Ahhh hot tub season! As the weather changes from hot and sunny to cooler and cloudy, there’s nothing better to do than head out and enjoy some time in your spa. It’s relaxing, calming, and one of the best ways to unwind.

As we begin to head into the start of spa season, we wanted to cover the basics of proper hot tub care and maintenance, so that beginner and seasoned spa owners can make the most of their time. After all, there’s nothing relaxing about a spa if you’re consistently caring or working to maintain it, right?!

Luckily for you, a hot tub is in no way high maintenance! In fact, once you have the basics down, it’s very simple to take care of. For proper maintenance, all hot tub owners have to focus on are the “3 C’s” which are water circulation, water chemistry, and cleaning.

We always encourage hot tub owners to focus on properly setting things up during the beginning of the season so that the rest of the time you’re able to relax, enjoy, and not have to worry about your tub. This requires purchasing the right chemicals for the Fall and Winter seasons, as well as setting your tub up for proper use.

A simple rule of thumb is the better the water circulation, the cleaner your spa! When your hot tub is running and constantly circulating, it prevents water contaminants from settling and building up, which in return prevents water issues or bacteria build up on your spa.

Now depending on your spa model, you may be able to automatically set up water circulation schedules. This allows for your spa to circulate once to twice a day for up to 20 minutes at a time. If your spa does not allow for automatic scheduling then be sure to set a reminder that alerts you to turn on your spa circulation system once or twice a day for 20 minutes. It may seem tedious, but it will definitely help prevent larger problems down the road.

Proper water circulation allows your spa filtration system to catch and dispose of all water contaminants, which means that frequent cleaning of your filters is necessary! This leads us to the second C that all hot tub owners need to be aware of...

Cleaning chemicals are easy to purchase and use, however, hot tub owners can rest assured knowing they’ll get a good clean with items as simple as a sponge and white vinegar. Every week, owners should head out to their spa to give the inside and the shell of the tub a good wipe down. This will ensure a clean, spotless, bacteria-free spa and is especially important to do after excessive, heavy use, especially after a party or a family get-together.