At ThermoSpas, you often read on how important is to maintain a clean and sanitized hot tub. While the process of cleaning your hot tub is rather simple, some can still neglect to do it. Unfortunately, this creates bio-film, a collection of bacterias and living organisms that collect on the walls of your pipes and plumbing.
While simple bacterias and impurities in your hot tub are easily neutralized with chlorine or ThermOzone, bio-film is much tougher and demands more serious actions.
We’ll tell you how to free your tub of bio-film, but we must emphasize that it’s a moot point as long as you keep your hot tub sanitized and maintained. Bio-film forms when spas are unused for a good amount of time, or when they are used, but the proper cleaning techniques are not maintained. Not replacing filters regularly, inconsistent use of sanitizers, and incorrect use of cleaners, can all lead to the forming of bio-film.
It’s very hard to determine if your spa contains bio-film, but you may notice a strange odor, cloudy water, slime, floating debris, and possible skin irritations that appear days later. If you do suspect your hot tub is contaminated, regular sanitizers will not help, and often your pipes and filter can aid in the growth of the bio-film. Here is how we recommend you treat a hot tub contaminated with bio-film:
Clean all Elements
With normal maintenance, we recommend cleaning all elements on a schedule that spaces out all duties. One week you can replace the filter while the next you clean the cover or shock the tub. This makes it very easy to keep your hot tub sanitized. When it comes to bio-film, you need to clean everything all at once to guarantee that as much of the bacterias are eliminated. It’s wise to start from the top of your tub and move down. Start with your hot tub cover.
Use ThermoSpas All-Purpose Cleaner to wipe down your cover and remove and filth. Make sure to clean all possible crevices. Move onto your hot tub filters, skimmer, and any elements of the hot tub that you can reach that are not underwater at the time. Allow all removable parts, including the filter, to sit in a strong solution of shock treatment sanitizer such as ThermoSpas’ ThermoClear Spa Activator Shock.
Shock Your Tub
Next you’ll want to shock your hot tub water to kill all possible bacteria and organisms. We recommend using 4x as much shock as you would when you normally shock your water. Turn on the jets and let the hot tub pump water through all of its pipes for 40 to 60 minutes with the hot tub cover on.
Flush Your Tub
As soon as shocking is over, drain your tub. This should help remove much of the bacteria and calcium build up inside the pipes.
Once emptied, wipe down the shell of your tub with an All-Purpose cleaner doing your best to clean all areas including jets, and floor of tub. Once you believe you have successfully cleaned your hot tub, you can begin to fill it with water again.
Balance Your Water
You can now treat your hot tub as you would when you first fill up the tub. Shock, and balance your tub with the correct amount of sanitizer. If you still seem to be experiencing bio-film issues, we recommend connecting with hot tub technicians that can help ensure your hot tub is sanitary.
Of course, none of this would be needed if you are able to maintain a cleaning and sanitizing schedule for your hot tub. It’s easy to do and takes very little time. Your diligence will pay off in the end. If you have any more questions about bio-film or how to properly maintain your hot tub, contact ThermoSpas today, we’d be happy to help.
