
The hot tub might start smelling if:
- The pH levels are high, causing a musty smell.
- You haven’t used the tub for some time; thus, the water has settled long enough to allow algae or mildew growth.
- Bacteria are quickly accumulating around the plumbing system since they haven’t been cleaned or checked for a while.
Why does my spa smell bad?
A foul smelling spa or hot tub is a sure sign that bacteria is hiding somewhere in your spa, spa equipment, or spa cover. I'm not talking about the smell of spa bromine
How do I know if my spa water is bad?
If your water has a sharp, pungent smell, there’s a chance your pH is low. When your spa water’s pH is very high, it is often accompanied by a musty, stale odor. Your goal pH level should be between 7.4-7.6 so make sure you’re staying within that area.
Why does my water have an odor?
Please try again later. Your water can emit an odor if there's low levels of sanitizer, your pH is out of range, or there's bacteria or algae growth. For addressing this issue we will potentially need either dichlor chlorinating granules, pH Up, or pH Down.
Does your spa smell like ozone?
or ozone - but a rotten egg, dirty socks, wet dog kind of smell! Your spa water can be crystal clear, and you can still have smelly spa water. A spa with an odor problem is not uncommon, so don't feel bad when it happens to you - feel motivated, and do something about it!

How do I stop my hot tub water from smelling?
To offset the foul smell, you should hyper-chlorinate your hot tub and circulate the water for 30 minutes to sanitize and completely remove the harmful bacteria inside. Afterwards, leave the cover open for at least 1-2 hours to allow the remaining gases to ventilate out.
How do I get rid of the smell in my spa?
1:123:15How to Get Rid of SPA COVER Odor | Swim University - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLevel is good number two you can remove and clean your hot tub cover with a mild soap solution and aMoreLevel is good number two you can remove and clean your hot tub cover with a mild soap solution and a soft sponge. And i recommend using a quarter teaspoon of dish soap to a half gallon of water.
Why does my hot tub water smell like feet?
pH Levels. Your spa pH level, can affect the way that your spa water smells. When pH is very low, an sharp and pungent smell can result and when pH is very high, a musty and stale odor can result. Check and balance your pH level often, and maintain it in the 7.4-7.6 range.
Why does my hot tub smell like a fish tank?
If your hot tub smells like fish, it's likely because there is a build-up of bacteria in the water. This can happen if the hot tub is not cleaned regularly, or if the filter is not changed often enough. Fishy smells can also be caused by a problem with your sanitizer or pH level.
Why does my pool water smell sour?
Answer: Probably combined chlorine. When chlorine gets "used up" but is not oxidized off it does tend to have an offensive odor.
How do I get rid of bacteria in my hot tub?
The best way to kill bacteria in a hot tub is by using chlorine-based sanitization methods. Chlorine helps kill various germs, although it takes some time to act. When used properly, free chlorine can kill most germs within a few minutes. Free chlorine is the more active form of chlorine that kills germs.
Should my hot tub smell?
If your water has a sharp, pungent smell, there's a chance your pH is low. When your spa water's pH is very high, it is often accompanied by a musty, stale odor. Your goal pH level should be between 7.4-7.6 so make sure you're staying within that area.
Does high pH water smell?
Highly alkaline water can smell and taste unpleasant, too. It can also damage pipes and create accelerated wear and tear in appliances, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Why does my hot tub have a strong chemical smell?
If your hot tub smells like chemicals, it's likely due to high levels of chloramines or bromamines. Chloramines and bromamines are compounds that are formed when your chlorine or bromine reacts with sweat, oils, and other organic matter in the water, and releases into the air.
Why does my hot tub smell like wet dog?
Your water can emit an odor if there's low levels of sanitizer, your pH is out of range, or there's bacteria or algae growth. For addressing this issue we will potentially need either dichlor chlorinating granules, pH Up, or pH Down.
Why does my spa smell?
When unsanitized water is trapped in a warm environment - that's right, you get bacteria! If your spa cover has gained a few pounds, it may be the source of your spa smells. Remove it to an area away from the spa to determine if the funky spa smell is from the spa, or the spa cover.
What does it mean when a spa smells?
A foul smelling spa or hot tub is a sure sign that bacteria is hiding somewhere in your spa, spa equipment, or spa cover. I'm not talking about the smell of spa bromine. or ozone - but a rotten egg, dirty socks, wet dog kind of smell! Your spa water can be crystal clear, and you can still have smelly spa water.
How often should I drain my spa water?
I like to drain my spa every 90 days, or sooner if I have been a little slack in my spa care routine, or if one of my spa parties becomes a little crowded or... boisterous! For smelly spas, draining the water may not do the trick of removing the smell. If not, read on for more causes of hot tub odor.
Can you smell spa water?
Your spa water can be crystal clear, and you can still have smelly spa water. A spa with an odor problem is not uncommon, so don't feel bad when it happens to you - feel motivated, and do something about it! Here's some steps to take to remove odors from your spa, so you can get back to enjoying your relaxing soaks.
Can bacteria live in hot tub pipes?
Your Hot Tub Pipes. Bacteria can build a nice home for themselves inside of your plumbing pipes. This is almost a certainty if you neglected the spa for some time, or left it almost empty, but with some water left inside the pipes and equipment underneath. This topic kind of grosses me out to be honest, so I'll be quick.
Can you seal a water logged spa cover?
If you can find the source of the water logged spa cover, you can attempt to seal up the void, dry out the spa cover guts, and reassemble. In most cases however, a water logged hot tub cover or a spa top with broken foam inserts will have you soon looking to buy a new spa cover!
Do hot tub covers hold water?
Hot tub covers are designed to drain properly and not hold water. If you've owned your hot tub for any length of time however, you know that spa covers don't last forever. Eventually, nearly all spa covers will begin to trap water. When unsanitized water is trapped in a warm environment - that's right, you get bacteria!
What does it mean when your spa water smells?
If your water has a sharp, pungent smell, there’s a chance your pH is low. When your spa water’s pH is very high, it is often accompanied by a musty, stale odor. Your goal pH level should be between 7.4-7.6 so make sure you’re staying within that area.
Why does my hot tub smell bad?
A bad smelling hot tub is a sign bacteria is hiding somewhere in your spa, its equipment, or the cover. Let’s take a look at some of the possible stench offenders and what you can do to remedy the problem.
How to get rid of a smelly spa?
The first step in decontaminating unbalanced and smelly water is to hyperchlorinate which gives your water an extra dose of sanitizer to help kill the bacteria in it. To hyperchlorinate, you’ll bring the chlorine level in your spa to a high of at least 100 ppm using a granular chlorine.
What happens if you leave a hot tub empty?
If your hot tub has been neglected for a while or it has been left almost empty but with water filling the pipes, there’s a good chance you have bacteria built up in your plumbing and filter. You’ll have to begin the process of decontamination immediately. The perpetrator may be bio-film that has entered the plumbing.
How long to circulate chlorine in acrylic spa?
Add the chlorine and then circulate the water on high speed for a half an hour with the cover closed and all jets turned on to ensure maximum circulation.
What to do after circulating spa water?
After circulating the hyperchlorinated water, add something like Spa Purge to your water— this will clean out any other contaminant built up in your plumbing, jets, or filtration system. After completing the purge, you’ll empty your spa water and complete a refill.
How to clean foam inserts?
Unzip the openings of your cover that hold the foam inserts. This will allow air in and let the inserts dry. Use a broom or brush to knock out debris like dust or mildew that have accumulated in your cover. Remove the inserts if it’s evident the whole thing needs a good cleaning but only if you have to--they are rarely easy to remove or replace.
Why does my water smell like sewage?
Were you away from home for an extended period of time and shut it off to save energy? The smell could be originating from the bacteria that was harvested in the lower temperatures while the water heater was turned down or off. The smell can become quite pungent.
Why does my water heater smell?
The smell could be originating from the bacteria that harvested itself in the lower temperatures while the hot water heater was turned down . The bacteria isn’t harmful to you, but the smell can become quite pungent. Another cause could be the result of hydrogen sulfide entering the water supply.
What is the best way to reduce musty smell in water?
If your home’s water smells musty on a recurring basis, installing a reverse osmosis (RO) system from Brita Total 360 can reduce the odor in your drinking water.
How to get rid of a smelly faucet?
What you should do. First, grab a glass of water from the faucet while plugging your nose. Walk away with the water in hand, then take a whiff once you’re in another room. If the water smells normal, the odor is coming from bacteria build-up in your drain.
How to get rid of a smelly water heater?
If your water still smells after you’ve removed yourself from the sink area, try turning up the temperature in your water heater for 24 hours.
What to do if water softener smells musty?
What you should do if your water softener smells musty. If your water softener smells musty you need to perform some basic maintenance steps. The first thing you should do is pour a 16 oz bottle of cleanser down the brine well.
What to do if water smells like it's coming from sewer?
If the smell persists, you need to contact your local water testing lab. They can test the water for contaminants and detect hydrogen sulfide. Whirlpool also offers a solution to water that smells like it’s coming from a sewer.
Why does my hot tub smell?
This might be because of two main reasons: The chlorine or bromine is working too hard to oxidize contaminants.
What makes a hot tub smell bad?
Unless there is a dumpsite nearby, when your hot tub is smelling bad, there might be a problem with the tub’s water, plumbing system, or surfaces. The hot tub might start smelling if:
How do you get the smell out of a hot tub?
However, in most cases, the issue is related to maintenance or general tub’s hygiene .
How to get the smell of a hot tub back?
To get back the refreshing smell in your hot tub, try shocking your tub to kill contaminants. Cleaning the tub properly might be a better option, although you will have to drain the water entirely before doing so to get the work well done. Some people opt to use spa packets to cross from smelling clean to smelling amazing.
Why does my tub smell musty?
How tub smells musty. A musty smell develops from high alkaline conditions that encourage mold growth. In most cases, your tub smells musty because of these two reasons: You cleaned your tub with some soap that later accumulated around your tub’s sides.
Why does my house smell like chlorine?
Your chlorine or bromine levels are out of balance, causing heavy chemical smells.
Why does my hot tub smell like rotten eggs?
Other times it could be due to too much Sulphur build up in the home water supply. This often comes naturally when the tub is left open during a heavy downpour. If there is excessive corrosion of metals in the tub’s water, excess electrons can bring the sulfides.
Why Does My Washer Stink?
So, there are a couple of different reasons why your washing machine may smell funky. What that odor smells like and what type of washer you have (front loading vs top loading) can help you determine the source of your unwanted stink.
How To Fix A Washing Machine That Smells Bad
No matter what smells you’re dealing with, you’re probably going to need to clean your washer’s drum to completely get rid of any lingering smells. Luckily, it’s not too hard. You may very well have everything you need at home!
How to Clean Your Washing Machine With Chlorine Bleach
A surefire way to get rid of moldy smells in your washer is by doing a bleach clean. Before you jump in, make sure you take proper safety precautions. Wear gloves, ensure the space is adequately ventilated (open windows, turn on fans or vents), and never combine chlorine bleach with other cleaners, even vinegar.
How to Stop Bad Washing Machine Smells Before They Start
Don’t let clothes sit for long. Be quick about getting wet clothes out of the washer and into the dryer. Wet clothes don’t need to sit for too long in the washer or the dryer before mildew starts to grow, causing a musty, moldy smell both on your clothes and in the appliance.
Wrapping Up
There! See? It isn’t too hard to eradicate odor causing microorganisms in your washing machine. After following this guide, your laundry should be smelling much fresher, and maybe coming out a bit more clean, to boot.
