SPA parties are quite popular particularly among ladies since it is the terrific opportunity to pamper oneself while catching up with the latest news about one’s friend.

            If you own a SPA, why not have a SPA party for a change? Just like using swimming pool chemicals or hot tub chemicals, use spa chemicals to keep that spa ready for use and sparkling clean. 

            You won’t get stressed preparing for your party by simply following our top tips:

Food should be kept light but filling. Nobody wants to get into a SPA with a heavy stomach.

1. Homemade canapés are fuss free and can be prepared in advance. The easiest canapé is one that you can purchase from the grocery or convenience store. You can have someone help you out, either hours or a day before the party.  
2. Crackers or bread? You can use either one, both are actually enough to fill one’s stomach. One important thing to keep in mind is that after you fill or top the bread or cracker with the spread, keep it covered with plastic wrap until it is ready to serve.
3. Dips and chips. Fuss and stress free party food. You can make a homemade dip and keep it refrigerated until the day of the party. You may prefer to prepare the dip at least one week before the actual party. Not particularly fond of making dips? Go to the grocery and buy one that suits your taste. Chips are a no-brainer. Just open the bag, transfer the chips onto the platter, and serve with your chosen dip.
4. Bread sticks and pretzels. Terrific on their own or with a dip.
5. Veggies are terrific. Carrot sticks, celery stalks, or both? These are terrific for health buffs.

Here are a few hassle free recipes for canapés, spreads, or dips:

1. Tuna spread. Place 1 cup mayonnaise in a bowl and add to this the contents of 1 small can of tuna (drained) and ¼ cup grated cheese. Mix and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. This can be used as a dip or spread on top of a biscuit or bread and decorated with a sprig of parsley. You can also add in a dash or two of cayenne pepper if you want it spicy.
2. Ham and cheese spread. Cut up cooked ham into small cubes. Crumble some cottage cheese and mix with the ham before placing onto biscuits or bread. Not a fan of cottage cheese? Use spreadable cheese instead. Garnish with diced pimientos.
3. Canapés on a toothpick. You can use an assortment for this type of canapés such as cubed cucumber, bacon-wrapped sausage, sausages, cubed ham, cubed cheese, and olives. All you have to do is to combine two or more of these, prick it with a toothpick and you’re ready.

Drinks should be provided but kindly limit the amount of alcoholic drinks because your guests may want to soak in the spa. Bring out an ice chest so you don’t have to keep opening the fridge to get cold drinks. Place the drinks inside the ice chest and cover it with ice (do this at least 1 hour before the party starts).

1. Softdrinks or soda. Some call them soda while others call them softdrinks, whatever they may be called it sure is nice to have them cold and ready to drink.
2. Plenty of ice. Don’t you just hate it when everybody is having fun then suddenly there is no more ice for the drinks? Fill an ice chest with ice so everybody can enjoy the party with no interruptions.
3. Alcoholic beverages. A few drinks never did harm anyone. Have just enough alcoholic drinks on hand to pass around but not to make anyone too drunk or too tipsy that it might be dangerous for them to get in the SPA, not to mention to drive themselves home.

Now that you’re all ready for the party, all you need to do is to send out invitations to your friends. Here’s to a fun happening – cheers!

            Ask anybody and chances are they will tell you that they know the difference between a swimming pool, a hot tub, and a spa, but little do they know that spa chemicals are quite similar to chemicals for hot tubs and chemicals for swimming pools.

            Every one make use of algaecides, chlorine or bromine products, cleaning products, flocculants, water balancers, and water quality testers.

            Let’s take a brief look at each of these categories:

1. Algaecides. These may have quaternary ammonium salts (quats), polyquats, copper salts, or colloidal silver. Quats are used to prevent the occurrence of algae and are the cheapest type of algaecides. Already existing algae are removed with polyquats (more pricey than quats). Colloidal silver and copper salts both kill and prevent algal growth in the spa, pool, or hot tub.
2. Chlorine or Bromine products. The swimming pool, hot tub, and spa are disinfected using either bromine or chlorine products. Some individuals prefer to use on or the other depending on whether or not they are allergic to the chemical.
3. Cleaning products. These include cleaners for cartridges and tiles. Spa and hot tub cartridges will eventually become dirty with all the residues, grease and oil that have accumulated over time. Cartridge cleaners will help restore the cartridge to their original efficiency plus it removes any unwanted deposits. Tile cleaners remove grease, oil, and water lines while preventing further development of stains and marks.
4. Flocculants. These are made of polymers that helps increase the efficiency of centrifugation, clarification, filtration, and settling in the hot tub, pool or spa. Flocculants makes the water impurities combine for easy scooping up or vacuuming thus making the task of cleaning easy.
5. Water balancers. The calcium hardness (for areas with low hardness), alkalinity, and pH can be kept in check using water balancers to prevent possible headaches that can result due to a chemically unbalances spa, hot tub, and swimming pool.
6. Water quality testers. How will you know if what you did was sufficient to achieve the results that you desired even if you did follow the directions on the package to a T. Water quality testers are the answer because they help you check the water quality even after you have just added the chemicals or a few days has gone by.

Now you know that a hot tub, a spa, and a swimming pool are similar yet different at the same time. The similarity lies in the chemicals employed to keep it sparkling clean.

Your private spa is a great stress reliever, however, you may feel more stressed when your spa needs to be cleaned before you can soak your worries away. There are different things that spells I-C-K-Y such as a dark ring around the water line or cloudy water that can be avoided easily.

            Maintaining a tip top spa is easier than you might think, particularly if you use spa chemicals:

1. Regularly change the water. The more often the spa is used all the more reason why you should regularly change the water. It is suggested that the water be changed every 3 months.
2. Scum removal. The deposits or dirt that has stuck onto the sides and bottom of the spa can be removed with good old scrubbing. Specially formulated spa or hot tub chemicals for cleaning combined with scrubbing gives the best results.
3. Use spa sanitizers. These sanitizers include chlorine and bromine particles or tablets. These are similar to those used as swimming pool chemicals and they also have the same result, which is disinfecting the water.
4. Flocculants. Cloudy water is a result of frequent spa use. Flocculants returns the sparkle and clarity of the water It contains organic polymers that collect the small particles of dead algae, silica, and carbonates, this creates pieces of increased size and are then easily removed by water filters.
5. Cleaners for cartridges. Removes precipitated salts, organic matter, dirt, oils, and grease from filter cartridges so the filter returns to its maximum efficiency.
6. Test the water. You can check the quality of water in your spa using water test strips. It indicates the levels of bromine or chlorine, pH, and alkalinity. This helps you keep track of just how much and how often should that spa water be treated.
7. No-foam As the water runs, foam might be produced, so much more than what you would prefer. Simply squirt a small amount of the no-foam chemical and you will have a spa with just the right foam.

You are guaranteed a clean and “always-ready” spa as long as you make it a point to keep tabs on the quality of the water it means you can just get into your spa and relax without needing to clean it first.