How Soon Can You Go In A Hot Tub After Adding Chlorine?

Chlorine or any other form of hot tub sanitizer is absolutely vital in keeping your hot tub water fresh, clean and clear.  However, chlorine is also a very strong chemical and if used incorrectly can cause all sorts of problems. I have been wondering how long you have to wait before getting into your hot tub after adding chemicals to it and so I decided to do a bit of research into the matter.  Here is what I found out:

How soon can you go in a hot tub after adding chlorine? When you add chlorine to the water in your hot tub you should test the water and wait until the levels of chlorine have dropped to a safe recommended level of between 2 and 4 parts per million.  Depending upon how much chlorine there is in the water this may take a couple of hours or up to 24 hours or so for the levels to reduce. If you get into soon you could risk the chlorine irritating your skin or causing respiratory problems.  Even if the levels appear correct it’s always worth waiting for at least 30 minutes to allow the chlorine to fully dissipate into the water to avoid any highly concentrated areas.

Safe chlorine levels in a hot tub

So, generally speaking, you can’t get straight into a hot tub after adding chlorine or any other chemical really for that matter.  Firstly you need to allow time for the chemical to dissipate and to disperse fully in the water to avoid any concentrated spots of chemical. 

This doesn’t really take long but it’s best to allow 30 minutes or so and also to put the jets on to allow the water to circulate around and for the chemical to fully be absorbed.  It’s also a good idea for the hot tub cover to be off during this time as this will allow for any vapors to escape more quickly.

 If you are adding chlorine to your hot tub as a sanitizer then you will add enough to the water until it is between 5 and 8 parts per million. This will ensure that the water has a good chlorine boost and the chlorine can really work hard to get rid of any bacteria and to really cleanse the water.

However, between 5 and 8 parts per million is not considered safe to bathe in and is likely to cause irritation to the skin and eyes as well as possible respiratory issues.  This means that you need to wait. Chlorine decays over time so the amount of chlorine in the water will reduce the longer you wait. You need to check your chlorine levels regularly and wait until the level is between 2 and 4 parts per million in order for it to be safe.

 How to check chlorine levels in a hot tub

Checking your chlorine level is really easy.  You simply need a test strip which you dip in the water and then compare the resulting colour with the key on the side of the test strip pot.  I’ve used these test strips for this job and they work fine and are reasonably priced. This will tell you how much chlorine there is in the water.

Make sure that you keep the test strips in the waterproof container when you are not using them and when you get them out be careful not to get any drops of water on them from your hand or to allow sweat or any other dirt or fluids from your fingers to interfere with the test strip.

How to reduce the level of chlorine in your hot tub

If you find that your chlorine level is extremely high then you can do a couple of things apart from waiting.  Firstly you can actually reduce the water level in your hot tub by letting some water out and then by refilling.  This is a bit of a hassle but might be quicker than waiting for 24 hours or more for the chlorine level to reduce by itself.  You can also speed up the whole process by using this sump pump as well.

Bear in mind that the water that you drain out of the hot tub will have high chlorine levels in it and could potentially be damaging to plants or lawns if you decide to dispose of it in the garden.  Find out about disposing of your hot tub water here.

When filling up, use fresh clean water with a hose filter on it to make sure that the water hasn’t got an excessive amount of metals or dirt in it. Once you have diluted the hot tub water with fresh water you will find that the chlorine levels have gone down.  You might well need to run the jets on the hot tub for a while make sure that the water gets completely mixed together.

If you are in a real hurry and you have an excessive amount of chlorine in your hot tub you can use a chlorine neutralizer such as Sodium Thiosulphate.  It’s best, if possible, to allow the chlorine levels to decay naturally but a neutraliser will do the job. This one has good ratings and will do the job. Follow the instructions on the side of the packet very carefully and make sure that you retest the water to ensure that you have reached a safe chlorine level before getting into the tub. 

Is it safe to get in a hot tub with high chlorine levels?

It’s really not a great idea to get into a hot tub with excessive chlorine levels in it.  Chlorine is a powerful chemical and if not used correctly it can cause skin irritation, problems with hair, excessively itchy eyes and also respiratory issues. 

That’s not to say that if you do bathe in high chlorine levels that you would have any of these problems but there is a higher risk. High levels of chlorine are also allegedly associated with other health issues and so it simply doesn’t make sense to not follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and put your health at risk. 

Remember that when you are sitting in a hot tub you are basically sitting in a chemical stew. Ideally, the less amount of chemical that there is in the water the better so try to avoid high chlorine levels where ever possible.

Are there any alternatives to using chlorine in a hot tub?

There are a number of alternatives to using chlorine as a sanitizer in your hot tub and increasingly in recent years people have become much more aware of the environmental and health issues associated with using strong chemicals.  It is possible to sanitize a hot tub using a more natural salt water method, there is also UV, ozoneators and some other alternative ways of sanitization that avoid using strong and harsh chemicals. Read my post here on hot tubs and the environment for more information.

How long do you have to wait after shocking a hot tub to get in?

If you are using a natural or non-chlorine shock then you can, in theory, get into the hot tub fairly much straight away after adding it.  Again allow 30 minutes or so for the chemical to mix into the water. However, if you are using a chemical or chlorine shock then the same rules apply as above.  You need to check that the chlorine levels are at a safe 2 to 4 parts per million level and wait until the chlorine has dissipated to this before you get into the hot tub this could take anywhere up to 24 hours.

You can avoid the whole issue of having to wait for your chemicals to subside and wondering whether it’s safe to get into your hot tub by adding chlorine or shock dosing the tub after each use rather than before you want to get in it. This will work well for most people as a majority of people will use their hot tub maybe once a day at a fairly regular time.

Just remember to shock the tub after each use and then it will have 24 hours or so for the chlorine levels to dissipate to safe levels.  Just to be on the safe side it’s always worth doing a quick water test before you get into your hot tub to make sure that everything is as it should be. If you get into a regular habit of water maintenance like this it is actually very simple to keep your hot tub fresh and clear. I have a whole post devoted to hot tub care and maintenance here which I hope you will find really helpful. 

Related Question:

How long should I wait to get in my hot tub after adding bromine? This depends how much bromine there is in your hot tub.  The safe level for bromine in a hot tub is between 1 and 3 parts per million.  If you have added bromine and done a test and the result is within this range then wait 30 minutes or so with the jets on to allow the water to mix with the bromine and then just to be sure test again. If the level is still between 1 and 3 parts per million then it is safe to get into the hot tub.  If the level is above 3 parts per million you will need to wait a few hours for the bromine to dissipate and for the levels to come down to a safe level. This could take two, three or 4 hours or anywhere up to 24 hours if the levels are particularly high.