Hot Tub Maintenance: Quick Spa Cleaning Methods

Anyone who owns a hot tub knows the importance of regular maintenance and cleaning. But not everyone has the time or motivation to clean their spa thoroughly every day. And if your spa doesn’t get used every day anyway, why bother? Fortunately, it’s not difficult to find simple spa cleaning methods that keep the water fresh without consuming a lot of your time.

Does your hot tub need a good scrub or touch-up? Try one of these quick spa cleaning methods to freshen up the water! #hottublife Share on X

Spa Cleaning Tricks

There’s no reason to clean your hot tub every day. However, there’s also no reason to let it sit unattended and unmaintained for too long. Every week or so, try one of these quick cleaning tricks to keep your hot tub fresh and ready for your next dip! You can use typical household items for several of these tricks:

1. Use a filter on the hose
2. Clean the cover with a bleach solution
3. Clean the jets with vinegar
4. Put enzymes in the water
5. Soak up oil with tennis balls

1) Use a Filter on the Hose

Like most homeowners, you probably fill up your spa with the garden hose when the water levels get low. There’s nothing wrong with this. However, your garden hose tends to get dirty inside and outside after sitting out for so long. When you refill your hot tub from the hose, use a filter on the nozzle to keep dirt and debris out of your spa.

2) Clean the Cover with a Bleach Solution

Since your hot tub cover is constantly exposed to moisture, there’s always a risk of mold growth if it’s not maintained properly. Fortunately, mold is easily dealt with. Prepare a mixture of about a gallon of water and a cup of typical bleach (approximately one part bleach to ten parts water) and wash your spa cover with a soft cloth or by spritzing the solution out of a spray bottle. Use this formula about once a month, or more frequently if you see evidence of mold appearing.

3) Clean the Jets with Vinegar

Most tap water contains a few trace minerals that we don’t notice when we drink it. Generally, the amounts present in tap water are beneficial or at least harmless to us. But putting that same tap water in a hot tub is a different story. Minerals like calcium can accumulate in your hot tub jets and leave you with a buildup that hinders your jets or forces them to shut off entirely. Even if you don’t have hard water in your home, this can still happen. To prevent mineral buildup, clean your hot tub jets with white vinegar about once a month to dissolve any calcium that may be collecting.

Pro Tip: After you’ve used vinegar to clean your spa jets, make sure to check the pH and add more chemicals as necessary to negate the acidity.

4) Put Enzymes in the Water

One interesting addition to your hot tub water is an enzyme solution. Enzymes are naturally occurring molecules produced by, among other things, the human body to aid in the breakdown of organic compounds. Adding enzymes to the water will help dissolve dead skin cells, leaves, and other organic matter that ends up in your hot tub water. This prevents too much debris from accumulating and keeps your water fresh and clear.

5) Soak Up Oil with Tennis Balls

Tennis balls are a very interesting but very effective way to remove oil and grime from your hot tub. Their fibers soak up the oily film left by sweat, lotion, makeup, and more that finds its way into your hot tub water. Just leave them floating in your spa for a while or hold them in the nets as you scoop the water clean. Change them out frequently though–after a while, they can’t hold any more oil.

Enjoy Your Fresh Hot Tub!

Even if you don’t use your hot tub every day, periodic maintenance will keep your spa fresh and ready to use at all times. Don’t let yourself come home to the nasty surprise of a dirty hot tub and no time to scrub it clean! With these easy, preventive spa cleaning methods, your spa will always be ready to go.

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