Cloudy, Foamy, or Odorous Hot Tub Water

Understand what causes water clarity issues and how to restore clean, balanced hot tub water.

Serving Santa Rosa & surrounding communities

Cloudy or unpleasant hot tub water is common and usually fixable. This guide walks through the most frequent causes and the practical steps needed to restore clarity and balance without overcorrecting.

Common Causes

  • Imbalanced pH or alkalinity
  • Low sanitizer levels
  • Body oils, lotions, and cosmetics
  • Environmental debris or dead algae
  • Dirty or clogged filters

How to Fix the Problem

  1. Test and balance alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels before adding anything else.
  2. Shock the water to break down organic contaminants and restore sanitizer effectiveness.
  3. Rinse or deep-clean the filter and improve circulation to help remove suspended particles.

Demonstration video courtesy of Swim University

When to Drain & Refill

If water problems return quickly or don’t improve after balancing and shocking, a full drain and refill is often the most effective solution.