Cloudy hot tub water, again? It’s one of the most common hot tub water issues, but it’s one you can conquer! Cloudy water generally means you have maintenance or water chemistry issues that need attention.

Read on, we’ll break down the most common causes of cloudy water and tell you how to prevent them. Crystal clear hot tub water is in your future!

An overhead shot of a hot tub with its jets on. Its water is cloudy.

1. Unbalanced Water

Balanced water is the cornerstone of clean, clear water in your hot tub. Free chlorine, Total Alkalinity, pH and Total Hardness are the main parameters to keep in balance.

Check these levels regularly and adjust them as needed to keep your hot tub water clean and clear:

Table for the ideal ranges of chemicals in hot tubs. Here is the copy found in the table: Free Chlorine : 1-3 ppm Bromine: 2-4 ppm Total Alkalinity: 80-120 ppm pH: 7.2-7.6 Total Hardness: 150-250 ppm

The Highs and Lows of Hot Tub Water Levels

Your hot tub water is a little like Goldilocks, the water chemistry needs to be “just right.” If Free Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, pH or Total Hardness levels are off, it can result in cloudy water:

High or Low Total Alkalinity:

Alkalinity stabilizes pH. That’s one of the reasons you always check and adjust Total Alkalinity first – before you check and adjust pH.

If Total Alkalinity is too low, pH will fluctuate.

If Total Alkalinity is too high, it can cause cloudy water.

High or Low pH:

High pH leads to scaling and cloudy water.

Low pH can corrode components and irritate skin.

When pH is outside the ideal 7.2-7.6 range, chlorine becomes less effective, which means you may need to add more and more of it.

Total Hardness (also known as Calcium Hardness):

Both high and low Total Hardness levels can cause cloudiness.

High levels lead to scale

Low levels can cause foamy water

Low Sanitizer Levels:

Sanitizer, chlorine or bromine, kills bacteria and breaks down organic matter. Without enough sanitizer, contaminants build up and make the water appear cloudy.

Most commonly, recommendations are for chlorine levels to be between 3-5 ppm. Bromine levels should generally be between 3-6 ppm.

However, if you’d like to use less chlorine or bromine, and if you’d like to keep these levels consistent, consider FROG^® products.

FROG products use sanitizing minerals with a significantly lower level of chlorine or bromine to kill bacteria.

Sanitizing minerals also condition the water for softness, help keep pH balanced, and absorb acids.

With FROG, the ideal chlorine or bromine level is between 0.5-1.0 ppm.

A wide camera shot of an outdoor hot tub with greenery behind it.

Solution:

Keep your water balanced; test your water 2-3 times per week using test strips or digital testers

Maintain proper sanitizer levels in your hot tub water.

Adjust Total Alkalinity, pH and Total Hardness using recommended products; always test and adjust Total Alkalinity first.

2. Dirty or Clogged Filters

Hot tub filters trap debris, oils and particles. Over time, the filters can become clogged, worn or torn, making them less effective, and causing particles to linger in the water.

Signs of filter issues include reduced water flow or visible particles in the water.

A man's hands pull an old hot tub filter out of the hot tub.

Solution:

Rinse your filter every 2-4 weeks.

Perform a deep clean with a filter cleaner every 3 months, follow manufacturer’s directions.

Replace filters annually or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Have a clean filter on hand, so you don’t have to go without one while cleaning your filter or worse, if your filter tears and becomes unusable.

A handful of personal care bottles sit alongside a pink loofah. the image has a transparent background.

3. Contaminants from Bathers

Every time anyone soaks in the hot tub, oils, lotions, sweat and makeup enter the water. This is when the sanitizer goes to work; however, but these contaminants overwhelm the sanitizer and lead to cloudy water.

Solution:

Encourage everyone who uses your hot tub to rinse off with only water before entering the hot tub.

Use a surface cleaner or scum absorber to remove oils from the water.

Shock your water after heavy use to break down organic contaminants. FROG Maintain^® is the recommended non-chlorine shock to help maintain clean, clear water. It comes in a convenient one-dose packet. Cut it open, pour it in and hot tub water is sparkling clean in 15 minutes.

4. Poor Circulation

Circulation is a key factor in keeping hot tub water clean and clear. Your hot tub pump and jets keep water circulating. If circulation is inadequate, debris can settle and cloud the water. If the hot tub pump isn’t working properly, it affects water circulation and water quality.

Solution:

Regularly check on your pump to keep it running as recommended (typically 8-12 hours daily).

Check the jets or pump system for any blockages.

5. Environmental Factors

Dust, pollen and debris like leaves, grass or twigs can get into your hot tub water, especially if it’s uncovered for a long time.

Dust particles float through the air. Image has a transparent background and only the particles are shown.

Solution:

Use a hot tub cover when your hot tub is not in use.

Clean the cover regularly – inside and out – to prevent debris from getting in the water.

Trim and dust nearby plants too, do that leaves and pollen don’t get into the hot tub water.

An outdoor hot tub is lit up by the sun. A plant sits to the right of the hot tub.

6. Insufficient Shocking

Shock breaks down organic matter and restores sanitizer levels. Plus, if you use non-chlorine shock to clear up water, you don’t add more chlorine. Without shocking your hot tub regularly, contaminants can build up and cause cloudiness.