Fixing Foamy Spa Water

Bubbles are an expected sight when it comes to spa pools, but you need to be aware of what constitutes a fun bubble, and a pesky one. If you find yourself with an abundance of bubbles that don’t want to pop, congregating and covering a large portion of your water, you’ve just been introduced to spa pool foam. This is a result of your water beginning to thicken due to a high amount of organic material being present. Sound scary? Don’t stress, pool foam is very common and super easy to fix. This article will outline what causes spa pool foam and some easy steps to fix the foam and avoid it all together.

What Causes Spa Pool Foam?

There are a plethora of substances that can contribute to foam forming on your spa pool’s surface, most of them rather innocuous. Essentially, anything you’re putting on your body will make a contribution – hair gel, deodorant, make-up. Even substances designed to clean, like soap, shampoo, and laundry detergent can all play a part. Sweat and other residual bodily fluids are also offenders for spa pool foam creation – so if you have a large number of people using your spa frequently, you will want to keep this in mind.

Interestingly, spa pool cleaning chemicals themselves can be the culprit of spa pool foam. This can happen when the spa pool is incorrectly balanced, and too much chlorine is added, or if you have looked to save money by purchasing the cheapest spa pool chemicals you could find. 

A low calcium level is another potential cause. If the calcium level drops too low the water becomes too soft and that leads to foam.

Fixing the Foam

For a quick fix, you can reach for a specially designed solution, appropriately named ‘Iluka Sudsaway’. Simply add a capful of the solution directly over the foam and watch the bubbles disappear before your eyes. However, it’s important to understand this is a quick fix that treats the symptom rather than the cause. Very handy if you have guests coming over, or don’t have the luxury of time up your sleeve.

Alternatively, in almost all cases, shocking your pool with chlorine will clear the situation up. A large amount of chlorine will eradicate the contaminants and return your water to an inviting, clear state. Stock up on chlorine here.

Avoiding Foamy Water

Staying on top of your water care, balancing, and treating your water regularly will help you steer clear of the foam, for the most part. However, most of the substances that cause spa pool foam will enter your water while on the body of yourself or other users. For this reason, things like deodorant, soap, and make-up should remain in conscious thought, so you can rid yourself of them before entering the water. A sure-fire method is simply having a quick shower or rinse before your spa session. Remember to ensure any soap is completely rinsed off when enjoying a pre-spa shower.