbow deep. You then place the test strip into the sample and wait approximately 15 seconds. The strip will turn colour and you can compare it to the colour swatches on the bottle of strips. The basic strips will test for alkalinity, pH, and chlorine/bromine and you should use them a couple of times per week.

Liquid Testing

Another way of testing the chemicals in is to use a liquid test kit. The procedure is carried out basically the same as the test strip, which means the water comes from the middle of the tub and about elbow deep. However, the liquid test strips will check for pH and chlorine only. They won’t test the alkalinity. A liquid test means you add phenol and OTO to the water. Once you’ve collected the sample you just need to add four drops of phenol red liquid to the pH side of the test container that will be provided and four drops of the yellow OTO liquid to the chlorine side. The water will change colour after about 15 seconds and you can then compare it to the colours on the container to see if you have too much or not enough chemicals in the tub.

Test the water professionally

The most accurate water-testing method is to have it carried out by a professional once a month.  All of our store locations across Ontario offer free water testing.  Even though you can perform the test at home a hot tub dealer will be able to provide you with a more thorough reading. You just need to collect about 16 ounces of water in a plastic or glass container. But before you do, make sure the container is completely clean and hasn’t been used for anything else. When you have the water take it to a certified dealer as soon as possible and have them test it for the chemical balance.

If you follow the above tips you should be able to prevent foam from forming in your hot tub. However, if the problem continues, it’s recommended that you visit a professional dealer for help.