Few things can beat a nice, long, luxurious soak in a hot tub for relaxation. All that time in the water means your skin is also exposed to whatever is in the water. You know it’s important to keep your hot tub clean in order for it to be a healthy, safe experience. So what are some simple things you can do to help keep your hot tub clean?

Use the Bathroom Before You Get In

By the time you’ve gotten to the point where you own your own hot tub, you’ve probably figured out how to not, well, go in the water. Little kids, on the other hand, may have a harder time with that. Make it easier for everyone to keep the water clean by instituting a ground rule about using the bathroom before entering the hot tub. As an added bonus, you won’t have to wrestle with a wet swimsuit in the bathroom because you decided to heed nature’s call mid-soak.

Clean Yourself First

Your body naturally produces sweat and oils to keep yourself healthy and functioning properly. These are normal processes that are good for you. They’re not so great for your hot tub though, and kind of gross to soak in. If you want to keep your water clean, take a minute or two to rinse yourself off first before stepping in. Plus, soaking your hair with clean water before you get in reduces the amount of chlorinated water your hair will soak up, helping it stay healthier.

Use the Cover

Clearly, the best way to keep your hot tub clean is to keep out things that shouldn’t be in it. That’s exactly what your hot tub’s cover is designed to do. No one wants to get in a hot tub that has leaves, twigs, dirt, or bugs in it. Keeping your hot tub covered when you aren’t using it will help keep this sort of debris outside of the tub where it belongs.

There’s more to keeping a hot tub clean and ready for use than just using chemicals to clean and balance the water. Lay some ground rules like using the bathroom and taking a quick shower to rinse off before entering. Remember to keep your hot tub covered while not in use. This will help you keep your hot tub clean so you can enjoy it safely again and again.

Taking good care of your hot tub is another great way to keep it clean and make it last longer. Check out these 5 Easy Steps for Hot Tub Care that you should definitely be using for your hot tub.