My daughters take all of their baths in the big spa tub. Sometimes they like to have the bubbles going. About 10 months ago I turned the jets on and all this black mold shot out so we had to "abandon ship." We've tried running clean water through it but there is still mold. I don't want to us bleach-is there anything else that can be used that is non toxic and won't corrode the inside of the jets?
Thank you everyone for the advice. I actually ran white vinegar with hot water through the jets for about 20 minutes drained it then filled it up with cold water and let it run for another 20 minutes. It seemed to get all the flecks of mold out-we will see the next time I run the jets!
Hi angie.
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Jenny
I read some of the other responses --- Ang G was correct in saying that you should fill the tub, add bleach (or vinegar, baking soda, whatever you choose) and turn the jets on and let it run to clean out the tubes. I know the maintenance recommendations for our jacuzzi in our previous home was to do just that. Perhaps you can google the website for your jacuzzi manufacturer and find out what the maintenance & cleaning recommendations are for your model if you don't have the owner's manual for it.
Hi Angie,
Shaklee has a product called Basic-G that's a great alternative to bleach. It's a germicide and completely safe and non-toxic. You can also use it to clean the kitchen, bathrooms, and your daughter's toys. Call me or email me if you're interested. ###-###-#### or ____@____.com this helps!
C.
Try vinegar! Good luck :o)
Wow! That sounds like no fun at all.
I'm going to gues that you aren't able to unscrew the jets so that you can soak them in a cleaning solution?
Other options are a mild dilution of bleach and water (restraunts us this to serilize their dishes) two tablespoons to a gallon, or vinegar. Yes vinegar. It's the oldes cleaner in the world. It's also a mild acid (the reason you shouldn't douche with it).
I would try to find a way to inject the solution of your choice into the jets, then run water through them. It may take some time... however, it might save your jets.
Lets not go into the bubbles from a jacuzzi type tub for little ones. There is a reason that manufacutrers don't suggest letting anyone under 12 into a jacuzzi or hot tub.
Nuff said....
Good Luck
use an old toothbrush with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide or Meyers scrub
It'll smell a little bit (or a lot) but the smell is non-toxic, and what I'm talking about is white vinegar! Run a strong dilution through your jets for about 10 minutes and it should clear (kill) the fungus. It will also help clear any lime deposits that may be building up. You should run vinegar (or a commercial product designed for the purpose) about once a month to prevent the mold build-up.
Sad to say, this mold can even build up in sink faucets, around the screen. Yuk! It's wise to unscrew them and clean them out weekly!
Sorry but my first response was bleach. But I see you want to stay away from that, maybe vinegar...baking soda. I use baking soda and vinegar for almost all my cleaning needs around the house, I too want to keep it Green, safe, simple and get back to the basics with chemicals in my home. But for mold, nothing works better than bleach. I have had such great success with bleach on my stubborn tile/grout mold that I don't know if there is anything out there that can do better with out spending a FORTUNE. Shakely is expensive. And for the amount of times you really need bleach, i don't think it is worth it to spend that kind of money on a product you don't know will work on mold. I suggest you consult your manual/customer service for the tub, see what it tells you about mold in the jets. It sounds like it is in the tubes inside, then I don't know how you would tackle that besides replacing the tubing/jet mechanisms or filling the tub with water and adding a gallon of bleach and letting the jets run for an hour, I suppose you could try that with vinegar and some baking soda...? Good luck.
If you can unscrew the jets from the tub then you just have to soak then in hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice for 10 mins. If you cant then make a spray solution of 4 parts to one hydrogen peroxide and water and add one part of lemon juice in a spray bottle and spray.
You're right not to want to use bleach in your home...did you know it was the # 1 cause of household poisonings for children last year? Shaklee has a bleach alternative called Basic G (Germicide) that safely kills mold, mildew and lots of other icky germs(including salmonella!)but is safe for kids and the environment! San Diego State and Cuyamacca College are using Shaklee products including Basic G in their preschools instead of bleach and other toxic cleaning products! Check out my website at agreenerfamily.com for product information. or email me at ____@____.com : )
Hi Angie
I have the perfect thing!!! It's called tub and tile and Sol u Mel. They are both non toxic and from a company called Melaleuca. Very reasonably priced and much safer for your home and family!!! Please feel free to call me and i will tell you more....S. ###-###-####
Vinegar? Look it up.
One more suggestion..my tub manual says to periodically clean and disinfect inner walls of pipes with dishwasher soap. Fill tub with hot water and add one cup of dishwasher soap(stuff you would put into your dishwasher like Cascade) Run system for 5 minutes. Let soak for a minimum of 20 minutes then before draining, run system for an additional 5-10 minutes. We do this every few months and have not had any problems with mold.
Good luck. M.
Hi Angie,
After reading your request for help, I Googled (non toxic cleaners) and got a lot of sites. I choose this one is because you mention mold(http://www.moldoff.org/?gclid=CMO027T-pkCFSMSagodpRhJFg. I hope this one helps and if not, there's more at google.com. There's also a site with recipes on making your own cleaner, with simple household items.
Happy Search,
M.
