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How To Clean Your Hot Tub: An Essential Guide To Hot Tub Cleaning

Cleaning your hot tub may seem complex and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Cleaning your hot tub regularly and keeping up with a regular maintenance schedule is the best way to keep your hot tub running efficiently and properly for years to come. This Backyard Blast article will explore the different ways that you can clean your hot tub to keep it in tip-top shape, as well as some helpful hot tub cleaning tips to ensure that your hot tub experience continues to be a great one!

The Basics of Hot Tub Cleaning

There are two main categories of cleaning your hot tub – chemically and physically. Since your hot tub runs at such high temperatures, it’s essential to use chemicals like bromine and chlorine to keep your hot tub safe. That being said, it’s also important to physically clean your hot tub to deal with dirt and debris. Abiding by these two pillars of hot tub cleanliness will keep your hot tub in great shape. We’ll outline everything you need to know so that you have both bases covered.

Weekly Hot Tub Cleaning

One of the key parts of good hot tub cleaning is weekly maintenance. Your hot tub requires regular sanitizing with specialised hot tub chemicals to keep the hot water clean. This can be done with either chlorine or bromine and should be completed weekly. By keeping an eye on the chemical levels in your water, you will stop any bacteria before they have the chance to become harmful to you and your family. If your hot tub water is cloudy, check out this blog for reasons why that may be happening and how to fix it.

It’s also important to make sure that you are keeping the exterior of your hot tub clean on a weekly basis. This means removing any debris that may have fallen onto or around the hot tub, such as leaves, twigs, or snow. Keeping your tub’s exterior clear and clean will contribute to its lifespan, and keep it appealing to use no matter the season. Looking for a more detailed list of weekly hot tub maintenance? We have you covered – head on over to our weekly hot tub maintenance checklist and give it a read.

How To Clean A Hot Tub Filter

Luckily, cleaning your hot tub filter is relatively easy, and we can outline the steps for you right here.

  1. Remove your filter from the hot tub. It doesn’t hurt to refer to your tubs’ manual for instructions on how to properly remove your filter. If you’re having trouble removing a stuck hot tub filter, read this blog for our top tips and tricks.
  2. Rinse the filter thoroughly. For better results, we recommend a filter cleaner specifically designed to be used with hot tub filters. This is the best way to clean hot tub filters.
  3. Thoroughly clean in between the pleats and folds of the filter to remove any dirt deposits. This is where a proper filter cleaner really shines.
  4. Once cleaned, reinstall the filter in the hot tub.

A deep clean of your filter once every three months or so should be done to get rid of any stubborn sediment and dirt. This is done by soaking it overnight in a cleaner specifically purposed for filters. For even more info, check out our blog on hot tub filter maintenance. With all that, you should know exactly how to clean a hot tub filter. 

How To Clean a Hot Tub Cover

In addition to keeping your hot tub clean, it’s also important to clean your hot tub cover every month. Since your hot tub cover (especially the underside) is constantly exposed to a hot and damp environment, it’s important to regularly clean it to prevent mildew from growing.

If you’re wondering how to clean a hot tub cover, don’t worry – we have you covered, Cleaning your hot tub cover is simple – inspect your cover every few weeks for signs of mildew and if you notice any, spray it with a high quality hot tub cover cleaner and remove with a paper towel or cloth.

If your hot tub cover has not received regular maintenance or you’ve had it for a long time, it may be time to consider replacing it. The Cover Guy offers a wide range of hot tub covers to suit any make or model of hot tub. With each hot tub owner wanting different things from their hot tub cover, we make it easy to find the perfect hot tub cover to suit your needs. Explore our different models of hot tub covers and all their benefits here.

Cleaning Your Hot Tub On A Seasonal Basis

Now that we’ve covered the regular maintenance required to keep your hot tub clean, let’s explore how to clean a hot tub on a seasonal basis to keep your hot tub working and looking its best. When it’s time to do a full deep clean of your hot tub, you’ll have to drain and clean your tub with the proper cleaning solutions. We recommend draining and deep-cleaning the interior of your tub every three to four months. It’s unnecessary to drain your tub on a weekly basis, but it definitely needs to happen eventually.

To begin, you’ll have to unplug your hot tub from its power source. Once the power has been turned off, you can attach a garden hose to your hot tub’s drain and drain your hot tub. Once the hot tub is completely drained, there still may be some water left in the bottom of the hot tub. Wipe this up with a towel to get your hot tub completely dry.

Now it’s time to clean the interior of your hot tub. A clean hot tub makes for a more enjoyable experience: trust us, it’s worth it! Use a hose to spray the interior of your tub with water and apply a specialised hot tub cleaner. These are made to cut through grime and make the interior hot tub cleaning process a breeze. Make sure to give the exterior of your tub a wipe down. You can be efficient by cleaning your hot tub filters during this process. If it’s been longer than a year since you’ve replaced your hot tub filters, now is a great time to do that as well.

Once your hot tub is sparkling clean, it’s time to refill it. Place a garden hose in your tub to start the refill process and once it is completely filled, you can plug your hot tub back in. Make sure that you don’t forget to test the water after refilling and treat it with the proper hot tub chemicals and close the hot tub cover to let the chemicals work their magic.

That’s It!

There you have it – your hot tub is clean, ready to enjoy and you’ve learned how to clean a hot tub! Properly maintaining a hot tub doesn’t require a lot of time and the benefits of regular hot tub cleaning help to prolong the lifespan of your hot tub. Plus, a clean hot tub contributes to a positive overall hot tub experience. Make sure that you’re taking the time to ensure that you’re completing all the required hot tub cleaning and you can be confident that your tub will last a good long while!