Chlorine is widely used to maintain the hygiene of swimming pools and hot tubs. While it is necessary to keep the water chlorinated, a higher than safe level of chlorine can put you at risk of many health problems.
If you’ve been experiencing itchy eyes, skin rashes, nausea, or difficulty in breathing lately, it might be an indicator of excess chlorine in your tub water. Other than health issues, consistently high chlorine levels can also cause deterioration of the tub.
Having said that, it is best to reduce the chlorine levels of the water before it begins to damage you or the tub. So without further ado, let’s find out all the ways to lower chlorine in a hot tub naturally.
What is a Safe Chlorine Level for a Hot Tub?
A recommended chlorine concentration for a hot tub ranges between 2 to 3 ppm. However, most people do not experience any trouble up to a concentration of 4 to 5 ppm.
If you experience any health issues or notice a chemical odor in the water, check the water parameters immediately. In case the water parameters are disturbed, make sure to neutralize them to a safe level as soon as possible.
How to Lower Chlorine in a Hot Tub Naturally?
We’ve compiled 6 natural methods to lower chlorine levels in a hot tub. Let’s dive into the details.
1. Allow the Chlorine to Dissipate Naturally
If you’re not in a hurry to use the hot tub, it is best to allow the chlorine to dissipate on its own.
You just need to do the following:
1. Switch off the automatic chlorinator in the hot tub, if any.
2. Stay out of the water and leave it as such for a day or two.
In most cases, the chlorine levels will go down on their own. This method, without a doubt, is one of the safest and most effortless methods because you don’t have to add in additional chemicals to counteract chlorine in the tub.
The only downside is you don’t get immediate results and may have to wait for a long time if the chlorine levels are extremely high.
2. Drain and Refill
If waiting for the chlorine to dissipate on its own doesn’t work for you, consider emptying the tub completely. This one is clearly a tiring and time consuming method but it has guaranteed results.
1. Start by draining all the water from the hot tub.
2. Clean the tub and then fill it up with the required amount of water.
3. Now add a suitable amount of chlorine in the water and give it some time to stabilize.
4. Recheck the chlorine levels using a chlorine test strip and you should be good to go.
3. Use a Chlorine Stabilizer
A good chlorine neutralizer can help you instantly bring down the high chlorine levels in your hot tub. However, you’ll have to be very careful with the amount of the neutralizer you’re adding.
A good chlorine neutralizer can counteract the chlorine in the water. The neutralizer stays active until all of it has been used up, which means an overdose of the neutralizer can work negatively by breaking down all the chlorine in the water.
Therefore, use only a small amount of neutralizer in the hot tub. Monitor the results and then proceed accordingly.
Recommended Chlorine Neutralizer:
4. Use Vitamin C
Vitamin C works wonders to lower the chlorine levels in a hot tub. Adding Vitamin C to the water is a highly effective method to sanitize its chlorine levels almost instantly.
If you plan to use this method, make sure you have a lot of Vitamin C available at hand. For desired results, you’ll have to add a huge quantity of Vitamin C in the tub. You can either use pure lemon juice (which is a great source of Vit. C) or try Vitamin C available in the market.
5. Try Oxidizing Chemicals
Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known oxidizing chemical. It breaks down chlorine and hence, minimizes its concentration in the water.
If you’re using oxidizing chemicals to lower the chlorine levels, make sure you only use the ones specifically made for pools.
Note: Hydrogen peroxide will only be effective if the pH level of the tub water is higher than 7.
Recommended Pool Oxidizer:
Leslie’s Fresh N Clear Chlorine-Free Oxidizer
6. Dilute the Chlorine
Another natural and effective method to reduce chlorine in hot tubs is by taking out a considerable quantity of chlorinated water out of the tub and replacing it with fresh water instead. This way you’ll not have to rinse out the entire tub and waste all the water.
The added freshwater, once completed circulated, will serve to dilute the chlorine concentration in the tub. You can monitor the results after one cycle and repeat the process, as and if required.
What Causes High Chlorine Levels in A Hot Tub?
Shock dosing excessively or adding more than required amount of sanitizer during the maintenance of the tub is the primary cause of high chlorine levels in it.
Final Word
Reducing the chlorine levels in a hot tub is a simple task that can be done at home without the help of a professional. You can simply dilute the chlorine with more water or try neutralizers available in the market for faster results. The choice is yours!
Here are a few other equally helpful pool guides for you to read:
