subject: The importance of cleaning your Whirlpool Bath [print this page] The importance of cleaning your Whirlpool Bath
Do I need to clean my whirlpool bathtub? .......... YES:
The use of soaps, bubble bath additives, shampoos, conditioners etc in your whirlpool bath can all contribute to the build up of bath deposits inside the pipework.
Substances such as body oils, skin, soap scum, and general grime can be quite difficult to shift if it is allowed to build up over time.
Any organic build up inside the pipelines can encourage the growth of bacteria, which if not treated may result in an unhygienic system and ugly black flecks being seen in the water.
The conditions inside the whirlpool pipework are warm and damp, whch is the ideal environment to harbour bacteria. It is vital therefore that the pipework is flushed out regularly with specialist whirlpool cleaning and sanitising products in order to help reduce any build up of bath deposits and minimse the growth of bacteria.
All whirlpool bathtubs have a small amount of residual water left in the pipes, minerals in the water are capable of calcifying around the insides of the pipes.
This hard scale build up not only restricts water flow, but becomes a breading ground for bacteria. As the algae breaks off, you will see it in your bath water as ugly black flecks.
An even greater health risk comes from the germs and bacteria that are left from previous bathers. Fecal matter, cold and flu germs are basic household germs that can be controlled if properly cleaned.
I don't use my whirlpool system very often do I still have to clean it? .........YES,
Even if the whirlpool bath is used as a normal bath tub and the whirlpool isn't activated, the pipework will still get flooded with bath water, this means that soaps, bubble baths etc will leave a residue inside the pipework when the bath water is drained. If this build up is not removed it may encourage bacterial growth.
How do I clean inside my whirlpool bath?
There are specialist whirlpool bath cleaning & sanitising products available on the market to help make tackle these problems.
Most whirlpool cleaners contain a detergent ingredient & a degreaser to help break down the grime inside the pipes & flush it out, these should be used regularly.
Whirlpool sanitising tablets are also available and these help to minimise the growth of bacteria in the pipes. Sanitising tablets do not offer any cleaning properties & are only really effective in systems that have been cleaned. They are designed to keep the system hygieninc and fresh in between uses.
In order to be effective whirlpool cleaning products need to be used very regulalry & ideally from day one, you should also try to use a sanitising tablet in between the time that you clean your system in order to help minimise the growth of bacteria.
Always refer to the instructions on the bottle as each product is different.
Prevention is better than cure & whirlpool bath owners should take care to avoid using bath oils, emollient skin products and heavy soaps as these create a build up inside the pipes that can be difficult to shift.
Are all whirlpool cleaning products the same?
NO....Some whirlpool cleaning products are much more effective than others.
When choosing a whirlpool cleaner or sanitiser, you should beware of brands that claim to work miracles at very low doses. These products may seem like good value, but be warned...most average bath tubs hold at least 150 Litres of water & some whirlpool cleaners claim to work with a dose of just 50-100mls of product!
This sounds great, but actually is likely to be very ineffective. When a cleaning product is diluted into this amount of water its efficacy is significantly decreased.
A 50 - 100ml sachet dose of whirlpool cleaner in 150 litres of water is very unlikely to have any cleaning power left at all!
