# Do hot tubs gross you out?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hot-tubs-gross-you-out/770004>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 29, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hot-tubs-gross-you-out/770004 "2016-10-29T12:19:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hot-tubs-gross-you-out/770004/41 "2016-11-02T13:50:05Z")

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> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> The biggest difference is that bacteria that make humans sick tend to thrive at temperatures close to that of a human. Like the surface of a hot tub.

Except that a hot tub is kept at a temperature that your body raises itself to in order to kill off an infection.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hot-tubs-gross-you-out/770004/42 "2016-11-02T15:24:33Z")

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> [@drewder](#):
>
> Except that a hot tub is kept at a temperature that your body raises itself to in order to kill off an infection.

That temperature elevation optimizes your body’s immune system’s ability to fight off the infection. Most bacteria won’t be challenged at all by an environmental temperature of 106 degrees. Syphilis is the exception.

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**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hot-tubs-gross-you-out/770004/43 "2016-11-02T17:29:55Z")

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> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> Have you ever seen my bathroom? I clean it religiously once a year or so but people still complain that it is filthy. As far as I can tell, there is nothing you can do. I am always amazed that hotels and motels are able to keep their bathrooms, pools and hot tubs so clean. Even the Motel 6’s that charge $30 a night in collapsing mill towns seem pristine by comparison. I don’t know how they do it. I have never gotten sick from any of it though. It may be because I grew up swimming in the dirtiest swamp water on the planet and have an immune system to back that up.

The magic of the hotel/motel bathroom cleanliness is they clean them more than once a year.

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**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-hot-tubs-gross-you-out/770004/44 "2016-11-02T18:20:45Z")

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It has to be properly maintained. We switch out the filters weekly, drain and replace the water every six weeks, and keep the chemicals at the proper level. It’s marvelous to get in at the end of the day and soak, with the jets pounding away at any sore parts.

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