Special Report: What lies beneath?

Warm, bubbly, and relaxing.

Hot tubs are so inviting, and nothing seems safer than soaking in the suds.

But you may not be the only guest. You'd be surprised to find out what could be below those bubbles!

We put five hot tubs to the test

A 7News producer went undercover to popular hotels and gyms. All the tubs at the hotels checked out clean.

We also tested the water at a home hot tub.

But the hot tubs at the gyms and home were loaded with bacteria one was dubbed TNTC, too numerous to count.

We found yeast, mold, coliform and lots of staph bacteria, which can cause severe skin infections.

Hillary Smith
"I remember sleeping and just burning all over my body."

Smith was infected with a painful skin disorder called "hot tub rash."

Hillary Smith
"It was around on my belly like little blotches and clusters of red spots, and on my arms and on my legs."

She was treated with antibiotics, but it could have been much worse.

Dr. Robert Colgrove/Mount Auburn Hospital
"An otherwise healthy person can get a serious, sometimes life threatening skin infection."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported several outbreaks of hot tub rash, including one in Maine.

Nine kids got sick after swimming in either the hot tub or swimming pool at a hotel.

Another reported problem is hot tub lung, when people develop respiratory problems from breathing in bacteria.

Dr. Robert Colgrove/Mount Auburn Hospital
"Usually cause more of an allergic type of reaction than an infection, but occasionally they can cause real lung infections."

But according to Steve Gorlin from the Hot Tub Council it's safe to soak

Steve Gorlin/Hot Tub Council
"Spas are very safe, without disease, without bacteria as long as they are being properly maintained."

But if you don't keep the hot tub clean, things can get quickly out of control.

When no one is using the spa, the water is kept warm. Warm and wet spells disaster. A dirty hot tub quickly turns into a bacteria breeding ground.

Here's what you can do to make sure you're not stepping into sickness.

Ask how often the disinfectant levels have been tested. The answer should be four times a day.

Make sure the water has been changed at least once every two weeks, and that the tub has been brushed down and vacuumed every day. Experts say the water in private/home hot tubs should be changed once every three months.

A few steps to make sure the hot tub your family steps in has no danger lying beneath.

Related links:
CDC Healthy Swimming
The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals

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