Is There Any Good Ideas to Sanitize Hot Tub?

Although hot tubs are great for soaking and relaxing, they do require a certain amount of maintenance to keep them clean and running properly.  The warm waters of a hot tub can allow bacteria, algae and mould to grow.  These types of things are hardly conducive to a relaxing soak!  Keeping your water sanitized and clean should be a priority when owning a hot tub.  In this article we’ll go over some of the main steps while giving some handy tips on how to keep your hot tub fresh and clean.

Hot Tub Covers

Because the hot tub’s cover is in close proximity of warm water for long periods of time, they are susceptible to mildew growth and the creation of a musty smell.  Keep your hot tub cover fresh by giving it a regular clean.  You can use a bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) to scrub the inner surface every couple of months.  Similarly you might want to use both a floating cover along with the regular hard top cover.  This will protect your hard top cover from chemicals and moisture while keeping more heat in.

Shock Treatments

If you find your water has been contaminated with algae, floating particles or that the water is getting extremely cloudy, you’ll need to shock the water.  You won’t be able to use your hot tub for at least a day during this process, but it will also ensure you don’t end up with any skin problems.  Shocking typically requires chlorine to eliminate bacterial build ups and remove organic materials.  There are non chlorine shocks as well, but they won’t disinfect, only oxidize.  Adjust your pH levels beforehand, wear protective clothing and be careful of strong winds when adding the chemicals.  Leave the cover off and allow the compound to do its work.  Once your chlorine levels have dropped below 5 ppm the tub will be safe to use again.

Filters And Skimmers

You’ll want to clean your hot tub filters every month.  You might consider having two sets of filters for a quick changeover allowing you to continue using the tub while giving you time to clean the newly removed filters.  You can spray filters with a garden hose or run them through a dishwasher without soap and skipping the dry cycle.  Filters should be replaced every few years.  Skimmer baskets should be cleaned every week or two.  You should turn off the hot tub before removing the skimmer.  Having people wear hats or ball caps or tying up their hair can prolong the cleanliness of filters and skimmer baskets.

Draining The Tub

You’ll want to drain the tub and clean the acrylic shell every three months. Draining the tub may also be more economical if you’re having cloudy water or algae problems that aren’t being fixed with the addition of chemicals.  Make sure not to use abrasive household cleaners on acrylic tub surface as they will scratch and damage the acrylic.  Soaps or liquid detergents are also not recommended as they will result in bubbles. Make sure to use cleaning solutions that are designed especially for hot tubs.  If your hot tub is composed of tiles you might want to use a baking soda paste and toothbrush to clean the grout.  When you refill the tub, balance the pH levels and total alkalinity right away as it may take a fews days to get the levels right.  Add the start up chemicals as recommended by the tub’s manufacturer.  As it takes awhile to refill a hot tub, you might want to set a timer for yourself so you don’t forget about it altogether.

To find out more about hot tub cleaning and maintenance, download a hot tub buyer’s guide.