Hot Tub Bath Salts
When it comes to a relaxing soak in the bath, people will often use bath salts to take advantage of the benefits of aromatherapy. However, when it comes to hot tubs, people will often ask whether or not the use of these salts is safe or acceptable.
Come dive in with us as we explore the ins and outs of whether you can use bath salt in your hot tub, and if there are any other alternatives.
Can You Use Bath Salt In A Hot Tub?
Generally, it is not a good idea to use bath salt in a hot tub, as having too much salt or too much oil can clog up the filter and gunk up the water. The reaction can be even worse if the salt is made out of a magnesium-based compound, as this can cause unwanted flash burns when you mix it with bromine or chlorine.
However, you might be looking to take your spa use to the next level and are wondering how you can enhance the experience if you are not able to add salts to your hot tub.
In that case, you might choose to use sage bath bombs or hot tub-specific aromatherapy products to your hot tub so that you can take advantage of the benefits of scent with a luxury feel.
Can I Use Epsom Salt In A Hot Tub?
Epsom Salts, otherwise known as magnesium sulfate, is what we refer to as an Alkaline chemical compound. Epsom salt has long been used throughout history as a healing compound. People across the globe have been using Epsom salts for a long time to relieve aching muscles, flush out harmful toxins, and enjoy joint relief.
When it comes to hot tubs, however, you should never use Epsom salts.
For starters, if your salt levels in your hot tub water get above 1500 ppm, it could end up being corrosive. Of course, this also depends on the pH level, though it's not a good idea to test it.
Plus, if you even want to get the full benefits of soaking in Epsom salt, you have to have a level of 20,000 ppm anyway. To put it simply, there's no point in trying to add Epsom salts to your hot tub, as the necessary amount would require that you add in more than 10 times the amount that would be safe in your hot tub anyway.
If you don't have your pH level balanced in your hot tub, this can also cause corrosion problems. Some of the components in a hot tub that can suffer from corrosion include metal parts, plastic pieces, and gaskets. If these suffer from corrosion, the performance of your hot tub can diminish.
Another crucial thing to remember is that you should never combine magnesium and chlorine anyway. When these two chemicals are mixed, whether in hot tub water or not, can cause what we call flash burns.
Total dissolved solids come from the buildup of Epsom salt in a spa. If you have a buildup of total dissolved solids, scale can end up building up and damaging your hot tub.
For more detailed information, see our Epsom Salt In Hot Tub article.
Can I Use Essential Oils In My Spa?
People will often put essential oils in their hot tub water, as it provides them with a way to relax and ease stress more so than simply using water.
Essential oils are also great for healing aching muscles and are often used to manage anxiety and stress.
The use of essential oils is a great way to bring the feeling of a spa to your hot tub.
The important thing is that you are using your essential oil products correctly.
Tons of people use aromatherapy in addition to a massage. There is plenty of research out there that discusses the types of benefits and relief that aromatherapy can provide for the body and mind. By definition, aromatherapy is a controlled use of essential oils in order to promote the well-being of spirit, body, and mind.
There have been several clinical trials that support the relaxation benefits that aromatherapy provides.
You're probably thinking,
It sounds like I should definitely add some essential oils to my hot tub for the best aromatherapy experience.
And while you absolutely can, we highly recommend using essential oil products that are designed for use in spas.
It should also be noted that there are essential oils out there that can cause allergic or photosensitive skin reactions when these oils are exposed to UV light.
You may experience rashes, blisters, skin darkening, or sunburn-like symptoms.
The citrus in essential oils is typically what will cause this photosensitivity. With that said, there are plenty of oils that are made to enter your hot tub water and filters safely. You can find these oils in a wide range of forms and fragrances, including capsules, salts, liquids, and crystals.
How Can I Make My Spa Smell Good?
If you've ever dealt with a smelly hot tub before, you've probably wondered what you can do to make it smell better.
One of the very first things that you should do is take your cover off of your hot tub. It isn't uncommon for hot tub covers to suffer from bacteria buildup, especially if they have been used for many years.
If the smell is coming from your hot tub cover, you might consider checking to see if you can find any cracks or tears in the cover, as water can seep in and cause it to smell.
If the cover of your hot tub is causing odor, it is pretty easy to clean the cover and place it back on your hot tub.
However, if you realize that the water is where the smell is coming from, then you need to hyper-chlorinate your water. This is what we call a hot tub shock. In essence, you will give the water in your hot tub an additional dose of chlorine to kill any unwanted bacteria.
When you add this kind of product to your hot tub water, you want to make sure that you keep the water circulating and that all of the jets are on. In doing so, you will allow all of the water in your hot tub to circulate at high speeds so that the circulation is optimal.
Once you've let the water in your hot tub circulate for around a half-hour, take your cover off and let it sit open for a few hours. Leaving your cover off of your hot tub is a great way to allow the gases to escape.
Will a Bath Bomb Ruin My Hot Tub?
People often wonder if bath bombs are dangerous for spas. While some bath bombs are okay to use in hot tubs, they can do damage to hot tubs if they are not used carefully.
The reason for this is that many bath bombs contain flower petals, confetti, or glitter. Yes, these can make the water in your hot tub look very cool, but they can also damage the equipment inside your hot tub, such as the filter or the jets.
If you only have these kinds of bath bombs, we recommend wrapping them in something such as a nylon sock, as this can help stop the particles from getting in the jets and the filter.
You'll still get the neat colors in your spa water, but you won't have to deal with the small particles floating around.
It is worth noting that bath bombs sometimes leave behind oils, so you will have to clean the water in your hot tub after you use them so that you don't end up damaging the jets.
Overall, we recommend looking for bath bombs that don't have glitter, confetti, or anything else, as it becomes much more difficult to clean the water in the end.
Final Thoughts
When all is said and done, it is important to remember that you should not use Epsom salts in your hot tub, as they can cause damage to your jets and filter pieces. You may choose to use bath bombs, though you need to make sure that you clean the water afterward to avoid any damage after adding them.
When it comes to using oils in your hot tub for a quality soak and delicious smell, we recommend that you purchase some oils specific for spa use.
Click here to see which brands made it onto our best hot tub chemicals for sensitive skin list.
