If you are one of our Happy Hot Tub owners, or you're looking to join this exclusive club then you're probably going to need a 'Tim'. They can be a little bit temperamental now and again, but for all those little hot tub cleaning and maintenance jobs they are a real godsend. On the plus side, the one I've got is very reliable and will happily share his expert knowledge. On the downside, we've not quite mastered creating a vlog (a video version of a blog). So I still have to put pen to paper and do lots of extensive and exhausting research.
Keeping the water clean
Very often when we start talking to new customers about how to keep their new hot tub sparkling clean their eyes begin to glaze over. What they really want is for us to drive off into the sunset and leave them to enjoy their first private home spa bathing experience. And who can blame them? But for a few owners who live in some of France's hard water areas, they know that the calcium build up affects washing machines, kettles and dish washers. So they're very keen to know if it will have a detrimental effect on their beloved hot tub too. Sadly, in a few cases, the answer is Yes. If you have high calcium levels, when hot tub water is heated you will get calcium flakes the same as in a kettle.
But this is where Tim comes in handy. He knows plenty of ways to keep the calcium (and other minerals) down to a minimum. Thankfully, only a low number of customers have reported minor issues with the water quality and we have always found a solution. We have also received some brilliant product and gadget recommendations from customers too. It's great that our hot tub family keep in regular contact and share their ideas and knowledge with us.
"Very happy with my hot tub. Lovely design and the envy of my friends. Excellent service both on sale and after sales. Highly recommend."
Saving water
The vast majority of tub owners have got into the sensible habit of saving water and not wasting it. However, regularly refreshing the water is one solution to the calcium problem. Depending on the size of your tub and the area you live in, refilling could cost as little as 3€. So it can be less expensive to refill than to buy PH balancers.
With summer temperatures and water shortages on the increase we would actively encourage all our customers to save water and whenever possible, re-use it for watering the garden. If you use eco friendly water treatments then the waste water is ideal for re-use. One of our customers in the Charente region told us that they use Brome in their tub. The products are very effective and the water is safe to use all around the garden.
Customer recommendations
Hopefully some of the products below will help keep your hot tub water free from calcium and keep the water fresher for longer. All of these gadgets have been tried and tested by customers living in high calcium areas.
"The Bestway filter system works perfectly. We had it on for half an hour and the water was clear same again this morning. The system also allows you to plug a hose in and use it as a vacuum cleaner”. Mark & Tina
Spencer and Kerry use a mineral ball filter hose pipe attachment (similar to the one shown below, sold by Clarion Spa in the UK)*. Spencer told us the mineral ball filter “removes 90% of lime scale/calcium deposits and prevents the tub from getting a chalky residue too”. They purchased their pre-filter from Allspares.fr.
New hot tub owner, Jacqueline Webber, recommended a different type of hose pipe adapter to filter out the calcium.
“With regards to the calcaire, I resolved it by buying a filter for the outside tap. It cost only €12.99 and has reduced the calcaire by 90%. Thought it might be helpful should other customers have the same situation."
Martin and Karen bought a spa vac and Karen emailed us with a very detailed recommendation. "We bought a spa vac from GiFi Poitiers. It has two size heads, was €49 and it’s amazing. I’ve just checked the tub as Martin is using it now for the first time, and all the calcium build up has almost gone. It will all have gone once he's finished. Well worth it for us.. It’s good to share all the tips. There were other cheaper ones and one of two around €79, so we went mid range thinking the cheaper ones would be all noise and no action. It has a metal filter that’s washable and you can buy replacement filters for €6.99. Each charge runs for an hour."
Get into a routine
What a great selection of products and customer recommendations. As we haven't tried any of these products ourselves we can't add any comments, but it's always worth doing some of your own research before buying.
All of these gadgets are to help remove any minerals from the water, especially calcium. But to keep your tub fresh and clean longer we do recommend applying some regular hot tub hygiene.
Make sure feet are free from debris (grass, dirt, leaves, etc) before stepping into the water.
Perfume and sun creams can leave residue in the tub - shower if possible before getting in.
Flies and other insects are attracted to the water. So skim the surface of the water after use with a swimming pool net.
Leave the cover on when you're not using the tub. Not only will it keep it clean but it will also keep it warm.
Clean the interior with white vinegar (not white wine vinegar!) This will get rid of any nasty deposits of calcium, sun creams, etc. Use it on a sponge to wipe down the fibreglass, especially before you refill it, and it will keep it looking clean and shiny. Vinegar doesn't have any harmful chemicals. It cleans and deodorises and is naturally safe to use around people. Not only does it clean away water spots and other residue, but it can also help prevent your hot tub jets clogging up and it gets rid of bacteria.
Pop a tennis ball into your tub! Strange though it might sound tennis balls can be used to collect oils (lotions, sunscreen, body oils) from the surface. Just toss one in your hot tub and let if float. The soft material is a natural absorbent and when it gets too grubby chuck it in with your normal wash load to refresh it.
All water-filled products - tub, pools, paddling pools - should have the PH level tested on a regular basis (2 -3 times per week if the water is used regularly and not changed). Kits can be purchased online and from some of the bigger supermarkets.
Look after your hot tub and it will look after you!
Contact Us
Regardless of whether you already own one of our products or are thinking about buying, if you are not sure about anything, always ask an expert. We are always happy to offer advice and help if you have any problems. And if you have any product or gadget recommendations, send us an email - we'd love to hear from you. Happy Hot Tubbing!
Call Nicola on 0749 19 46 84 or email hottubsinfrance@gmail.com
*Look for the EU blue badge on the Clarion Spa website – it means they will reimburse the custom duties. The Clarion Spa promise - "your Import Duty invoice will be paid by us on your behalf".