Hot Tub Bliss Blog Celebrates 4th Anniversary

It’s hard to believe it’s been four years of blogging about hot tubs and hot tubbing here on Hot Tub Bliss.

Thanks for all of your comments, suggestions, and encouragement.

I’ve enjoyed writing about all things “hot tub” and “sauna” including hot tub and sauna health benefits, lifestyle, water care and Hot Spring Spas and Finnleo Saunas.   The largest response to any post? “More on How to Save the Whales While Soaking In Your Hot Tub”.  Most read post: “Public Hot Tubs: What You Must Know Before You Soak”.

I write Hot Tub Bliss is to connect you with all things from “ahhh” to “aHa”. The “ahhhs” are the sounds that escape when you sink into the hot swirling waters after a long day.  That hot water is so soothing and healing that letting out a big  sigh  is the only way to stand the pleasure.

The “aHas”-are those ideas and split-second inspirations that bubble up when you’re relaxed. Inspiration and “brainstorms” have always been an important part of hot tub soaking. The “staycations” you enjoy every day in your own backyard hot tub can bring quiet and sometimes awe inspiring pleasure.  So, do share your “aHas!”

And, for fun, tell me about the fabulous vacations you’ve taken with your Olympic Hot Tub  rubber duck in hand. Some of your ducks have seen the Seven Wonders of the World, and we have photos from hundreds of exotic places to prove it. Remember to pack a duck in your suitcase and take it along on your next vacation.  Place the duck in interesting spots and send the photos to us.  We’d love to see how far these ducks travel.

So, chime in and share how your hot tub makes a difference in your health, work, life and lives of your family members. Email photos of your own fabulous tubscape.  Recall what happened and how you felt when you finally made your hot tub purchase, perhaps after waiting years to say, “YES.”

With Hot Tub Bliss I want to create hot tub  and sauna evangelists all over the world, one soak or sweat at a time.  Come on in and visit often.  

Comments and suggestions on blog posts and for new blog topics are always welcome.

Our new tagline is “Relax for life” because we believe that relaxation is essential for health and long-life.

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6 Signs That Mean You Need a New Hot Tub Cover Now!

6 Ways to tell if you need a new hot tub cover.

Tip #1 If it looks like the one on the right, you NEED a new cover pronto.

Did you know? The insulating value of your cover is the biggest factor in minimizing your hot tubs heating costs.

Take a minute and give your hot tub cover a check up.  Does it feels like it weights 200lbs, has torn, brittle or flaking vinyl, or just plain stinks? If you’re nodding, “yes”, NOW is the time for a new cover.  Dry, dirty, brittle vinyl will crack and affect heat retention and water cleanliness.  A heavy cover means that it’s taking on moisture and losing heat.

Don’t let an old cover ruin your hot tubing experience and run up your energy bill.

Olympic Hot Tub is the exclusive dealer for Sunstar® manufactured spa covers that fit your Hot Spring®, Caldera®, Tiger River®, Limelight®, Hot Spot® or Solana® Spa perfectly for the highest energy efficiency.

Do the following Cover Check-up in daylight.  Download the form and take it out to the hot tub.

If your cover fails all of the points, call the Service Center 206 431-2876 for a new one.

1. OUTER VINYL:

If your vinyl is torn, cracked, dry or brittle, you should know that vinyl breakdown affects the safety, heat retention and beauty of your cover in addition to the cleanliness of your spa water. Torn, cracked vinyl can’t be repaired easily; if it’s dry and brittle, no repair is possible. Condition and clean your top vinyl monthly with 303 Aerospace Protectant. If you can’t revive it, you need a new cover.

2. STRAPS & LOCKS:

Properly working straps and locks affect the safety of your hot tub Check the condition of your adjustable tie down straps and locks to make sure they work. If they’re not, call Olympic Hot Tub’s Service Center  for replacements. 206 431-2876.

3. FOAM CORES:    

A sagging cover Indicates broken foam cores which indicates you have gaps in the seal. You definitely need a new cover!

A “puddling” cover suggests broken or bowed cores. They will get worse over time causing the foam to break under the weight of accumulating water.  Water weight can cause the metal channel to bend or break and vinyl to tear; saturated covers will not dry out.  You need a new cover!.

A heavy cover shows that the cores have absorbed water; needs replacement.  Foam cores are critical to heat retention and safety.  Cores can be replaced but for a cover over two years old, core replacement is not recommended.  Older vinyl shrinks from exposure to heat & cold, making replacement difficult. When it’s too heavy to lift, you need a new cover.

4. HINGE:

Is the hinge torn? Precious heat can escape if a hinge tear goes beyond the Heat Seal Shoe (approx. 2″ in from the outside edge).  If your hinge is torn less the 6″, it may be repairable; we can help.  If over 6″, we recommend a new cover.

 5. HEAT SEAL “SHOES”:

The “shoes” seal the gap where the two halves of the cover come together, preventing heat loss at the hinge.  If a shoe is torn away from the hinge, or damaged, consider having it re-stitched.  First remove the foam cores from the vinyl cover.  If the shoe is very badly damaged you may need a new cover.

6. SMELL:

Musty? Moldy? Stinky? There’s no cure for those smells. Bad smells are a sure indicator that you need a new cover.

Don’t let an old cover ruin your hot tubing experience and run up your bill.  Call our Service Center 206 431-2876 or the Olympic Hot Tub store nearest you for a  new cover for your hot tub.  Blog special: Order online through our estore‘s 10th Anniversary Celebration. Use the code: Celebrate.  You’ll receive FREE a 16oz bottle of  SeaKlear Clarifier and a 4oz jar of  Spazazz crystals- $a bonus of $31.90!

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

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Hot Tub And Share The Sunset With Your Lover Tonight

The best place to share the sunset with your lover is from the hot tub, of course!

I’ll bet you didn’t know that July is “share a sunset with your lover month”.   This month long “event” was created to make couples aware of the need to slow down and take time for each other.  Tonight will be ideal. The heat, high cirrus clouds and slight mugginess should generate a beautiful sunset over the Olympics.

Before you head out to watch the sunset together, why not gather some of the finger foods that go well with soaking in your Hot Spring Spa such as sliced turkey, sliced roast beef, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, shrimp cocktail, some blueberries & strawberries and some bottled water, soda or iced tea. All are available in the produce section or deli case of your local supermarket. Anything that doesn’t require cooking will be welcome!

Sustain your romantic mood while you share a sunset, then twilight, and the appearance of the first stars of the evening, by saying those little words everyone loves to hear, “Let’s go out for dinner”.  Literally. You’ll be outside.

Find some more tips for a romantic evening on our blog post about celebrating the 5 senses in your hot tub.

Exchange neck and shoulder rubs plus foot and hand reflexology with each other to enhance the relaxation. Taking turns helping each other release tension is a great way to prolong the wonderful feeling you’ll have from hot tub soaking!

Thanks to Dr. Melissa Chamberlin for the idea.  Her book, “Share a Sunset with Your Lover” is available through Xlibris.  Dr.  Chamberlin offers practical suggestions for couples NOT therapies. 

Sharing a sunset is a simple yet mindful way to experience closeness that’s sometimes hard and sustain in our too busy over-scheduled world.  After all that’s why you purchased a hot tub, isn’t it?  To get away from it all on a daily basis.

SANUM PER AQUA.  Latin for Health through Water.

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Hot Tub Aromatherapy: How to Turn Your Hot Tub Into a Day Spa Treatment

Close your eyes and imagine sinking into your hot tub and melting away stress. Turn the jets on for just the right pressure. They’re like a pair of strong, skilled hands gently but surely massaging away the crick in your neck or the tight band across your shoulders.

Nice, right? But don’t stop there—your hot tub experience is even better when it’s combined with an essential oil that lifts your mood, energizes you or calms you down, based on what you need.

You can  “dial in” your mood based on the oil that you choose because scents you inhale from aromatic essential oils affect the part of the brain that controls memory, emotion and moods says Joseph Feuerstein, MD, director of integrative medicine at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut.  He often uses aromatherapy in his practice, and he recommends it with massage, too. And what gives a great massage? Your Hot Spring Spa, of course.

Try these essential oils when you hot tub:

To Feel Happier. If you could use a mood lift, try a few drops of lavandin oil from a hybrid plant made by crossing true lavender with another variety called spike lavender. Lavandin oil has more powerful antiseptic properties and a sharper aroma than true lavender.

To Get an Energy Boost. Rosemary and peppermint are stimulating and have been shown to have cognitive benefits, enhancing memory, concentration and focus. They also boost circulation, revving you up from the inside out! Combined with the circulation boost you get from using the hot tub, you’ll be energized in no time.

To Reduce Anxiety and Feel Calmer. Whether you in a stressful period in your life or you just need to relax at the end of a long day, use citrus-based essential oils to calm down and enhance relaxation. Try lemon balm, mandarin and bitter orange and orange blossom oils. Chamomile oil also is calming. Just a few drops used in your hot tub help muscles relax.

Since essential oils are strong concentrations distilled from the leaves, bark, roots and other aromatic portions of a plant, they should not be applied directly to the skin. Just sprinkle a few drops into the hot tub. To use on your skin-at your temples, say- you must dilute the essential oil in carrier oil—and then apply. Carrier oils are pressed from seeds, nuts or kernels of plants. To make a hot tub aromatherapy treatment, add five drops of the essential oil to every five teaspoons of the carrier oil.

Find essential oils and carrier oils online and at health-food stores. You’ll only need a few drops of an essential oil or carrier oil in your hot tub to turn your hot tub into an aromatherapy treatment.

Source: Joseph Feuerstein, MD, is director of integrative medicine at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City.

 SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

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Use Your Hot Tub to Relieve Stress in 10 Minutes. Easy & Natural Hot Tub Meditation Works!

10-Minute Mind Spa for the Hot Tub

I’m sure you’ve read all of the news articles on how good meditation is for you. You may even have tried to do it but gave up.  A common pitfall is you can’t “meditate” because you “can’t stop thinking”.

But, really, not thinking is not what hot tub meditation is all about. The point of meditation is to bring you to clarity so you know you are in fact thinking, or planning or being depressed or hungry or angry or happy.

The point is to become mindful not mindless. Most mental activity distracts you from knowing what’s actually going on around you. We’re so often lost in thought or worry, absorbed in the past or future, running our “tapes” over and over.

Meditation slices through the fog and brings you right back home to where you actually are in the here and now. It’s not woo-woo, not esoteric or exotic. It’s brain training. It’s being present or “in the now.”

EASY BEGINNER’S MEDITATION FOR THE HOT TUB

HOW TO SIT. Sitting upright comfortably in the hot tub, scan your body to check that you’re relaxed: your eyes, jaw, shoulders, belly, hands, and legs.  Sit and know that you are sitting.

HOW TO BREATHE. Be aware of your breath moving in and out of your nose. Think “out” when you feel the fall of the exhalation, “in” when you feel the rise or pressure or stretching of the inhalations.

CATCH YOUR MIND WANDERING. When your mind wanders-and it will-acknowledge that you’ve lost contact with your breath, and watch the next inhalation roll in.

CATCH MOMENTS OF AWARENESS. The most important thing to realize is that every moment you notice you’ve wandered off is a moment of being aware, of clarity. That’s what you’re going for. What does it feel like? Within nanoseconds you’ll be thinking again, and becoming aware that you’re thinking, and starting again.

NOTICE THE PRESENT. Practice makes perfect. The more you do it, the more you’ll have the experience of that pause when your mind is actually clear and present.

You can do this anytime, for any length of time (although best not to exceed 20 minutes at 102° when in the hot tub meditating).

Try it for a minute. Try it for ten. Play close attention to a single in-breath, a single out-breath. Every experience of awareness makes the next more likely and refreshes your awareness like nothing else. This enrichment to your life, this deep feeling of calm has to be experienced to be believed. And, it’s even better in the hot tub.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

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How to Avoid Landscape Disasters: 10 Tips To Help You Get Your Dream Backyard

How to Avoid Landscape Project Disasters and get your dream backyard.

Take the time to hire a reputable landscape contractor. That’s how to get quality work for a fair price advice advises the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals.

If you’re thinking of doing a big landscape project that includes a hot tub, check out these tips from WALP before you sign a contract and write a check:

#1 HIRE ONLY A LICENSED & BONDED CONTRACTOR.

Your options include:

A Landscape Architect. A professional who can develop plans that can be put out to bid by landscape contractors.

A Design/Build Landscape Contractor. A professional who can design and then create your landscape.

Landscape Designers. Individuals, which provide ideas, conceptual plans, and planting plans.

Check out the WALP website to find a member who meets tough standards for education, skill and quality work.

#2 WORKER’S COMPENSATION & LIABILITY INSURANCE.

Be sure that anyone you hire carries worker’s compensation and liability insurance. You don’t want your homeowner’s insurance to foot the bill if anyone is injured on the job.

Consumers are also encouraged to select a contractor who has earned his Certified landscape Technician (CLT) and/or Certified Landscape Professional (CLP) designation. These certifications exemplify WALP’s members’ dedication to professionalism.

#3 WHAT’S YOUR LANDSCAPE DREAM?

Landscape construction, maintenance, irrigation, etc. It is also helpful to ask the question, “Why Are You Landscaping?” To increase your property value? To enhance your enjoyment of your property? To provide a safe place for your children or pets? To create an outdoor room with hot tub for entertainment? Clearly, the first step toward a professional landscape is to clearly identify what your landscape dream is.

#4 SET A BUDGET IN ADVANCE.

The cost of your project will vary depending on:  the overall size of the area to be landscaped, the features to be included, the state of the current terrain, and the choices you make regarding materials, details, and level of craftsmanship.

#5 GET AN ESTIMATE.

An estimate is a good “guess” as to what a project will cost. In order to give you a firm price, a contractor will need a design to work from. You should expect to pay for design services.

#6 MEET WITH SEVERAL FIRMS IN PERSON.

Meet with prospective firms to review their portfolios and make sure you’re on the same page design-wise. Ask for references and check them.

#7 GET SEVERAL BIDS IN WRITING.

It’s a good idea to obtain more than one bid so that the prices and work offered can be compared, such as plants, soil, mulch, edging, etc. Insist that all bids be in writing.

#8 BEWARE A TOO LOW PRICE.

Remember that the lowest price may not always be the best. The contractor may have made a mistake or may not have included all the work quoted by competitors or has a history of poor workmanship. You get what you pay for.

#9 CHECK THE BID FOR WHAT’S COVERED.

Be certain that each bid lists all the preparatory and finish work that the contractor has suggested. What about electrical hook-up for the hot tub? And, a base for the hot tub? Now’s the time to ask all of your questions!

#10 BEFORE YOUR SIGN THE CHECK.

Make sure you understand any contract before signing it. This is the time to see a step by step schedule for completion of every item listed. When will the hot tub go in? Will the contractor coordinate with Olympic Hot Tub to make sure the delivery goes smoothly? Do not make a down payment before signing a contract.

Now you can relax knowing you’ve taken the right steps to get your dream backyard landscaped the right way. Send us the photos of your completed project. We’d love to hear from you.

RES SEVERA VERUM GAUDIUM. Latin for Pleasure is serious business.

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Hot Weather Hot Tubbing-How to Beat the Heat When It’s Over 80 degrees Outside

The weatherman is giving us some hot weather this week! At last. That’s all I can say. It’s about time.

But, whoa!, if you’re like most Northwest denizens, you’re not used to hot summer days. If you’re from sun country, you’ve now lost your coping skills for dealing with the heat.

How to stay cool and enjoy safe soaking relaxation in your Hot Spring Spa? Follow these 8 tips:

1. STAY HYDRATED. Drink plenty of water before and after soaking to stay hydrated. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, drink at least one glass of water after soaking.

2. SAVE ALCOHOL FOR LATER. Avoid drinking alcohol before and during a soak. Alcohol is dehydrating and can cause drowsiness. Enjoy it after soaking!

3. COOL DOWN AFTER EXERCISING. Cool down before you heat up. After exercising, wait until you’ve stopped sweating and your pulse returns to normal before getting into your hot tub.

4. EASY DOES IT. Enter and exit your hot tub slowly. Ease in gradually. Exit carefully. A sudden change in posture and temperature can cause dizziness especially when it’s hot outdoors.

5. WATCH THE TEMPERATURE. The maximum recommended safe temperature for a hot tub is 104°. Soaking time at this temperature should not exceed 20 minutes. For summer, try 102° or even 100° in order to feel refreshed not enervated by the heat. Kids under 12 usually prefer lower temperatures in the summer.

6. KEEP IT CLEAN. Check your sanitizer levels frequently because the cover will be off the hot tub for longer periods. OR, for greater convenience and peace of mind, switch to SilkBalance which balances, preserves water freshness AND gives you smooth soft, skin. There’s no testing or mixing or adding a lot of chemicals with SilkBalance.

7.  ASK YOUR DOCTOR. Always check with your doctor if you are taking medication or have a health condition that may be affected by extreme heat.

8.  NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN ALONE. Never leave children alone in the tub. Always lock the cover when not in use to comply with new Washington state Health Department regulations.

The most important tip: Have fun! Hot tub soaking is meant to wash away your cares and give you a daily vacation in your own backyard. Leave your worries outside of the hot tub. Did you know that worry is a prayer for what you don’t want?!

Thanks to Nick Brannan of Olympia for our drawing.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through water.

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Bees in the Hot Tub? How to Get Rid of Them So You Can Soak In Peace

An Olympic Hot Tub owner & Hot Tub Bliss reader asks: “what can I do about bees in and around my hot tub?”

Dear Bees in My Hot Tub:

There’s no easy answer. Bees are attracted to water especially during warmer months.  First make sure that the cover is on the hot tub during the daylight hours when the hot tub is not in use.

Also, there are some other things that attract bees such as certain flowering plants and fruit trees, foods, soft drinks etc. If possible remove flowering shrubs or fruit trees from the area around the hot tub. And, be sure to  remove empty soda cans or food plates, drinks, etc. right after use.

If the bees are a continual problem,  consider a gazebo type enclosure over the hot tub with screened windows. Unfortunately here in Puget Sound bees are a  problem from time to time and there are really no products on the market to help keep flying insects out of the tub.

Don’t feel bad. You are not alone. It’s surprising how many people have problems with bees in and around their hot tubs, and they all describe similar problems with smelly water and dead bees in their filters.

There are a couple of reasons for bees wanting to come to hot tubs or pools for water. The bees are after water to cool their hive. There’s one school of thought that says the “people smell” in hot tub water leads bees to stop by for a drink. If you put in fresh water, the bees may stop coming to the tub for a short time.

This is an odd situation of cause and effect – because on many counts, dead bees lead to more funky smells, which lead to more bees. However, once the bees establish your hot tub as a steady supply of water, they know where to come back for more.

Believe it or not – if enough bees die in your hot tub in the spring, it has been said that you can even get poison oak/ivy from the oils they leave on the surface of the water. YIKES!

Here are some things you can do:

1)  A GOOD COVER WITH PERFECT FIT IS A MUST.  Make sure your cover has a good seal. If you see steam coming from any areas around the tub, you can use a layer of the puffy side of Velcro to provide a better seal, or use foam tape that can be found for sealing cracks around windows or air conditioners. Or, better yet, get a new cover.

2)  BEEKEEPER NEXT DOOR? If you know a neighbor keeps bees, make sure he has provided a water supply close to the hives, or if you know of a wild bee hive nearby, have it remove by a registered, licensed exterminator. This is not a DIY project no matter how easy it looks on TV!

3)  PROVIDE AN ALTERNATE WATER SOURCE. If you don’t know where the bees are coming from, consider providing them with an alternate water source. Fill a shallow pan or birdbath with some sand, and then add water just above the level of the sand. Bees will find this attractive because they can drink without falling in and drowning. Place this new source near your hot tub (in the shade if possible). After a day or two of hot weather, move it gradually away from the hot tub, a few feet at a time until it is as far as possible from your hot tub. Hopefully this will draw the bees away from he hot tub & you can soak in peace.

4)  CLEAN WATER ALWAYS.  Make sure your hot tub water’s always clean.  When you’re ready, drain your hot tub and start with a fresh supply of water. Make sure to flush your plumbing lines with a good jet line cleaner like CleanStart by SilkBalance before you drain it.  When you have it filled again, put in a good quality made in America shock even before you start using it.  Bacteria comes from the water in your hose, too, so you need to start sanitizing right away. If you don’t have an ozonator you may want to consider one – it will help sanitize your water and cut down on your chemical usage as well as funky smells that attract bees.

Good luck, and please let me know how it turns out!

RES EST SERVAS VOLUPTAS. Pleasure is serious business.

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Unbelievable: Hot Tub Cleaner Restores Surface to Like-New!

The SSS Merlin Eraser Sponge is the best spa/hot tub cleaner we’ve ever found.

It restores spa surfaces to “looks like” new again. Takes the gunk, calcium and iron deposits off of  your hot tub tile line. What could be better?

Yes, it looks like a Velveta sandwich on white bread without the crusts, but don’t dismiss it because of it’s looks.

The Merlin Eraser Sponge is chemical-free and only requires water to remove tough dirt, grime, stains, pencil, marker and crayon from surfaces such as; walls, appliances, bathroom fixtures, office equipment, patio furniture, work surfaces and car interiors/exteriors.  It works best on hard, smooth surfaces like the tile line of your hot tub.

Stock up and keep one at the office, in all bathrooms, cars and in your hot tub water care product box. Our Olympic Valet team swears by it!  They use the Merlin Eraser Sponge to make hot tubs look like new. Every hot tub refurbished for our warehouse sale several weeks ago came in looking like a wreck, but each brought to like-new by using this magic sponge.

You’d think it had all sorts of terrible chemicals in order to work this well.

But, no! It’s earth-friendly, too.  The  SSS Merlin Eraser Sponge has an EarthCare™ seal.

What is EarthCareTM?
Caring for the environment and providing a healthy workplace are demanding tasks that offer unquestionable long term benefits. Determining what is truly “environmentally friendly” or “green” has been a confusing process. Having a recognized standard for “green” improves our ability to make purchasing decisions that help create a healthy environment for all. When you see the Triple S EarthCare seal, you’ll know that a product meets “green” standards from a recognized organization (such as Green Seal, USGBC or the EPA) or the product offers significant features that contribute to a healthy environment.

Super Olympic Hot Tub e-store special: regularly $2.50 now 5 for $10.00. Buy 4 get one free! Clean your hot tub with the Merlin Eraser Sponge and make it look like new!

Don’t pass up our super special: 5 for only $10.00. You’ll be amazed by the results.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

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