Hot Tub Party

A Hot Tub party? What’s that all about? A Hot Tub Party is a great way to enjoy time with family and friends, especially to celebrate a special occasion or a just have a get-together. Done correctly, hosting a Hot Tub Party can be a fantastic and enjoyable way to bring people together to have a great time.

As the host, there are a few things to attend to in advance to ensure the party goes swimmingly. 

A little bit of planning and preparation beforehand goes a long way towards a smooth party and ensuring both your, and your guests’ enjoyment. 

Hot Tub Safety

To ensure your guests have an enjoyable time, BISHTA (British and Irish Hot Tub Association) recommends a maximum bathing period of 15 minutes before taking a break. 

Guests should keep hydrated with non-alcoholic drinks and use non-glass products in the hot tub to avoid breakages. 

Always supervise children when using the hot tub (the medical advice is to prevent children under four years of age from using the hot tub). 

Too many people in a hot tub (more than one person per seat or lounger) can be dangerous and cause a problem with water quality management. 

It is, therefore, ideal to keep the gathering small for a hot tub party. If you want more people to use the hot tub, use it in shifts. Remember, it is not designed for heavy constant usage throughout the day. 

You should manage the water quality after each shift by visually checking that the water is not cloudy and by testing the water for sanitiser and pH, to satisfy yourself they are within the suggested limits. 

There must be always adult supervision of the hot tub, especially for any children that may be permitted to use the hot tub. 

Keep The Hot Tub Water Clean – Avoid Jumping In And Out

Children near water will naturally be inclined to get in and out of the hot tub to play with the water rather than stay in the water as an adult would. 

Setting some ground rules before entering the hot tub can be very beneficial. 

Never jump into a hot tub as some semi-rigid spas have internal seats, protruding filters and are usually very shallow.

It is recommended not to have toys in a hot hub, especially ones which could sink. 

If you do allow toys into the hot tub, it is essential that you use toys that float and that children are always supervised by a responsible adult. 

If toys are used, they should be removed from the water when the hot tub is not being used to reduce the possibility of attracting very small children back to the water (to avoid a drowning risk). 

The recommendation is that bathers should not submerge their heads under the water.

Always replace the lid and lock it when not using the hot tub. 

It is also sensible to have a way of keeping feet clean and free of dirt and grass etc, to avoid it being transferred into the hot tub water. 

Preparation For A Hot Tub Party

A couple of days before your party, ensure your hot tub is clean, and check that the water is balanced by testing it and then adding the appropriate chemicals if required. Do this well before your guests arrive. Check out our How do I Get My Hot Tub Ready For A Party FilterCare topic.

You should also check your hot tub to ensure it is in good working order and that your filter cover, headrests, and other equipment are secure and in good working condition. 

Never block or cover suction fittings or skimmers in the hot tub.

Don’t forget to check and/or clean the filters. Follow the link to our Filter Care topic for help and information about cleaning filters. It involves more than just swilling it under the tap!

Also check out the Darlly SaniStream inline Sanitising system that is so easy to use and just pops inside the filter.

Give your guests some guidelines about using the hot tub 

Asking your guests to shower before entering the hot tub is a good idea. It might seem awkward to ask, but there is good reason for this – if your guests are wearing fake tan, body lotions, face makeup, sun cream or deodorants, this will contaminate the water and spoil the occasion quickly. 

Unless your guests are hot tub owners, it is unlikely that will know this.

Showering will not remove fake tan, but the sanitiser will, and the residue will contaminate the hot tub water. 

Face makeup must also be removed before using the hot tub, the steam will cause the makeup to run off into the water.

Hot Tub Water Temperature

Never use a hot tub with a water temperature higher than 40ºC; you may prefer it much nearer to body temperature (about 37ºC for adults and 36 ºC for children under 12). Reputable brands will be factory configured in such a way as to make this impossible. 

BISHTA recommends keeping a good quality thermometer on hand to double-check the water temperature against that shown on the hot tub’s display. 

Bathers should never put their heads underwater in a hot tub, as this could lead to the water being swallowed and bathers becoming unwell if there are any infectious agents (bacteria, etc.) in the water.

Food And Drink In The Hot Tub

Keeping food out of the hot tub water is a must as even a few crumbs and leftovers can adversely affect the water quality. 

People should stay hydrated (non-alcoholic drinks) when using a hot tub; serve your drinks in non-glass products to avoid breakages and broken glass in the hot tub. 

Set A Theme

When setting the theme, you can get creative based on a celebration, the season, or a bright, fun idea. 

Make an anniversary an occasion to remember with an evening BBQ, a fire pit, fairy lights and LED props, then relax with your guests in your bubbling hot tub under starry skies.

Maybe create tropical holiday vibes with a tiki bar, inflatable props such as palm trees, seating, loungers, and pink flamingos and enjoy party games in the luscious surroundings of your garden in bloom.

Light It Up And Enjoy The Music

Use the built-in music system and lighting, or floating Bluetooth speakers and lights to create the perfect atmosphere for a party or relaxation. 

In the dark, use the underwater lights so that bathers can see their safe entry point into and out of the water, and ensure the access route(s) between the house and the hot tub are clearly lit as well. 

Remember any neighbours regarding possible disturbance; this will not be an issue if they have been invited to the party! 

Movie Premiere or Sports Event 

If you have invested in a projector to host outdoor movie nights or to celebrate your favourite sporting events with your family and friends, remember not spend more than 15 minutes at a time bathing in the hot tub. 

You should take regular breaks from bathing. Watch from outside the hot tub and rehydrate regularly with non-alcoholic drinks. 

Please ensure that any electrical equipment is suitable to place near a wet environment and follow all safety information to ensure that the water and electricity do not mix. 

Robes, Towels and Sliders 

You can make your guests comfortable with hot tub robes, sliders, and towels. 

Keep these for your hot tub, and have somewhere for your guest to hang their robes. Using a robe means your guests do not need to rush to get changed; you can comfortably sit outside your hot tub to enjoy the party with some food and drink. 

However, guests should shower after leaving the hot tub to remove any residue from the chemically treated water. 

Providing sliders is a lovely touch for your guests and they offer a range of benefits. They help to reduce slip hazards, offer some foot protection, and reduce the risk of debris being carried into the hot tub. 

An all-year-round party location 

You can bring the sense of summer to your autumnal catchups with friends and family. 

A hot tub is ideal for hosting and entertaining guests when the nights draw in. 

It is a perfect place to enjoy warm bubbles during winter while you and your guests relax and enjoy each other’s company, stargazing or watching the snowfall. 

In the warmer months of summer, you can bring the cool vibes by dropping the hot tub’s temperature for a cooling dip where you and your guests can delight in the summer’s warmth, slip on your shades, and chillax!

Don’t forget your Darlly Spa Cocktails to add to the hot tub for that added extra pizazz!

Further interesting information about Hot Tub and FilterCare

We have additional interesting information, and many other relevant topics to help you with hot tub and filter care which you may find interesting, on our Darlly Filter Care Topics page. Take a quick look, there may just be something that can help improve your hot tub experience.

We regularly add new topics to our Filter Care pages. Remember to drop by to read more articles about how to care for your hot tub filters.

If you have any questions or suggestions for topics that you would like us to cover on our Filter Care Topics page, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

We will do what we can to help.

Happy Hot Tubbing!

The big day is approaching, and you are planning your exciting festive activities for your Christmas and New Year break. Just how exciting can it be?!Will you be enjoying your hot tub during the holiday? 

Do you drain your hot tub for the winter months or do you enjoy the benefits all year round? If you usually drain the hot tub for the cooler months, have you considered enjoying a few relaxing Christmas and New Year dips with your family and friends in your hot tub? String out the outdoor Christmas lights, switch on the garden Christmas tree, create the festive spirit and enhance the holiday mood to create the perfect setting to take a break away from the food, television and annoying adverts J. Read our Darlly Filter Care ‘How do I prepare my hot tub for a party?’ topic for a little help about how to enjoy great water quality and to create the best bathing experience. Don’t forget to try our Darlly Spa Cocktails, simply choose your flavour and add to the water for that little added extra! Happy Hot Tubbing!! 

The Darlly Team  

It’s too good to miss! An opportunity to party and you have a hot tub, how do you prepare the water to be sparkling and inviting? It would be rude to invite your friends and not invite the hot tub wouldn’t it? 

Hopefully, you have allowed yourself enough time between now and party-time to get the tub ship-shape.

Where shall we start? This depends on the condition of the water currently in the hot tub. How long has it been in there? Is it cloudy? Is it saturated? Does it look inviting?

If the water has been in there a while or the quality is not tip top, it may be worth changing it. Come party time, the water and the filters will possibly have to deal with and filter out considerably more contamination than it normally would, hence why the water needs to be prepared for it.

Let us assume that we need to change the water to enjoy the best bathing experience at party time.

When was the last time you carried out a hot tub flush to clean the hidden pipework and plumbing? It is worth considering carrying out this task now if it has been a while since it was last done. 

Let’s break this down into a few simple steps.

1.    Remove the filters and any floating sponges, Darlly Ducks, chemical dispensers etc.

2.   Turn on the jets to max, or the cleaning cycle if available and add the liquid or gel cleaner.

3.    Wipe down the inside of the tub to remove any residual film or grime.

4.    Turn off the jets and the mains isolator before draining/pumping out the water.

5.   Once the hot tub is completely drained and sponged out, start refilling with fresh water. Run the hose into the filter housing. This helps to fill the pipework first and can help avoid any airlocks in the system.

6.    Fit new or previously thoroughly cleaned and dried quality Darlly filters. Also check out Darlly Sanistream and Darlly Silverstream filters for added benefits.

7.   Fill the hot tub until the water is just above the highest jets by 30-50mm or your hot tub manufacturers recommendation. Test the water using test strips. Add some chlorine to boost the levels as the water is mains tap water. 

To balance alkalinity and PH, wait until the water is up to normal hot tub temperature. 

Remember to maintain floor cleanliness around the hot tub to reduce the possibility of treading contamination into the hot tub. 
 

Add a Darlly duck or two to help collect the floating contaminants that always surface.

Arrange the party lights to add to the atmosphere and don’t forget your Darlly Cocktails to add a little extra pizazz to your hot tub!

Party on! 
Happy Hot tubbing!