When it comes to cleaning a hot tub, there’s no easy answer to the question, “how often?”.
That’s because hot tub maintenance is not a one time clean that cures all your hot tub woes.
Hot tub cleaning and maintenance is an on-going project that ensures the hot tub’s water, accessories, and interior are all safe for use. Here is our recommended timeline for how often you should clean your hot tub at varying stages.
Every 3 to 4 Days:
Every few days, especially when your hot tub is getting a lot of use, you’ll want to do a visual and chemical check of your hot tub. This includes:
- Checking the water for any discoloration, cloudiness, or film resting on top.
- Using testing strips to determine the chemical levels in your water and which chemicals to adjust to keep your water sanitized. You will need to test alkalinity, bromine or chlorine, calcium hardness, and finally your pH levels. Make sure to space about two hours between every chemical you add to the water. This will allow each chemical to properly adjust while avoiding negative chemical reactions.
Once a Month:
It’s a good idea to clean out your hot tub’s filter at least once a month. Remove it from the hot tub and use filter cleaning products to release dust, debris, and unwanted chemicals from the filter. It helps to use two filters, switching them every month, which allows time to clean one filter while another is in use. This will keep both your filters lasting longer and your water cleaner.
Also wash your hot tub cover at least once a month. Use a hot tub cover cleaner and conditioner to protect your cover from harmful weather conditions such as UV rays, snow, and rain. This will help your hot tub cover last longer and protect your hot tub water from harmful, unwanted chemicals.
Every 4 to 6 Months:
Depending on how much you use your hot tub, you’ll want to drain it every 4 to 6 months. We recommend 4 months for anyone using their hot tub two or more times a week. If you’re using it less than that, you can wait a little longer to drain. Once drained, inspect each jet and interior shell components for damages or build up of grime and dirt. Use a safe, manufacturer-approved, interior shell cleaning agent to remove unwanted oil, dirt, and grime.
Once finished, refill your hot tub with fresh, clean water. Make sure to allow the hose you use to run for a few minutes before placing in your tub. This ensures unwanted debris does not find its way into your hot tub. Always add water through the filter compartment to prevent air locks.
Once a Year:
We recommend that, once a year, when you plan to drain your hot tub, to request a maintenance check from one of our ThermoSpas’ technicians. Just like taking your car into the shop for a routine check up, having your hot tub looked at once a year can help prevent future problems that can drastically damage mechanisms and stop your hot tub from working properly.
If you follow this simple timeline, you can have a powerful, clean hot tub for many years. If you have questions about your hot tub’s maintenance or are interested in a yearly check up by one of our ThermoSpa technicians contact us today, we’d love to help.
