Bacteria & Your Spa

When you enter your spa, you change the nature of your spa water. Though often overlooked you contribute bacteria and organic matter to your spa when you use it. This organic matter is in turn food for the bacteria.

However, all sorts of microbes including bacteria, mold & fungal spores, viruses, etc. are also constantly floating around in our outside air. Under normal circumstances, with low concentrations, these have little impact on us because our immune system fights them off. But these same microbes also enter your spa water where they can grow to concentrations that can be harmful & unsightly

Spa Facts

1. Your hot tub is filled with approx. 200 – 500 gallons of water heated to around 100 – 102 degrees.  Bacteria thrive in warm water!
2. Sanitizers, generally chlorine or bromine, are used to kill microbes, particularly harmful bacteria & viruses, that may include Legionella, E-Coli, and Pseudomonas.  These can cause skin rashes, gastrointestinal problems, and even death.
3. Oxidizers are used to remove, through oxidation, organic matter in your spa water.  These oxidizers can include ozone, shock (usually potassium monopersulfate), peroxide, and chlorine & bromine, as these last two both sanitize and oxidize.
4. Organic matter in your spa water includes dead pathogens, sweat, ammonia, skin cells, body oils, etc.  Often overlooked is the fact that you contribute a lot of organic matter to your spa.  In an hour with your spa water at 100 degrees you will sweat approx. 1 pint of perspiration.  Also, the jets you love so much for their massage are also scrubbing off lots of dead skin cells.

Bacteria love to colonize! They like living side-by-side with their brethren. Though there are bacteria swimming in your spa water, they account for perhaps 1% of the bacteria in your spa. The other 99% are living as biofilm, “the colony” inside your spa plumbing. Of course, by living in your spa’s plumbing they are out of sight, just as they like it.

Not only do they love to live in friendly association in their biofilm, they derive a huge benefit from this. Working together they produce a slimy mucus layer over the entire colony. This mucus layer protects them from your sanitizer. Yes – it turns out that your spa sanitizer is ONLY killing free-swimming pathogens. The bacteria in biofilm are living a happy life in their mucus fortress

Killing the free-swimming bacteria is a good thing but as soon as you let your guard down in any way, those free-swimming bacteria start setting up their biofilm colonies inside your spa’s plumbing. BUT – Total Maintenance has your guard. Total Maintenance contains a medical-grade biocide and is EPA Registered to be both safe and effective in killing bacteria and preventing biofilm!

As biofilm develops in your spa’s plumbing it becomes increasing hard to keep your spa water clear and safe. Your primary sanitizer is being consumed without actually ridding your spa of pathogens.

No one wants to enter a spa with cloudy, murky water – Nor should they. This is a clear sign that the spa is unsafe for use. Serious health consequences can result from soaking in a spa with cloudy water.

Our Serum products ensure your spa remains safe to use and your spa water clear & pristine. Our Total Cleanse is the most effective purge available to completely kill and remove biofilm. Our Total Maintenance performs 4 functions to ensure you enjoy the very best spa experience. And Total Maintenance is compatible will all primary sanitizing systems.