Why Does My Hot Tub Smell Like Rotten Eggs?

Why does my hot tub smell like rotten eggs? If you don’t know what causes the rotten egg smell in your hot tub, then keep reading to find out what causes the awful smell and how to get rid of it!

If you have a hot tub in your house, you probably look forward to getting into it after a tiring day at work. It’s a common thing that many people like to do on a daily basis, as it takes away all of the stress and makes it easier for you to recharge your batteries.

However, there are quite a few odors that you will have to deal with from time to time. You see, the water in your hot tub cannot be drained out on a daily basis.

Instead, to get rid of the bacteria from your tub, you will have to constantly add sanitizers such as bromine or chlorine.

But just how frustrating is it when you go to your hot tub after a tiring day at work and find out that the whole thing reeks of rotten eggs?

The smell of rotten eggs is one of the worst smells in the world, so even the slightest inhalation could cause you to move several steps back.

Needless to say, you might return with all of the air fresheners in the house. The smell of rotten eggs in your hot tub occurs naturally. However, there are several steps that you can take to deal with the problem as quickly as possible.

If you do not take action quickly, you may get used to the smell over time. Therefore, it’s important that you take action as quickly as you can.

Why Does My Hot Tub Smell Like Rotten Eggs?

This gruesome stench in your hot tub is caused due to the overly high amounts of sulfur bacteria in the spa. When the temperature increases and the weather turns warm, the bacteria start to react with the hydrogen sulfide.

For those who don’t know, hydrogen sulfide has a remarkably similar smell to rotten eggs. A question may pop into your head: what produces hydrogen sulfide in the spa? The answer: it’s the heater in your spa.

The water heater in the spa is designed to regulate the temperature of the water, and to do that, it causes a reaction with the sulfur.

The amount of sulfur gas is even higher in hot tubs that are heated up for several hours, but then, no one gets into them. This prevents aeration from taking place.

In general, aeration usually takes place in the hot tub as the jets are powered on, since they allow the water and air to circulate easily throughout the internal system and piping.

Most people are usually concerned about hydrogen sulfide, though it’s important to explain that the gas in general is not harmful for humans.

It just poses a serious nuisance because the disgusting smell may make it difficult for you to sit in the pool at all. However, you should know that the gas is capable of causing damage to your hot tub.

The gas is corrosive and can cause the copper elements in the hot tub to corrode with the passage of time. Before you know it, the internal elements of your hot tub will start to give way.

How to Eradicate the Rotten Egg Smell

There are several methods that you can use to eradicate the smell of rotten eggs from your hot tub. For instance, you may want to start off by giving the water in your tub a chlorine shock.

The first step is to convert the hydrogen sulfide from its gaseous state into a solid state. The best thing to do is treat the water with chlorine.

This procedure is going to cause a shock in the water, thus causing oxidization of the hydrogen sulfide in the tub. This will turn the water into sulphates.

The next step is to use the filtration system in your hot tub to isolate the particles. The particles of sulphates are just going to be left on the surface, so you have to make sure you clean this up properly.

To do that, just activate the jets and the filters. The water will start circulating in the hot tub, and you will notice it cleaning up over time.

You have to be mindful of the efficiency of the whole process. If you have a high-quality filtration system with a robust filter installed, it’s not going to be a big problem.

Once you are done, you just have to take out the filters and wash them as carefully as you can. This way, all traces of the contamination are going to be removed, and you will notice that the smell will all but go away.

Once you have done that, you will want to check whether the filter can be used or if it needs to be replaced altogether. Finally, you will have to disinfect the heater as well.

Keep in mind that the bacteria around the heater is also a major problem that needs to be dealt with. When you are done, you may want to jump in again!

How To Make Hot Tub Water Smell Good

If you want to get rid of all the odors from your hot tub, you may want to consider using aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is an age-old technique that involves the use of essential oils and other smells to calm one’s senses and relax further.

Keep in mind that the jets and the filtration system in your hot tub is not designed for use with more viscous substances like essential oils. Before you decide to drop a few essential oils in the water, you may want to consider reading about the risks involved.

The filtration systems in modern spas are designed to keep the water clean for longer periods of time, and when used correctly, the water is capable of staying fresh for almost a month.

There are a whole bunch of aromatherapy solutions available to you, such as salts, liquids, and crystals. Some even sell capsules that you can use as well.

But, how do you figure out which ones are the best option? It’s important that you first contact your hot tub dealer to find out the best choice before you make a decision.

If you are on the fence and don’t want to put anything in the water that may lead to damage, it’s an excellent idea for you to keep a diffuser around the hot tub.

However, if you were wondering whether aromatherapy could be used to get rid of the smell of rotten eggs, you should know that it doesn’t work that way.

Both come from different sources, and the smells are just different and more powerful. Now, if your hot tub dealer says that there’s no major problem in adding any kind of essential oils, you can go right ahead and buy a few.

Remember, you should only put in a few drops because most essential oils are heavily concentrated and need to be diluted before you can start inhaling them.

Since you will be getting into this water, it’s also important for you to make sure that you do not let any of it get into your mouth at all.