Can I use essential oils in a walk-in tub with jets?

Not in the bath water. On a jetted Ella walk-in tub, essential oils should never be poured straight into the water, because oils can get stuck in the jet and air pumps, foul the lines and damage the motors, and that kind of damage is not a warranty matter. The right way to enjoy oils is the optional aromatherapy canister, a small chamber plumbed into the jet system that holds a few drops of oil so the scent stays in one place while the circulating water carries the aroma through the jets.

Why Oils and Jets Do Not Mix

Every jet line on the tub runs through the pumps. Bath oils, bath beads and fragrance oils can get stuck in the jet and air pumps and damage the motors, and they also feed the film of body oils and product residue that collects inside the plumbing. That film is what comes back out later as black flakes or brown slime from the jets. The bath products rules list oils as discouraged for exactly this reason, and if you use them at all you should plan on extra vinegar flushes.

The Aromatherapy Canister: Oils the Right Way

The canister is a NuWhirl assembly teed into the jet plumbing beneath the deck, and the only part you see is a chrome twist cap sitting flush on the tub deck. To use it, twist the cap open, insert a whirlpool scent cartridge or add a few drops of essential oil, twist the cap closed, fill the tub past the jets and run the hydro massage as usual. Essential oils and whirlpool scent cartridges are the only things that belong in it; crystals, beads, salts and bath bombs do not. Refresh the scent whenever you like by opening the cap again, and keep up the monthly vinegar flush, since oils in the water call for it. The full description, plumbing details and installation video are in how the aromatherapy canister works.

If Your Tub Has No Canister

The canister is an ordered option rather than a standard feature, so check your order first. It can be installed on almost any Ella walk-in tub with enough free deck space, and the cleanest way to get it is to include it with the tub order so the deck hole and tee are done at the factory. Adding it to a tub that is already installed means cutting the deck and teeing into the jet plumbing behind the apron, which is a job for a licensed contractor, so ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 first to confirm whether your model has the space.

If Oils Have Already Gone Through the Jets

Run the vinegar flush: combine 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups of water, fill the tub to 1 inch above the highest jets, add the mixture, run the jets for 10 minutes, then drain. If the drained water still carries flakes or a dark film, repeat until it runs clear, and clean hair and debris off the pump inlet cover. The same flush is the monthly routine that keeps buildup from coming back; see why black flakes come out of the jets.

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