Spa & Hot Tub Essentials

As summer becomes a fading memory, the crisp fall air and colorful leaves usher in a new kind of aquatic activity. It's Hot Tub Season!

Today we un-cover ten popular and essential accessories for hot tub owners, including my own favorite spa gear!

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Sun-Sorb

Happy little suns, floating sponges attract oils at the water line, to prevent scum lines, foamy water and oily spa filters. Just toss one Sun Sorb into your spa or skimmer, and it will soak up body oils, cosmetics, sweat.

Each Sun Sorb absorbs more than 40 times its own weight in oils and lotions. They can be easily cleaned with regular dish soap and re-used many times. A low-tech alternative to using spa enzymes (see below).

Filter Wand

Cleaning a filter cartridge with water only, can push small dirt particles deep into the woven polyester fabric, where they can clog and damage your filter element. In addition, large streams of water can separate filter fibers, reducing the dirt trapping ability.

The Filter Cleaning Wand extends filter life by gently scrubbing between pleats to loosen dirt and grime, while 24 fine, focused jets of water quickly wash them away, without separating filter fibers.

Instant Cartridge Clean

New from Leisure Time, Instant Cartridge Clean is a combination degreaser and descaling chemical that removes both oils and mineral deposits from spa filter cartridges, for better filter performance.

What I love about this particular spa filter cleaner is that it sprays on in a visible blue color, so that you know when you have complete coverage. The spray head also conserves the chemical, so you only use the amount you need.

Digital Thermometer

I must admit, it may be hard to get excited about a floating spa thermometer, but if you are going to have a thermometer in your hot tub, this is the one to buy. Most spas have a digital read-out of water temperature, but it's important to cross-check it, just to be safe.

Without my glasses, I cannot read those standard thermometers, but the Digital Thermometer has large numbers that pop, and it measures down to 1/10 of a degree, in Celsius or Fahrenheit.

Spa Perfect

Spa Perfect by Natural Chemistry is an all-natural patented natural enzyme and botanical extract formula for hot water.

If you are not familiar with enzyme water treatment, they are very effective at bio-degrading oils, make-up, skin and other non-living organic materials that cause cloudy and foamy water, scum lines and gunked-up spa filters.

InSPAration Liquid Aromatherapy

I always thought "pfft! Aromatherapy?!?", until I tried a sample pack dropped off by a product rep, and from then on I was a complete convert.

InSPAration makes many, many spa scents, for all types of olfactory experiences - relaxation, invigoration and even passion, woo-hoo!

My latest favorite, which may sound a bit low-key or pedestrian, is Rain, I just love it!

Floating Spa Cover

A thermal spa cover serves two purposes, it will increase your R-value, saving money on heating and treating the water. Secondly, it reduces the amount of moisture and chemicals that come in contact with the spa cover, which can be the biggest contributor to spa cover damage.

I also use my Floating Spa Cover when we are using the spa during hot summer nights, as kind of a 'summer cover' for the hot tub.

Frog Serene Sanitizing System

This is a floating brominator and mineral purifier in one. If you have not used a spa mineral stick before, it adds copper and silver ions to the water, to reduce the amount of bromine or chlorine needed.

With the mineral and bromine combo of Frog Serene, all of my spa sanitizing needs are met, and the spa needs much less bromine, for less odor and softer skin.

Cover Care & Conditioner

Taking care of your insulating hot tub cover is important if you want it to last as long as possible.

If your spa is located outside (like mine!), and subject to wind, rain, snow and sun ~ regular use of Cover Care will keep it looking new and can add years to your cover lifespan.

Pool Blaster Catfish

The Catfish is a battery operated vacuum with a vacuum head, or remove the head to spot clean in corners.

Cleans fast, recharges fast and is fast (and easy) to empty the fine mesh debris bag. I also use it in my pool to spot clean steps and swim-outs.

I've had my Catfish for over 5-years now, without a single hiccup. Not sure what I would do without it!