Q&A for How to Clean a Hot Tub

It is safe to use bleach to clean your hot tub. However, it is important you do not mix bleach with vinegar, as they can create a toxic gas. Be sure to always provide a thorough rinse of the tub before and after using bleach as a cleaning product. Also, only use bleach to clean a drained out hot tub.

You can either purchase a specially formulated hot tub cleaner from your local pool supply store, which will easily cut through any built up grime or you can use a homemade solution of 4 parts water with 1 part vinegar. Use a soft rag or sponge to scrub the inside of the tub until all grime is removed. Always be sure to rinse out wipe down the hot tub after it has been cleaned to remove any cleaning chemicals from your tub.

If your hot tub is in need of a good deep cleaning, you want to start with flushing your lines. You can find a line flushing product at your local pool supply store. Be sure to turn off the power of the hot tub before draining the water from your tub. You can then use a hot tub cleaner to clean the inside of the tub or use a solution made from 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Lastly, remove and clean your filters before refilling and re-treating your clean hot tub!

If your water has a greenish color, you could have an algae bloom. Brush your hands against the sides of the hot tub, and if it is slimy, there is a good chance you have algae. To treat algae, you will want to check and balance the pH and alkalinity and add a shock treatment. You should also replace the spa cartridge with a new one. Another reason your water could be green is if your water has a large amount of copper in it. You can use a CuLator SpaPak Metal Eliminator to eliminate metals such as copper, iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and silver. However, if you have green water, it is always recommended to first flush the pipes, clean the tub, replace the water, then treat the algae or copper problem.

Yes, you will want to flush your lines prior to emptying and cleaning your tub. That way when you refill your tub, the new water will not be contaminated by bacteria that was living in the plumbing.

The main difference between cleaning a like-new hot tub and one that is heavily soiled is the amount of effort you need to put into the cleaning. Be sure you flush your lines, then when the tub is drained, carefully clean the entire tub with an appropriate cleaning agent, like a 50 ppm dichlor/water solution. Once your tub appears clean, fill and treat the water. If you notice discoloration in the water, you may have to do another round of cleaning!

Mold in your tub can be effectively treated with a chlorine solution, if this is suitable for your tub model and the chemicals you use in your tub. A ¼ teaspoon of dichlor in 5 gallons of water should be enough to kill and remove most kinds of mold. You may have to soak the mold in the solution with several applications for it to be most effective.

A few swipes with olive oil should do the trick. Apply the olive oil and let it sit for about an hour; this will soften up the sap. Then, mix some water and baking soda. Apply that to the sap and rinse it off well with a hose.

This is most likely to be algae, get your water professionally tested/cleaned and start adding chemicals to fix the issue. It might be cheaper to use a pipe cleaner than empty, clean out the spa, and refill.

If it's a consistent problem, i.e. kids keep jumping in with dirty feet, I'd get a water vacuum cheap from a hardware store. Make sure to clean the vacuum piping inside and out. With someone in the pool, have someone else turn on the vacuum in short runs to clean out the sand and grit.

The longer but most cleansing method would be to empty and re-fill. If you've missed cleaning the filter for a while, this can be remedied by a filter swap. With a clean filter, give it a "shock" treatment and it usually cleans up within the day. Remember to use a shock treatment that is compatible with your normal sanitizer.

Leave it empty as long as you want. If it's clean and completely empty of water there are no issues with storing it empty. Make sure there is no water in the pipes that might freeze while being stored, unused. Frozen pipes could crack, and cause damage to pumps, heaters, and ozonator reservoirs if so equipped.

Depending on your circuit breaker's model, it may require a further push towards the off position for it to reset before being switched back on. Moving the switch into the reset position may feel stiff, requiring a bit more force.