How to use less chlorine in your spa (Tips, advice and more)

Disclaimer: The safety and dosing instructions provided on the sanitiser container label should always be followed. Failure to do so may result in unsafe conditions or ineffective sanitisation.

Good quality chlorine sanitisers are fantastic for keeping your spa water fresh and sparkling clear. But, as with most things, when it comes to chlorine – you can have too much of a good thing!

How do I use less chlorine in my spa pool?

If you've followed the dosing instructions but find your spa water isn't clear or doesn't feel clean, you may end up adding more spa chlorine or 'shock' than instructed. Don't panic, we can help.

One of the most common reasons for having to add more chlorine to clear your spa water, is that your spa contains debris or impurities. If that's the case, the first step is to reduce the amount of contaminants entering your spa in the first place – as this can significantly reduce how much chlorine you need to use.

The top 5 ways to use less chlorine in your spa pool

Listed below are the top 5 ways to reduce contaminants in your spa so you can use less chlorine. These tips apply to chlorine-free sanitisers as well. After all, their job is the same - to keep your spa water clean and clear.

By following the tips below, your spa or swim spa should stay clean and sparkling clear 24/7 – without requiring any extra dosing of sanitiser.

1. Always cover your spa when not in use

A heavy duty locking cover, with a tight seal, is the first line of defence to stop debris getting in your spa or swim spa. Learn more about spa covers in this article.

The other benefit of a well-insulated, heavy duty cover is that it will also do a great job of keeping heat in and reducing your running costs.

With that in mind, you’ll want to make sure the cover is easy to get on and off – otherwise you won’t use it. Trust us – we know!

To save your back, invest in a cover lifter. This simple tool will make light work of taking your cover on and off – saving your back, keeping heat in your spa and importantly, keeping that pesky dirt and debris out!

2. Don’t eat food in your spa

While the idea of a burger, beer and a spa might sound like your idea of heaven – it’s not ideal for spa hygiene or chlorine reduction.

Why? Well, food is made up of organic compounds and when these compounds make it into your spa, they end up eating your spa sanitiser! So, save your saniti-ser and keep the crumbs and drips outside your spa.

3. Keep sunscreen and moisturiser for after your soak

Anyone who has ever had to clean out clogged spa filters will tell you...sunscreen and spas do not mix! In fact, we’d go so far as to say – sunscreen is public enemy number one when it comes to filters.

It can be tricky over the summer months, but sunscreen, moisturisers and the worst – fake tan, clog filters and settle on the inside of the plumbing.

Since clogged or dirty filters can be attributed to roughly 70% of water clarity issues - this is something you’ll want to pay attention to. Learn more about filter cleaning below.

A better option for sun protection in a spa is to invest in shade cover. Not only does a good quality umbrella, gazebo or pergola protect you from the sun – it looks great, is more comfortable for you and helps protect outdoor furniture.

Have a look at the full range of shade options on the Spa World™ website, including automated louvered pergolas and high-quality marine-grade sun umbrellas.

4. Have a shower before using your spa

A little known fact is that you sweat a lot when using a spa. In fact, in a typical 30-minute spa session at 38 degrees – you can sweat out up to 600ml of water!

Of course, it’s not all water either – whatever is in your pores, ends up in your spa as well. We won’t go into what that includes, but suffice to say – a good shower beforehand will certainly help reduce how much of that residue ends up in your spa.

Another benefit of showering before you spa, is it washes off any moisturisers, sunblock and body lotions which (as explained above) are no friend of spa filters.

5. Make sure you do regular spa maintenance

No matter what spa you buy – if you want it to run efficiently and effectively, you will need to look after it.

A well-maintained spa, swim spa or plunge pool will have clean filters and pumps that work to keep your water circulating, filtered and clear of contaminants.

Since clogged or dirty filters can be attributed to roughly 70% of water clarity issues – filter care should be a big part of any spa cleaning routine.

To help your spa do its job, you’ll want to stick to a regular maintenance schedule. Read our Water Care Guide for full details.

As a minimum, we recommend the following spa maintenance routine:

• Daily: Dose with good quality spa sanitiser (ideally after each soak)
• Weekly: Use a test strip to check water ph, alkalinity and hardness levels
• Monthly: Remove and clean pleated cartridge filters (unless disposable, in which case replace them)
• Every 4 to 6 months: Change spa water (12-24 months for swim spas). When changing the water, use a pipe degreaser to clean the plumbing

Of course, all spas are different and some may require more or less maintenance than others. Check manufacture instructions or ask the sales person for more information about what’s involved in looking after your particular spa.

In summary

We hope after reading this article you know how you can use less chlorine in your spa or swim spa.

By sticking to a regular maintenance routine and keeping debris and impurities out of your spa - there should be no need to add any more chlorine sanitiser than the instruction label recommends. You may even be able to use less.

If you find you still have issues with excess chlorine or are having trouble with maintenance - please contact us. We are here to help you get the most out of your spa.