Here’s How to Clean & Care for Your Hot Tub

Soaking in a hot tub can be a relaxing and rewarding experience. However, if it isn’t properly cleaned and maintained your hot tub can quickly go from a soothing oasis to a potential health hazard. It can also result in costly repairs. Fortunately, with regular cleaning and some basic hot tub maintenance, it’s easy to soak safely. Here’s how.

Balancing Your Hot Tub Chemicals

Maintaining proper alkalinity and pH balance in your hot tub’s water helps ensure a cleaner, safer, and healthier spa. Hot tub test strips are a quick and easy way to monitor levels and let you know when your hot tub chemicals require adjusting.

Hot Tub Alkalinity

Balanced alkalinity helps control pH levels, and your hot tub should have a total alkalinity level of 80-120mg/l ppm. Below this, water can become corrosive and acidic. It may also cause water to turn green as a low alkaline hot tub can no longer balance phosphates, which feed algae. On the other end of the spectrum, high alkaline levels can result in cloudy water and scale growth. To increase alkalinity in a hot tub with a balanced pH level, add an alkalinity increaser.

Hot Tub pH

pH levels measure acidity and alkalinity in water, and you should aim for a level between 7.2 and 7.8. Below this, increased acidity can cause itchiness and burning eyes, while also reducing the effectiveness of your sanitizer. Above 7.8, your hot tub water can become cloudy or foamy and cause scale growth. If your pH levels are low, a hot tub pH increaser can help; if they’re high, opt for a hot tub pH decreaser.

Chlorine vs. Bromine

Both chlorine and bromine can kill bacteria. Chlorine works by oxidizing contaminants, and bromine by ionizing them. To avoid a dangerous chemical reaction, never mix chlorine and bromine together. When choosing your hot tub sanitizers, consider the following:

Chlorine

• Kills contaminants more quickly than bromine 

• Ideal hot tub chlorine level is 1-3 parts per million 

• Too much chlorine can cause eyes to sting and reduce sanitizer effectiveness

Bromine

• Kills contaminants more slowly than chlorine 

• Has a lower pH than chlorine 

• UV light destroys bromine more quickly than chlorine, so use a hot tub cover on outdoor hot tubs 

• Ideal hot tub bromine level is 3-5 parts per million 

• More bromine is required to achieve the same results as chlorine, but you don’t need to use it as often

How to Clean a Hot Tub

High-temperature water can become a breeding ground for mould and bacteria. Keeping your hot tub clean helps you create a safe and inviting space where you can relax comfortably. It also helps to extend the life and efficiency of your investment. Follow these steps to keep your hot tub looking and performing at its peak:

1. Drain Your Hot Tub

• Turn off the power 

• Flush the lines with a special cleaner 

• Drain water according to manufacturer’s instructions 

• Use a submersible pump to speed up drainage if necessary

2. Clean the Inside & Outside

• Apply a hot tub cleaner to the interior 

• Wipe down all grooves, nooks, and hot tub jets with a soft sponge or cloth 

• Rinse all surfaces 

• Spray down the exterior with warm water

3. Remove & Clean the Hot Tub Filters

• Remove and rinse filters with warm water 

• Spray filters with a filter cleaning product 

• Rinse the filter cleaner away 

• For a deeper clean, soak filters in a professional cleaner first 

• Replace damaged or excessively dirty filters

4. Refill & Treat the Water

• Close all hot tub drains  

• Position the filler hose into the filter well and fill the hot tub 

• Once filled, test the pH and chlorine levels 

• Treat the water with a bromine or chlorine sanitizer, or hot tub shock  

• Add and adjust chemicals as necessary

Importance of Water Circulation

The more water that circulates through your spa, the cleaner the water and your spa will be. When water circulates through hot tub filters, it helps trap hot tub algae and other contaminants, making it more difficult for bacteria to breed. Circulation also pushes water through the heaters, helping to keep your hot tub water at a pre-determined temperature.

Hot Tub Maintenance Schedule

Regular maintenance is necessary for a safe and healthy hot tub. Here’s a handy schedule:

Weekly

• Wipe down the hot tub cover and check that it’s secure 

• Test the water chemistry levels at least twice per week 

• Wipe down the hot tub with a sponge above the water line 

• Sanitize and shock your hot tub water once per week  

• Remove and rinse spa filters once per week

Monthly

• Give the hot tub filters a chemical rinse 

• Clean the hot tub cover 

• Inspect the hot tub lines and jets for clogs 

• Clean the hot tub cabinet

Seasonal

• Drain and thoroughly clean your spa every 3-4 months 

• Give the spa filters a chemical soak for a deeper clean 

• Flush and cleanse the hot tub lines to remove biofilm build up

Annual

• Inspect the hot tub for damage and make necessary repairs  

• Hire a hot tub service professional for a tune up

Winterize Your Hot Tub

While a hot soak on a cold day appeals to many hot tub owners, if you don’t plan on using your spa over the winter, here’s how to help it hibernate safely: 

• Drain the hot tub completely 

• Turn off the heater and activate the blower to purge water from lines  

• Loosen or unscrew fittings to get all water out, then tighten or replace them 

• Remove drain plugs to ensure the pump housing, filter canister, and heater are completely dry 

• Blow any remaining water out of the jets with an air compressor 

• Install a secure hot tub cover to keep debris out

Hot Tub Safety Tips

Hot tubs provide fun and relaxation for the whole family, if used safely. As a hot tub owner, it’s important to keep these safety tips in mind: 

• Rinse off before soaking to prevent contamination from oils, creams, and fragrances 

• Do not use glass containers in or around your hot tub 

• Refrain from alcohol consumption as warm water temperatures can heighten intoxication 

• Keep water temperature below 40°C for adults and 38°C for children 

• Don’t sit in hot water for more than 15 minutes 

• Don’t dive or dunk 

• Always supervise children 

• Know where the emergency cut-off switch is in the event of body entrapment or hair entanglement

Regular cleaning and care will help you get the most out of your hot tub. By performing some basic hot tub maintenance tasks, you can spend more time soaking under the stars and less time worrying about spa upkeep.