If you’re doing your research on the different types of ionic footbaths in the market, then one of the things you are no doubt looking at, is their ongoing costs. Did you know that some brands will have a set number of minutes that their arrays can be used for, and after that you have no choice but to buy a new one? Thankfully, this is not the case for the IonCleanse by AMD, but there are some ongoing costs. How much those are will vary, depending on session length, frequency of use, and how many people are using the IonCleanse.

Plates

The biggest ongoing cost is the array plates. A full array (including plates) is included with a new unit but the metal in the plates will corrode during use. Most people will use the 316 plates, so that’s what we’re going to be discussing here. The plates last an average of 1000-1300 minutes, depending on your water supply and how much salt you need to add.

If you know the length of your session, and how often you will have a cleanse, you can now work out how long each set of plates will last you. Unfortunately, the session length and number of sessions per week will vary per person, so it is difficult for us to tell you just how long your plates will last. If more than one person is using the footbath, that will change the calculation as well! 

If we assume that the footbath is being used by one person only, and that they are doing 30 minute sessions, three times per week, we can see that they will have a total of 90 minutes use per week. 

With an average of 1000 to 1300 minutes per set of plates, the plates will last them from 11 (1000/90) to 14.5 (1300/90) weeks.

Obviously, if there are more people using the footbath, or the session time is longer, or it is being used more often than three times a week, the plates will wear out quicker!

To make the most of your health budget, work out how many minutes you (or your family) would be doing per week. When buying directly from AMD in the States, you’ll find that shipping costs will only increase slightly with each 3-4 plates you add on. Economically, you’re better off buying at least 12 plates as AMD offer a discount for bulk buys, and shipping per plate is cheaper. If you’re making a purchase from AMD, you might also like to add in an array cord (see below), as it’s always handy to have a spare!

Liners

These are an optional product; some customers prefer not to use any additional plastics, or to save money by not buying them. Using the tub without liners will leave a brown stain on the inside of your tub, which you may or may not wish to try and clean. This stain is purely cosmetic and doesn’t affect the performance of the unit in any way.

Our own preference is to use the liners for our family (because we really don’t like the gross look) but we rinse the liners in between footbaths and get 2-3 uses before disposing of them. A box of 30 liners is included with each unit. The box is quite heavy to ship, so if you’re buying them from AMD in the States, expect your shipping costs to go up. We’ve seen some US footbath users state that they use kitty litter liners, or even garbage bags, to help cut down costs. We have not personally tried these methods so cannot vouch for them.

Salt

Salt usage will depend on your water supply and the quality of your plates. It may change throughout the year as your water utility company may adjust their treatment plant. Older plates often require more salt to be added as well.

A large shaker of salt is included with your IonCleanse. Once it runs out, just use any quality food grade salt that you would normally cook with – Sea Salt / Pink / Himalayan Salt. You can find out more about which salts you can use, and how to add it, in our Salty Facts Blog Post.

Ascorbic Acid

Your machine also comes with a packet of ascorbic acid, to soak your plates and/or tub with. Once again, this is an optional item. Some people find that soaking their plates in ascorbic acid after every 8-10 uses can extend their use, whereas others find the opposite. If you are not using the liners, you can fill up your tub and add a large scoop of ascorbic acid, to help remove some of the worst stains.

If you are using the ascorbic acid and run out, you can use any ascorbic acid powder you prefer. You can also use pre-squeezed lemon juice from the supermarket to have the same effect.

Other Costs

Obviously you need to use electricity to run the machine, and water to fill it, but these costs will depend entirely on your own providers. The cord that connects your plates to the machine will at times need replacing as well. This will depend on if the connectors get splashed during use and therefore corrode. If you have kids who like to splash, you may need to replace the cord every six months, but most people find they replace it every two years or less.