February 24, 2023

Cleaning Your Hot Tub, Inside & Out!

Having a hot tub is a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day, or entertain family and friends. Whether you use it to relax sore, stiff muscles or enjoy it with some good company, your hot tub will eventually need to be drained and the staff at Discounter's Pool and Spa Warehouse are here to help!

While we’re sure you’re staying up to date with your weekly spa maintenance, it is important to drain your hot tub every 3 - 4 months. In order to get the best results you should give your hot tub a good, deep clean each and every time you drain it. This will help ensure your spa is clean, clear and safe for your family and friends by removing organic and bacterial build up that can accumulate in the plumbing over time.

Although it may seem like a long or tedious task, you will be pleased with the look and feel of the water after a good thorough cleaning.

Ready to get Started?

Step 1: Purge the Lines

Due to high temperatures and small volume of water, hot tub plumbing is an inviting environment for bacteria and other contaminants to hide. Purging the lines will remove this buildup and prevent any contamination of fresh water when the tub is filled. A purge product will push out anything sitting in the lines which may have the potential to cause water clarity issues or poor circulation.

Before adding any purge product to the water, be sure to remove the filter. Allow the product to circulate for the recommended amount of time. Depending on the product you choose this could be anywhere from 1 hour to 24 hours. Waiting the recommended time will allow the purge to remove any oils, greases or other build up trapped inside the pipes. After the recommended time has passed, you are ready to drain your hot tub!

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Step 2: Drain Your Hot Tub

Now that the build up has been removed from inside the plumbing, you’ll need to drain out your hot tub so that it can be filled with clean, fresh water. Follow the instructions in your spa manual for specific directions on how to drain your spa. If you have a gravity drain or use a submersible pump, you must turn off the power to the hot tub before you begin draining.

There are two options for draining your hot tub. One way is to connect a garden hose to the spa drain. The spa drain is located just inside the removable panel where your hot tub equipment is found. The second option is to use a submersible pump. Using a submersible pump will speed up the draining process as it will pump the water out instead of relying solely on gravity to drain the tub. As the water is draining, take the opportunity to clean the surface of your spa.

Step 3: Cleaning The Surface & Cover

Washing the surface of the hot tub is an important step in ensuring a thorough clean. Since the water is always touching the surface of the hot tub, scale, grease and oil will accumulate. Be sure to use a spa safe cleaner, like Natural Chemistry Clean & Perfect and a soft cloth to wipe down the entire tub. Performing this task while the water is being drained is best. You can then rinse the walls of the hot tub and drain out any cleaner residual.

It is recommended to clean both the inside and outside of your spa cover as well. Natural Chemistry Clean & Perfect will remove any dirt, grime and other build up in order to prolong the life of your cover.

Do not use household cleaners on the surface of your hot tub. Products such as magic erasers or lysol wipes will remove the finish and damage the surface of your spa.

Step 4: Refill Your Tub

We’re almost there! The next step is to refill your hot tub with fresh water. When the hot tub has been filled, you can refill your chemical feeder with sanitizing tablets and place it back in the hot tub.

You can now take a water sample into your closest Discounter’s Pool & Spa Warehouse location for a thorough test and balancing instructions. Never use your hot tub without a chlorine/bromine reading or without a clean filter.

Step 5: Cleaning Your Filters

Hot tub filters need to be chemically cleaned each time you drain your hot tub. Your filter is what captures everything we do not want floating around in the water. Chemically cleaning it every 3-4 months will maintain filtration efficiency and prolong the life of your filter. Using a proper filter cleaner will remove the build up of oils from the pores of the cartridge and ensure that your hot tub maintains optimal filtration.

Any time you chemically clean your filter, you must allow it to fully dry before putting it back into your tub. If you do not allow the filter to dry completely, the pores will remain open and small particles will end up in the water. This will create water quality issues and result in the premature expiry of your filter. For filter cleaning instructions, click here.

It is best practice to purchase a secondary filter so you can interchange them. This way, you never need to worry about waiting to relax in your fresh spa, because your filter is not dry.

That’s it! Maintaining the cleanliness of your hot tub will ensure you get the most out of your purchase and keep the equipment, surface and water looking and feeling great!

Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to us online or visit any of our locations so that our Spa Experts can assist.

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