Can you Hot Tub with a Spray Tan? Tips for Keeping your Tan

Common sense would seem to say that spray tan goes hand in hand with pools, beaches, and hot tubs. However, jumping into a hot tub directly after getting a spray tan isn’t the best idea, and here’s why. 

Getting into a hot tub too soon after receiving a spray tan will wash the chemicals off your body. It will also prevent the substances from adhering to your skin the way they’re designed to and ruin your tan. You should wait at least 6 hours and take a rinse-off shower before getting into a hot tub after a spray tan. 

In this article, we’re going to look at the consequences of getting into a hot tub too quickly after a spray tan. We’ll also look at some tips and tricks to protect your tan and hot tub alike. 

Does a Hot Tub Soak Ruin a Spray Tan? 

Cosmetology professional spraying tan on female client belly with aerograph.

A hot tub will indeed ruin your spray tan if you get into the water immediately after receiving it. A spray tan is a process in which chemicals and solutions are applied to the skin’s surface by spraying. It’s meant to provide an instant tan, but a spray tan can last up to seven days or more by allowing it to set in. 

Getting into a shower, pool, hot tub, or other body of water too quickly will prevent the DHA in the solution from developing and turning tan. This defeats the purpose of a spray tan and can also damage your hot tub if the filter and heater coil get clogged with spray tan gunk. 

How Long Should I Wait to Hot Tub After a Spray Tan? 

For good results on your spray tan and your hot tub, you should wait at least 6 hours before getting into a hot tub. You should wait 10 hours to give the solution enough time to sink into the skin for the best results. Your skin will continue to darken for 24 hours, but 6 to 10 hours is long enough to wait before getting wet.  

After getting a spray tan, you should also limit your pool and hot tub time to 30 minute soaks. Anything longer than this could end up causing damage to your spray tan and reducing how brown you get. Hot tubs kill spray tans because they strip away dead skin cells, many of which are tinted brown from the spray. 

Is a Tanning Bed a Better Option for Hot Tubbing? 

If you’re planning on going swimming or hot-tubbing after a quick tan, you should opt for a tanning bed rather than a spray tan. A spray tan relies on chemicals set into the skin, which takes up to 10 hours to complete. A tan from a tanning bed will also fade if you get into a hot tub too quickly, but this type of tan won’t damage your hot tub’s water. 

Does Spray Tan Residue Hurt a Hot Tub? 

The chemicals from a spray tan can indeed hurt the water in your hot tub. The spray tan can put the hot tub chemicals off-balance, cause the water to become discolored, and can even stain the sides of your hot tub. You must plan ahead if you own a hot tub and want a quick tan. Tanning beds are a better option, not because they last longer, but because they don’t contain chemicals that damage a hot tub. 

How to Clean a Hot Tub From Spray Tan Residue 

If you made the mistake of jumping into your hot tub too quickly after getting a spray tan, there’s a good chance that you ruined your tan and your hot tub water. While we can’t offer a remedy for the tan outside of getting another one, we can help you save your hot tub. Here’s what you need to do. 

  1. Drain the hot tub either using a submersible pump or the drain plug under the tub. A pump will be quicker, but not everyone has access to one. You have to drain the water out of the tub because no amount of solution or cleaner is going to remove the cloudiness caused by tan spray residue completely. 
  2. Use Windex or a similar cleaning product to spray down the tub’s interior. 
  3. Wipe the Windex with a cleaning cloth or paper towels until the tub is clean. 
  4. You might need to use a water and baking soda solution for stubborn stains. 
  5. Take a hose and spray down the interior and exterior of the hot tub to get rid of any excess stains, residue, dirt, or gunk. 
  6. Let the hot tub sit in the sun until it’s dry. 
  7. Next, mix a concoction of white vinegar and water and use a sponge to wipe down the interior of the hot tub. 
  8. Let the hot tub dry completely from this mixture. 
  9. Once it’s dry, refill the hot tub with water and resume regular tubbing activities. 

Protecting your hot tub and your spray tan isn’t tricky. All you need to do is wait the appropriate amount of time after getting a spray tan and not spend too much time in the hot tub. If you follow these rules, you’ll be able to get the most out of your hot tub and spray tan alike. 

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