This is a concern of mine. In 2020 I had a walkin tub installed for my dad after having double heart valve replacement surgery. He's also end stage renal and has cirrhosis. After the heart surgery, this was the most feasible way for my dad to bathe as the old standard shower/tub would've been impossible for him to step over or safely bath in even with a transfer bench. I live with my father and am his full time, live in home health caretaker. Our house has just one bathroom, needless to say, we share the walkin and these are the steps that I take to avoid thisconcern: 1. The bathtub does an automatic 2 minute blow down 20 minutes after use. This is built in by the manufacturer. 2. After each and every use I half fill the tub and run all jets with bleach water. 3. I then drain the tub and scrub the entire tub with a non-abrasive cleaner containing bleach. 4. I then use the handheld shower head to completely rinse, turn on the air to blow out any cleaning scrub from the air jets, rinse the rest away. 5. I then half fill the tub with fresh water, run the jets for 20 minutes to completely flush the system. 6. I then drain completely, do a final rinse and blow out the air jets. 7. Lastly, I use microfiber towels to completely dry the tub, avoiding any potential mildew. It's an additional investment of time, money and water but we'll worth it. To me anyways. My dad does home hemodialysis and cleanliness is paramount to keep his access from becoming infected or worse. 2 years later. he's doing well and the walk in bathtub is as well.
Thank you Aaron! You are right on the point. And thank Goodness your dad is doing great. That's is what it is all about. And, thank Goodness he has you there to do all this maintenance. All these efforts to "try" to keep this tub water jetted system clean are important. Unfortunately, Dr. Moyes would likely tell you this still isn't enough. Imagine the health regulations for multi-bather environments such as a nursing home, they are supposed to do this ritual after every bath! Most don't. So, here is the secret... don't have a system that recirculates the bath water. What is in the tub must go down the drain, and nowhere else. Good luck my friend and thank you so much for sharing your impressive efforts to take care of your father. He is blessed to have you!
If the internal piping was copper, which is a natural antimicrobial surface, most of this would be a moot point, but I was thinking to do what you explained in your comment when I get one for my son. There are some manufacturers that have added an ozonator within the system to help combat those microbial situations...
@BentleyBaths I'm sorry to be so long sending my appreciation for your kind words. I sonetimes miss comments but did just want to say thank you. I still do maintain our walkin bath just the same. It is still the same investment of time and resources but certainly well worth the energy making the investments. One thing that I can say, knowing about how 'stuff' can develop in impossible to see or access spaces of a walkin tub, I would never, ever use a public or general use walk in tub. Would not happen.
@jdog4534 This is true, American Standard, which is who I purchased our walk-in tub from (in large part because of the longevity of service in the field and because their primary offices are based in the Dallas/Ft Worth area where I live - if I need to scream at anyone for any reason, there is a physical office that I can drive to if necessary), does include an ozonator which is supposed to help aid in maintaining cleanliness. But, unfortunately, it cannot do everything. That I have seen when looking underneath the tub after pulling the panels off, all piping appears to be PVC. There could be some copper piping - such as that which comes in from the main water line - but what I see is all PVC. There are lines that run from the water pump to the individual jets but those look more like PEX tubing. It may not be PEX, but it closely resembles it. There is one place in particular that must be cleaned and replaced with regularity if desiring to maintain a truly clean walk-in tub. No amount of cleaning with remedy this if not removed and replaced: the rubber seal that the door contacts when secured and in use. I don't care how hard or how long one cleans, when this seal is removed there is an entirely new world of bacterial and germ growth that exists in this space and it is nasty. It cannot be cleaned without removing and replacing the seal and I strongly advise that anyone with a walk-in bathtub do this. I can guarantee that no matter how clean one is or believes themselves to be, nothing will deflate that belief faster than pulling that rubber seal. You will re-think everything that you've ever thought about your cleanliness. For the record, I have never needed to, wanted to, or had to drive to American Standard's offices for any reason.
@TheAgentAaron I would suggest you steer clear of the bleach water, because bleach molecules are too viscous to penetrate pores and crevices in surfaces. That means that any bacterial or fungal microbes in the hard to penetrate microscopic spaces will remain and then recolonize untouched by the bleach that couldn't contact them. The best way to clean those types of issues is with citric acid powder, because it dilutes completely into the water and then the waters properties as water viscosity properly penetrate the surfaces the bleach can't. The increased Ph of the acidic water then kills the microbes, it's best to let it circulate and sit for a while. This is the same principle I use for cleaning my countertop ice maker because of its tendency to become compromised by mold and bacteria. You can find cleaning grade and food grade citric acid well priced across the market and at grocery stores. Best wishes to a healthy scrubbyadubdub
My dad just bought a walk in tub from Kohler for $25,000! Reason was for my mom who has trouble standing to take a shower. He could have had hand grabs and a seat installed for WAY cheaper!
I can almost GUARANTEE that you were overcharged! There are many solutions, and I have yet to see a walk-in tub install (assuming there is not major additional remodeling being done) cast $25,000. He should not be paying more than $16,000-$18,000 under most circumstances. If I were you, I would have him cancel the contract immediately, then lets talk and allow you guys to look around a little more and see his options. Trust me, if he decides to go back to Kohler, they are going to give him the same or a better deal. Let me know if I can help. You can call my office at 800-688-0055, or email me at Info@BentleyBaths.com. Don't let him be pressured and I can share any number of other seniors who have been through the same process and were able to get out of it.
Yes they are, so long as your talking about water jetted tubs or tubs with low end air systems. Purging the lines should not be required if water doesn't water the lines. Purging on our system is merely to dry and water drops at the jets. Ozone is effective, but not on a tub you fill and drain every time. It does not have time to disinfect according to the bacteriologists.
Citric acid. Fill the tub, pour in a can of citric acid, run it, let it circulate. Changing the ph of the water with the cirtric acid will kill all of the slime molds and biofilms.
Thanks @jadesea562. I appreciate your input. According to the Bacteriologists I consulted: "As a bacteriologist, I would not recommend using citric acid alone in a water jetted tub to sanitize and disinfect the piping. While citric acid has some antimicrobial properties, it is not considered a broad-spectrum disinfectant and would likely be insufficient to properly sanitize the complex piping system of a jetted tub... I would advise against relying solely on citric acid for this purpose, as it may give a false sense of security while not adequately addressing the microbial contamination in the tub's piping system." I am not an expert on these things. That is why I go to true experts for this type of guidance. This is also why I believe we are way safer and healthier to just not put these water-jetted systems on our personal bathing appliances. MEdical Hydrotherapy is sanitary and also a far better therapeutic process.
At the present, no. However, Medicaid does in some states. The issue is that Medicare is primarily health insurance. If you are a disabled veteran, or have other disabilities, there may be some state and local grants and programs that might help you. Unfortunately, in the US today, we have to be prepared to self-pay for home modifications and that includes walk-in tubs.
Very true Michael. The technologies work better on hot tubs because the water remains and can be treated over 24hours. With a personal bathing appliance... not so much.
Sorry, the issue is there is no way to clean inside the piping. That's what causes the issue according to Dr. Moyes. Without a way to mechanically remove build up (the way you clean to exposed surfaces) bio-film will develop.
@@wendyread1183 With non-jetted tubs, you will mechanically clean the surface with disenfectant and scrubbing. If you didn't you would also get a build up of biofilm around the tub perimeter (soap scum ring). The issue with jets that now you cannot get into the piping to perform the scrubbing with disenfectant and biomaterial grows. The longer a tub sits with the jets unused, the worse it gets, too.
Yes we are. The truth is the average walk-in tub does not use much more water than a regular tub because we have more of our bodies displacing the water. Also, there are technics that I have developed to greatly minimize the amount of water my wife and I use in our tub. I will do therapies in the footwell (way less water than a shower), we can actually both use the tub at the same time, or we can reuse the water when we are primarily doing therapies... then we save the bathing for last.
Ha, thanks Richard! Good catch. I have a Juris Doctorate (not a PhD), but I happen to be severely dyslexic. I’m much better at creating typos than I am at seeing them. I appreciate your pointing it out. Thanks.
I never thought of this. Thank you.
You're welcome! Incase you have more questions that need answering, you can send me an email at George@BentleyBaths.com. Thank you.
This is a concern of mine. In 2020 I had a walkin tub installed for my dad after having double heart valve replacement surgery. He's also end stage renal and has cirrhosis. After the heart surgery, this was the most feasible way for my dad to bathe as the old standard shower/tub would've been impossible for him to step over or safely bath in even with a transfer bench. I live with my father and am his full time, live in home health caretaker. Our house has just one bathroom, needless to say, we share the walkin and these are the steps that I take to avoid thisconcern:
1. The bathtub does an automatic 2 minute blow down 20 minutes after use. This is built in by the manufacturer.
2. After each and every use I half fill the tub and run all jets with bleach water.
3. I then drain the tub and scrub the entire tub with a non-abrasive cleaner containing bleach.
4. I then use the handheld shower head to completely rinse, turn on the air to blow out any cleaning scrub from the air jets, rinse the rest away.
5. I then half fill the tub with fresh water, run the jets for 20 minutes to completely flush the system.
6. I then drain completely, do a final rinse and blow out the air jets.
7. Lastly, I use microfiber towels to completely dry the tub, avoiding any potential mildew.
It's an additional investment of time, money and water but we'll worth it. To me anyways. My dad does home hemodialysis and cleanliness is paramount to keep his access from becoming infected or worse. 2 years later. he's doing well and the walk in bathtub is as well.
Thank you Aaron! You are right on the point. And thank Goodness your dad is doing great. That's is what it is all about. And, thank Goodness he has you there to do all this maintenance. All these efforts to "try" to keep this tub water jetted system clean are important. Unfortunately, Dr. Moyes would likely tell you this still isn't enough. Imagine the health regulations for multi-bather environments such as a nursing home, they are supposed to do this ritual after every bath! Most don't. So, here is the secret... don't have a system that recirculates the bath water. What is in the tub must go down the drain, and nowhere else. Good luck my friend and thank you so much for sharing your impressive efforts to take care of your father. He is blessed to have you!
If the internal piping was copper, which is a natural antimicrobial surface, most of this would be a moot point, but I was thinking to do what you explained in your comment when I get one for my son. There are some manufacturers that have added an ozonator within the system to help combat those microbial situations...
@BentleyBaths I'm sorry to be so long sending my appreciation for your kind words. I sonetimes miss comments but did just want to say thank you. I still do maintain our walkin bath just the same. It is still the same investment of time and resources but certainly well worth the energy making the investments. One thing that I can say, knowing about how 'stuff' can develop in impossible to see or access spaces of a walkin tub, I would never, ever use a public or general use walk in tub. Would not happen.
@jdog4534 This is true, American Standard, which is who I purchased our walk-in tub from (in large part because of the longevity of service in the field and because their primary offices are based in the Dallas/Ft Worth area where I live - if I need to scream at anyone for any reason, there is a physical office that I can drive to if necessary), does include an ozonator which is supposed to help aid in maintaining cleanliness. But, unfortunately, it cannot do everything. That I have seen when looking underneath the tub after pulling the panels off, all piping appears to be PVC. There could be some copper piping - such as that which comes in from the main water line - but what I see is all PVC. There are lines that run from the water pump to the individual jets but those look more like PEX tubing. It may not be PEX, but it closely resembles it.
There is one place in particular that must be cleaned and replaced with regularity if desiring to maintain a truly clean walk-in tub. No amount of cleaning with remedy this if not removed and replaced: the rubber seal that the door contacts when secured and in use. I don't care how hard or how long one cleans, when this seal is removed there is an entirely new world of bacterial and germ growth that exists in this space and it is nasty. It cannot be cleaned without removing and replacing the seal and I strongly advise that anyone with a walk-in bathtub do this. I can guarantee that no matter how clean one is or believes themselves to be, nothing will deflate that belief faster than pulling that rubber seal. You will re-think everything that you've ever thought about your cleanliness.
For the record, I have never needed to, wanted to, or had to drive to American Standard's offices for any reason.
@TheAgentAaron I would suggest you steer clear of the bleach water, because bleach molecules are too viscous to penetrate pores and crevices in surfaces. That means that any bacterial or fungal microbes in the hard to penetrate microscopic spaces will remain and then recolonize untouched by the bleach that couldn't contact them. The best way to clean those types of issues is with citric acid powder, because it dilutes completely into the water and then the waters properties as water viscosity properly penetrate the surfaces the bleach can't. The increased Ph of the acidic water then kills the microbes, it's best to let it circulate and sit for a while. This is the same principle I use for cleaning my countertop ice maker because of its tendency to become compromised by mold and bacteria. You can find cleaning grade and food grade citric acid well priced across the market and at grocery stores. Best wishes to a healthy scrubbyadubdub
My dad just bought a walk in tub from Kohler for $25,000! Reason was for my mom who has trouble standing to take a shower. He could have had hand grabs and a seat installed for WAY cheaper!
I can almost GUARANTEE that you were overcharged! There are many solutions, and I have yet to see a walk-in tub install (assuming there is not major additional remodeling being done) cast $25,000. He should not be paying more than $16,000-$18,000 under most circumstances. If I were you, I would have him cancel the contract immediately, then lets talk and allow you guys to look around a little more and see his options. Trust me, if he decides to go back to Kohler, they are going to give him the same or a better deal. Let me know if I can help. You can call my office at 800-688-0055, or email me at Info@BentleyBaths.com. Don't let him be pressured and I can share any number of other seniors who have been through the same process and were able to get out of it.
Jerry, have your dad watch this UA-cam video and then call me. I will help, I promise. ua-cam.com/video/FixbSrSOdCE/v-deo.htmlsi=QyIzNp4QXpGHO0UC
@@BentleyBaths He already has the tub installed
This was great! Ty!
What about those tubs that offer an automatic purge feature and a ozone disinfectant? Are these tubs also dirty?
Yes they are, so long as your talking about water jetted tubs or tubs with low end air systems. Purging the lines should not be required if water doesn't water the lines. Purging on our system is merely to dry and water drops at the jets. Ozone is effective, but not on a tub you fill and drain every time. It does not have time to disinfect according to the bacteriologists.
Not really according the the bacteriologists. Ozone is not fully effective in water jets personal berthing appliances. Happy to discuss this with you.
Citric acid. Fill the tub, pour in a can of citric acid, run it, let it circulate. Changing the ph of the water with the cirtric acid will kill all of the slime molds and biofilms.
Thanks @jadesea562. I appreciate your input. According to the Bacteriologists I consulted: "As a bacteriologist, I would not recommend using citric acid alone in a water jetted tub to sanitize and disinfect the piping. While citric acid has some antimicrobial properties, it is not considered a broad-spectrum disinfectant and would likely be insufficient to properly sanitize the complex piping system of a jetted tub... I would advise against relying solely on citric acid for this purpose, as it may give a false sense of security while not adequately addressing the microbial contamination in the tub's piping system." I am not an expert on these things. That is why I go to true experts for this type of guidance. This is also why I believe we are way safer and healthier to just not put these water-jetted systems on our personal bathing appliances. MEdical Hydrotherapy is sanitary and also a far better therapeutic process.
Thank you!!
You are very welcome!! Let me know if I can ever be of service.
Dose Medicare cover any of the cost of a new walk in tub
At the present, no. However, Medicaid does in some states. The issue is that Medicare is primarily health insurance. If you are a disabled veteran, or have other disabilities, there may be some state and local grants and programs that might help you. Unfortunately, in the US today, we have to be prepared to self-pay for home modifications and that includes walk-in tubs.
So what do we use then ?
A closed air system that insures the dirty water in the tub goes down the drain. This is our Medical Hydrotherapy.
Bathtubs are NOT hottubs lol
Very true Michael. The technologies work better on hot tubs because the water remains and can be treated over 24hours. With a personal bathing appliance... not so much.
Of course, if you clean it there's no issue
Sorry, the issue is there is no way to clean inside the piping. That's what causes the issue according to Dr. Moyes. Without a way to mechanically remove build up (the way you clean to exposed surfaces) bio-film will develop.
@@BentleyBathsIsn’t that the case with all bathtubs?
@@wendyread1183 With non-jetted tubs, you will mechanically clean the surface with disenfectant and scrubbing. If you didn't you would also get a build up of biofilm around the tub perimeter (soap scum ring). The issue with jets that now you cannot get into the piping to perform the scrubbing with disenfectant and biomaterial grows. The longer a tub sits with the jets unused, the worse it gets, too.
Jeez ,and we are supposed to be saving water .
Because your home is not set up for greywater reuse by code... code is the extreme problem these days.
Yes we are. The truth is the average walk-in tub does not use much more water than a regular tub because we have more of our bodies displacing the water. Also, there are technics that I have developed to greatly minimize the amount of water my wife and I use in our tub. I will do therapies in the footwell (way less water than a shower), we can actually both use the tub at the same time, or we can reuse the water when we are primarily doing therapies... then we save the bathing for last.
Has a PhD. Can't spell unacceptable.
Ha, thanks Richard! Good catch. I have a Juris Doctorate (not a PhD), but I happen to be severely dyslexic. I’m much better at creating typos than I am at seeing them. I appreciate your pointing it out. Thanks.