How to Clean a Hot Tub

Everyone loves to relax in a soothing hot tub, but we all don't like to clean it. Follow these steps to maintain and clean your hot tub.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Proper chemicals for your hot tub
• non-chlorine shock
• cartrige cleaner
• sample sticks

1. The first step in keeping your hot tub clean is maintaining the proper chemical levels and checking them often. If your chemical levels get out of hand, you will have a tougher time cleaning your hot tub. To check your chemical levels, invest in any type of water sampler that can be found at your local Walmart or pool store.
2. To clean a dirty hot tub, you will have to have the right chemicals. Depending on your chemical levels, you could have many different types of scum that are nearly impossible to diagnose here.“Scum” really is comprised of a number of hard water elements and foreign materials that stick to your hot tub very quickly. Take a sample to your local pool store and they can inform you on what to buy.
3. Now that you have diagnosed the "scum," and you have your chemical, I can give you some good advice. First, drain your hot tub.
4. Next, you will need to apply your chemical with a scrubber. Since most hot tubs are made from fiber glass, try not to use a scrubber that is too abrasive because you will end up doing more damage than good. If you are unsure if it will be too abraisive, test it in an inconspicuous spot of the tub and see if it leaves marks. If it does, stop using it immediately, if it doesn't than scrub away!
5. Rinse the chemical from the hot tub completely before refilling with new water.
6. The next step in cleaning your hot tub is keeping a clean filter. There are also many products availible specifically for cleaning filters. Keeping your filter clean is a huge step in maintaining a healthy hot tub. BEFORE DEALING WITH FILTERS, MAKE SURE ALL FILTERS AND PUMPS ARE TURNED OFF OR BODILY INJURY COULD OCCURE!
7. Most hot tub exteriors are made from wood. To keep your wood looking nice and new, I recommend applying a wood sealant and wax at least once a year to the exterior.

Tips & Warnings

• The frequency of cleaning depends on the amount of use. The more often you use it, the more often you should clean it.
• If you are unsure about something, ask your local pool supply store and they can point you in the right direction.
• AGAIN, MAKE SURE TO TURN OFF EVERYTHING BEFORE REMOVING ANY FILTERS OR PUMPS!