Few things ruin your plans for a fun soak in your hot tub with friends more than opening the lid to find a layer of foam floating on the surface. Whether it’s a thin layer, or so much foam that it looks like a bubble bath, the sight of it is enough to make you want to shut the lid and take the gang to your kiddie pool instead.

Wouldn’t you rather get rid of foam in your hot tub, and return the water to the clean, sparkling quality you’ve always enjoyed?

The good news is that you easily can eliminate the development of foam and prevent it from coming back, so you can enjoy worry-free soaks with your friends on a regular basis without a sudden foam fight breaking out!

What causes hot tub foam?

Hot tub foam is actually quite a common occurrence. All hot tub owners, including those who practice diligent water care and regularly clean their hot tub filters can experience foamy water. However, in many cases it’s also a sign that there might be an underlying issue.

You can get foam in your hot tub by not using enough sanitizer. It can also be caused by a buildup of oils and impurities left behind by you and your bathers, including makeup, body lotions, suntan lotions, detergents, fabric softeners, soaps, and hair products. Although these elements are mostly invisible, they collect together over time to create foam once you turn on your jets. The problem can get worse following a hot tub party, because more people in the tub means more contaminants left behind in your water, causing a buildup of foam.

But for now, you’re standing there with your friends staring at the heap of foam floating on the surface of your hot tub water. Don’t despair and leave the kiddie pool alone – let’s get rid of the foam and get everyone back to having fun in clean water.

How to Eliminate Foam in your Hot Tub

You can get rid of the biofilm buildup that causes hot tub foam with anti-foam chemicals or foam preventer such as Antifoam Concentrate. This highly effective product works quickly to eliminate foam and in 30 seconds gets you back in the water sooner, even if the water has a high TDS level (total dissolved solids – which is basically everything you leave behind in your tub).

AntiFoam Concentrate is also very effective on an older batch of hot tub water, even if it’s at the point when you’re overdue for a water change (which is approximately once every 4 months). This is especially helpful throughout the winter when draining and filling your hot tub may not be an option due to the low temperatures.

So now that you’ve made the foam recede, let’s look at some ways you can prevent it from returning and delaying another fun afternoon in the tub.

4 Tips for Hot Tub Foam Prevention

The foam might be gone for now, however the underlying problem is likely still there, which means the foam is likely returning the next time you want to jump in. Antifoam products are only designed to give you a temporary solution to your foam problem (effectiveness is about 4 – 8 hours in duration), so let’s take steps to permanently fix the problem so you don’t have any more surprises the next time you open the cover.

Here are 4 tips to help you prevent the buildup of foam in your hot tub:

1. Check your sanitizer levels: Use a hot tub test kit to measure your sanitizer level. If it’s low, increase your sanitizer to between 3 – 5ppm. You need to maintain these levels and check them on some regular basis, as a low sanitizer level will lead to a poor water quality and, ultimately, foam.
2. Keep contaminants out of the water: Your water will stay cleaner if you can minimize the organic matter you and your guests bring in themselves. Showering or having a quick rinse before hot tubbing is a great way to prevent sweat, dirt, suntan lotion, body lotion, body oils, soaps, makeup, cosmetic oils, skincare products, and other elements from negatively impacting the water chemistry and creating more work to keep the water clean. Hair can be prevented from getting into the water by ensuring everyone keeps their head above the waterline and that long hair is tucked into a hat or hair tie. Bathers should also use dedicated bathing suits in your tub, and rinse them with water instead of washing them with your laundry machine where residual detergent or fabric softeners will be trapped in your bathing suit until you go for a soak, when they can contaminate the hot tub water.
3. Oxidize the water: Routinely shock your hot tub water weekly using a program that incorporates an oxidizer such as Trio, Spa Lite, or Care Free. These systems are excellent at breaking down contaminants that cause foam to occur. These products will also refresh your chlorine or bromine to make them more effective, and contains clarifiers that enhance the hot tub’s filtration
4. Practice good filter maintenance: Regularly clean your hot tub filter – and replace an older filter when it’s necessary – to ensure that your chemical treatment is as effective as possible to efficiently stay ahead of the foam. In many cases, foamy or cloudy hot tub water is a sign that your filter needs attention, so be sure to keep it as clean as possible. Your water will only be as clean as your filter is.

Hot tubs are meant to be an important part of your backyard oasis. By proactively taking care of your hot tub water, you’ll be able to enjoy your hot tub all through the year without any unpleasant foamy surprises waiting for you when you pop open the cover. Best of all, foam will never again ruin another hot tub party!

Get Rid of Foam in Your Hot Tub! Call the hot tub experts in Mississauga, Oakville, and the Greater Toronto Area

Has foam in your water got you fuming? Get rid of foam in your hot tub and keep your whole system operating smoothly and efficiently all year round with Lakeshore Pools & Hot Tubs. Talk to our award-winning team at 309 Lakeshore East in Mississauga for helpful tips and advice that will keep the foam at bay, and you back in your hot tub, worry free.

Visit us or call (905)-891-8818 today – we look forward to helping you!

Check out our line of top-quality hot tub watercare products!