We get it! Your hot tub is meant for one thing and one thing only; relaxation. This is why the thought of draining or cleaning it may sound dreadful and may be why you don’t do it as often as you should. But truth be told, eliminating the bacteria or buildup that forms in your hot tub is not only necessary, but it’s actually really easy.

With our simple step-by-step process, you’ll not only be able to quickly and efficiently clean and drain your hot tub, but you’ll be able to ensure it runs smoothly all season long. Before you know it, you’ll be back, having a soak and relaxing in your happy place. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

Now, even though we recommend cleaning and draining your hot tub every 3 to 4 months, there may be some specific times or telltale signs in which more frequent cleaning should occur. Here are some of the signs that your hot tub is due for a clean:

1. The water isn’t clear
2. You have been using your spa more often than normal
3. You’ve had a lot of guests in the hot tub
4. Your hot tub has sat unused for quite some time
5. Your tub is giving off foul or unpleasant odours

When it comes time for you to drain and clean your tub, here’s the simple step-by-step process that we recommend following:

Use a Cleaner to Flush the Plumbing

The last thing you want to develop in your hot tub is biofilm. This acts as a form of food for bacteria, causing them to grow and turn into other forms of contaminants such as Staphylococcus Aureus and E.Coli.

Not only is this bad for your bathers, but it can also be detrimental to your hot tub plumbing. Using a plumbing line cleaner can help break down biofilm and prevent these serious issues from occurring.

Add the plumbing line cleaner to your hot tub and let it circulate for a minimum of 20 minutes. Unless your hot tub has been sitting for quite some time. If that’s the case, we recommend allowing this product to circulate for up to a few hours or even overnight.

There are two ways in which you can drain your hot tub. One of the ways is by connecting a hose to the spa drain. This is the most cost-effective way, but it is also the most time-consuming as it does take a few hours. If you’re looking for an option that’s a little quicker, you may want to try draining your hot tub with a sump pump.

A sump pump allows your hot tub to be drained in minutes instead of hours. Because of how speedy this option is, we recommend that you stand by during the process to keep an eye on the water level, preventing it from getting too low so that the motor burns out.

Hot tub drained? Now it’s time to clean! The first thing you’ll want to attack is the hot tub filter. Pour water into a 20-litre bucket and add a dose of a hot tub filter cleaner to it. Then you’ll want to remove the filters and dilute them in the cleaner for about 24 hours. This will help easily remove all the gunk and buildup your filters have collected over time. If your filter is so dirty that no amount of cleaner will fix it, then it's time to purchase replacement filters.

Next, it’s on to cleaning the shell of your hot tub! Here’s the process which we recommend using:

1. Spray your hot tub with a cleaner, getting into the corners and small areas where bacteria can hide.
2. Rub your hot tub shell with a soft cloth to remove the residue.
3. Once the residue is gone, be sure to rinse all the surfaces well. Be sure to pay close attention to this step! The last thing you want is for the water to foam when you refill your hot tub because there is still residue left in the tub.
4. Ensure all your jets are open once you’ve finished cleaning.

See, we told you the cleaning process is easy! Now that your hot tub is all shiny, clean, and free from bacteria, it’s time to refill it. We aren’t going to lie, this process is simple, but it does take some time.