Too Much Chlorine in Hot Tub? Here’s How to Fix It Quickly.

When you own a pool or hot tub, you know that chlorine is a must if you want to keep it clean and keep bacteria at bay. Chlorine acts like an oxidizer by attacking contaminants and destroying them. While you want this to happen to keep your hot tub sanitary, there is such a thing as too much chlorine in the hot tub. Your chlorine levels may be too high if you added too many chlorine tablets. This can happen frequently but is easy to fix.

When your hot tub has too much chlorine it can not only damage the unit itself, but also cause skin, eye, and even lung irritation. We’re going to take a look at how to know when you have too much chlorine in your hot tub as well as how to fix it.

How Do I Know if I Have Too Much Chlorine in the Hot Tub

The only true way to know if you have too much chlorine in your water is to test it with a chlorine test strip. Some people may complain of eye or skin irritations, but that may not be due to the chlorine level. Using the test strip is the most effective method. 

Quickly dip the strip in your water, no need to hold it under water, and wait 15 seconds for the strip to develop. When you take it out, you’ll be able to see the chlorine level and whether it is too high. The Centers for Disease Control recommends a chlorine concentration of 1.0ppm to 3.0ppm in hot tubs. If your test strip indicates that your chlorine level is above that, you’ll want to reduce the amount of chlorine. The strips are easy to read and will clearly indicate if your chlorine level is too high.

How Can Too Much Chlorine Damage My Hot Tub?

Having too much chlorine can damage your hot tub by corroding pipes and eating away at the filter and acrylics. This is because it throws off pH levels and increases acidity. It’s this acidity that can damage your hot tub.

How to Eliminate Too Much Chlorine in the Hot Tub

Eliminating too much chlorine in the water is a fairly easy job. There are several different approaches you can take.

Use a Chlorine Neutralizer

One way to lower the amount of chlorine in your water is to use a neutralizer. This is typically recommended if you want to use your hot tub quickly and need the chlorine levels to go down to do so. Sodium Thiosulfate is a neutralizer you can add gradually to get the chlorine level down. You’ll want to follow the directions on the bottle and go by your test strip reading to determine how much to use.

Refill the Tub with Fresh Water

An easy way to get the excess chlorine out is to drain the tub and refill it with fresh water. Once you do this, you can retest the water to see if any chemicals are needed to get the water to where it needs to be chemical-wise.

Let Nature Take Its Course

Perhaps the easiest way to fix your water when there’s too much chlorine is to do nothing at all. That’s right, absolutely nothing. Let nature take its course and allow the chlorine to drop down to safe levels on its own. If you don’t use the hot tub for a few days and don’t add any more chemicals, the chlorine levels will drop. You can retest after a few days to see if that has happened.

You can help the process along by running the jets and taking the cover off. The sunlight will help to lower the chlorine level as well. These tactics are usually recommended if you’re not in a rush to use your hot tub. If you have a few days to wait before going back in, this is the easiest way to deal with too much chlorine in the hot tub.

Once you think the chlorine level is lowered, retest the water. Sometimes fluctuating chlorine levels can impact other chemicals. You want to be sure everything is balanced and the water is once again safe for you to enjoy.

About The Author:

Manny Brambila

Pool & Spa Expert

Manny has been in the Pool & Spa industry for over 15 years and is considered a pool, swim spa, & hot tub expert. He has been a Certified Pool & Spa Operator (CPO) since 2009 and worked 15 years in aquatic training and development for the largest pool chemical and customer care company. He also has been an outside consultant for the Pool and Spa industry in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles since 2018. In the past few years Manny has become Director of Operations for Epic Hot Tubs with a priority of providing customers with the most reliable information and best service possible.