May 19, 2017 – Woohoo! Your neighbor has a hot tub! Fun stuff! If they’re nice enough to invite you over, or you’re nice enough to be invited over, there’s a certain hot tub etiquette to follow. Here are the highlights:

• Bathing suits…or not? Hot tubbing’s mystery for the ages. Whether you soak in the buff or in a suit really depends on the house rules. Either way, you don’t want to be the evening’s entertainment and embarrass yourself or your neighbors. When in (fill in the blank), do as those folks do. If you’re a first-timer and you’re unsure, it’s always a good policy to call ahead and ask.
• Laundry soap does not a pretty hot tub make. If suits are ‘de rigueur’ run them through your washer’s rinse cycle and air dry before getting into your neighbor’s hot tub. Freshly laundered bath suits, or any other clothing for that matter, can play havoc with a hot tub’s chemistry. Just a little bit of residual detergent can turn the water into a foamy and/or cloudy mess. And if the detergent contains phosphates, it could make the water an unpleasant shade of green.
• Shelve the lotions, potions, and fragrances. Bring nothing into the hot tub but your wonderful, clean self. That means washing off your lotions, gels, makeup, and other grooming products beforehand. They can clog the filter and foul the water. It’s always a good idea and a common courtesy to shower before you soak. It is a hot tub after all, not a bathtub.
• Gifts: a touch of class. Like mama always use to say, “Never go empty handed”. There are a number of relatively inexpensive thank you gifts you can bring for use in and around the hot tub. Any of the following, Shatterproof drinkware, plush towels, even SpaZazz Aromatherapy Crystals, will be appreciated by your host. If you’re feeling flush or you really, really, appreciate the invite, one of our Olympic Gift Packs is absolutely guaranteed to delight.
• Have a spare towel? Bring it along. Bringing your own towel is a thoughtful gesture. It means less preparation and less laundry for your host, and it’s sure to be appreciated.

Hot tubbing is fun! Hot tubbing with friends is even more fun! Chatting, laughing, relaxing…what an enjoyable way to while away the hours. Have a wonderful time!