What makes ice bath water dirty
The water in an ice bath tub does not circulate: nothing filters it and nothing renews it between sessions. Whatever goes in stays in. The first source is the person getting in: sweat, dead skin, hair, traces of soap or cream, dust picked up walking barefoot. The second comes from outside, especially when the tub sits in the garden or on a balcony: leaves, blades of grass, pollen, insects, windblown dust. Time does the rest. The longer the water stands still, the more likely it is to turn cloudy or start to smell.
The insulated lid does two jobs here: it limits heat exchange and it keeps leaves and dust out of the water. The box also contains a thermal dust cover that goes over the top. A tub kept covered between sessions collects far less debris than one left open under a tree. Location matters too: in the shade, away from a hedge that sheds its leaves, on flat, stable ground able to carry about 330 kg of water, plus the weight of the person.
Good habits at every session
The most useful habits come before you even get in. A quick shower, or at least a rinse of your feet and legs, removes the sweat, dust and sand picked up on the way to the tub. No cream, oil, sun lotion or make-up: these products leave a greasy film on the surface and on the PVC inner wall, and a simple rinse will not shift it. Tying back long hair also limits how much of it ends up in the water.
After the session, pick out any visible leaves or hair by hand, then close the lid and put the cover on. This is also a safety rule: lid closed when not in use, tub emptied when nobody is watching it, and never leave a child near it without an adult. The tub is not for children, and standing water remains a drowning risk. Finally, look at and smell the water each time you open the lid: if it is cloudy or smells, there is no point waiting for the planned day to change it.
| When | What to do | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Every session | Rinse off before getting in, no cream, remove visible debris, close the lid and the cover | How the water looks and smells when you open the lid |
| Every week | Wipe the waterline and the inside of the lid, check that the valve and the plug are properly closed | Signs of damp at the base of the tub or around the tubes |
| Every 10 to 15 days | Drain through the hose or the bottom plug, rinse the tub, refill with fresh water | Change sooner if the water turns cloudy or smells |
| Before storing | Empty, clean, air-dry, remove the tubes, fold into the bag | No damp left in the folds or the sleeves |
Water care products: read the label first
Products are sold for looking after the water in hot tubs and baths. The supplier's text for this tub mentions none, and the information we have says nothing about how they behave with the PVC of the inner wall, the layer that touches your skin. This guide therefore cannot recommend one, or give a dose. If you choose to use one, read its label and instructions: intended use, compatible materials, precautions, how long to wait before getting in. If the instructions say nothing about soft PVC tubs, leave it out.
A product does not replace the basic habits. In a tub without filtration, the water always ends up carrying whatever goes into it, and the supplier's advice stays the same: change it regularly. The simplest method, and the only one documented for this tub, comes down to four points: lid closed, rinse before getting in, no cream, fresh water every 10 to 15 days. And never mix two products together.
Changing the water and draining without flooding the floor
The tub has two ways to drain. The side hose, fitted with a 1/2 inch valve, carries the water to where it can run away: the garden, a drain grate, a shower. The bottom plug is for when the tub sits over a floor drain. Either way, you empty it outside, in a shower or over a drain, never onto a wooden floor or any floor that does not like water: 330 litres escaping in the wrong place will quickly flood a room.
Above all, never tip the full tub to empty it. On this type of tub, public reviews report that the support tubes can slip when it is tilted, and the water weighs about 330 kg when the tub is full. Let the hose or the plug do the work, then soak up the last of the water with a sponge. Make the most of the empty tub to rinse it before refilling.
- Check that the hose ends outside or over a drain.
- Open the valve, or pull out the bottom plug, and let the water run.
- Sponge out the remaining water and rinse the wall.
- Close the valve or refit the plug before refilling.
Cleaning and drying the tub before folding it
Before storing it, even for a few weeks, the tub must be empty, clean and dry. Rinse the inner wall with clean water and wipe the waterline, where residue builds up, with a soft cloth or a non-abrasive sponge. For a cleaning product, the rule is the same as for the water: check its label to make sure it suits PVC. Clean the inside of the lid, the cover, the cushion (emptied of its water), the hose and the valve as well.
Drying is the step that matters most: the supplier's text asks for the tub to be dried before it is folded. Leave it open to the air, in the shade, until the wall, the tube sleeves and the folds are dry. Then remove the 6 support tubes, fold the tub and put everything in the zipped carry bag, with the 2 repair patches and the seals. In winter, never let the water freeze in the tub.
Filters: equipment for a different kind of tub
Filtration comes with chiller ice baths. A chiller is an electric unit with a pump that cools and filters the water continuously. Tubs designed for this kind of unit are mostly stiffer, larger models of 500 to 800 litres, weighing 16 to 19 kg empty. Since an electrical appliance then runs close to water, it needs a suitable electrical installation, to be approved by an electrician.
The tub in the kit has no filter, no water pump and no chiller, and it is not designed to take one. It stays light (3.8 kg empty) and folds away, but its water is neither filtered nor renewed automatically: looking after it relies on the habits described above, starting with changing the water. The Ice Bath Tub shop sells this foldable, insulated tub with its lid as a complete kit (the contents of the box: the tub and its 6 tubes, lid, dust cover, pump, cushion, drain, repair patches and carry bag), delivered free from stock held in the buyer's region.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a filter for a foldable ice bath?
No, this type of tub is used without one. The tub in the kit has no filter or water pump and is not designed to take a chiller. Clean water therefore comes down to how you use it: lid closed, rinse before getting in, no cream, and fresh water every 10 to 15 days according to the supplier. If continuously filtered water matters to you, look at chiller tubs instead.
Can you add Epsom salt to the water?
No. The effect of salt on the materials of this tub, in particular the PVC inner wall, the valve and the seals, is not documented by the supplier. Without that information, it is better to add nothing and keep the water clear, changed regularly. The same caution applies to bath salts, oils and any other additive.
Why does my ice bath water smell?
Usually because it has been left too long or has picked up residue: sweat, cream, leaves, dust, especially if the tub was left open. Water that smells should be changed straight away, without waiting for the 10 to 15 days: drain it through the hose or the plug, rinse and wipe the wall, then refill with fresh water and keep the lid closed.
