Chlorine or Bromine? Which is the better sanitiser for Hot Tub & Swimming Pool Water?

Over the last 5 years, we have seen a huge increase in demand for hot tubs and swimming pools in the holiday letting industry. Holidaymakers absolutely love them and will seek these properties out above those without. With this demand has come a great many ways of looking after them to keep users safe during their stay. The key part of any water treatment is sanitisation of which there are several types of available for use in hot tubs and swimming pools water, but two of the most commonly used are chlorine and bromine. Both of these chemicals have their own unique properties and benefits, making them suitable for use in different situations.

Chlorine & Bromine are the most popular choices of sanitiser for many property owners and maintenance companies. They both have a long history of being a highly effective form of water treatment, and their benefits far outweigh any potential drawbacks. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of using chlorine & bromine as a sanitiser for hot tubs and swimming pool water in holiday letting properties and why we think that Chlorine it is the best option for maintaining the water for holiday letting.

The History of Chlorine as a Water Treatment

Chlorine has been used as a water treatment since the early 1900s when it was first introduced as a way to disinfect public water supplies. Since then, chlorine has been widely adopted as the standard for water disinfection and sanitation in a variety of applications, including swimming pools and hot tubs. This is because chlorine is a powerful and effective sanitiser that can kill a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and algae.

How Chlorine Works to Kill Bacteria

Chlorine is a powerful oxidizing agent, meaning it has the ability to neutralize and kill microorganisms in the water. When chlorine is added to water, it forms a variety of compounds, including hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ions (OCl-). These compounds are highly reactive and can penetrate the cell walls of microorganisms, neutralizing and killing them on contact.

Chlorine or Bromine

One of the key benefits of chlorine as a sanitiser is that it can continue to work even after it has been added to the water. This is because chlorine compounds can remain active in the water for a period of time, continuing to kill microorganisms even after initial contact. This makes chlorine an effective long-term solution for maintaining the cleanliness and safety of hot tubs and swimming pool water.

Bromine, on the other hand, is a less common choice but still a viable option. It is less harsh than chlorine, making it gentler on the skin and eyes and more comfortable for users with sensitive skin. It also has a longer lifespan than chlorine due to being more resistant to sunlight, requiring less frequent dosing, which can be more convenient for some property owners. However, Chlorine is no longer affected by sunlight as in times gone by, with the advent of Stabilised Chlorine!

Both chlorine and bromine have their own pros and cons, but ultimately, the choice between them depends on the needs and preferences of the property owner. However, in terms of commercial properties such as holiday lettings, there are some specific considerations to take into account.

Chlorine is widely recognized as the most effective sanitiser for commercial properties, including holiday lettings. This is due to its ability to kill bacteria and viruses quickly and effectively, which is especially important in high-traffic areas such as hot tubs and swimming pools.

Moreover, chlorine is a well-established and widely used sanitiser in the industry. Therefore, it is more straightforward to get the required safety approvals from the relevant authorities. If you're running a holiday letting a property or any other commercial establishment with a hot tub or swimming pool, it is crucial to ensure the safety of your guests, and that includes using the most reliable and trustworthy sanitiser.

In conclusion, both chlorine and bromine are suitable sanitizers for hot tubs and swimming pools, and the choice between them depends on the preferences and needs of the property owner. However, in our opinion when it comes to commercial properties such as holiday lettings, chlorine is generally considered the more appropriate choice, given its effectiveness and widespread use in the industry, As a business that has been working with chlorine for many years, we believe that it is the more appropriate sanitiser for hot tubs and swimming pools which are offered in a business setting.