Keeping your hot tub clean is easy when you know how.
It doesn’t require a degree in chemical engineering or too much of your valuable time. In fact, it’s almost as simple as watering your plants! The key is understanding the basics of what creates spa-ready water and then developing a routine to not only protect your bather’s safety but the hot tub’s hardware as well.
Here are five simple steps to keep your hot tub in mint-condition and the water crystal-clear:
1. Decide on Sanitation
While many different solutions exist to keep water sanitized, the two most popular choices are bromine or chlorine. Both work by killing or neutralizing contaminants such as bacteria, ammonia, viruses and other agents that are harmful to humans.
What’s the difference? Chlorine has a pungent smell and can be irritating to the skin or eyes, whereas bromine is odorless and softer on the skin. Once you’ve decided on your sanitation, invest in a chemical dispenser to slowly release the sanitizer over time. NEVER mix the two together!
2. Check Sanitation Levels
The simplest and common way to keep chlorine or bromine at the optimum bacteria-killing level is by using water test strips. Dip the test strip into the center of your hot tub water, remove immediately and hold horizontally for 10 seconds. Then compare the color swatches on the strip against the hot tub to get a reading.
Chlorine should stay between 2.0-3.0 parts per million (ppm) and bromine should remain between 3.0-5.0 ppm. Checking water levels regularly (ideally two to three times a week) will usually mean only minor adjustments are required.
3. Check for Chemical Balance
Using water test strips, as before, will help to regulate the pH balance of your hot tub water. The ideal pH level is between 7.2 and 7.6. Outside of that range, and the pH can have a negative effect, causing your hot tub to deteriorate more quickly.
If it’s too low, you’ll have water that is too acidic and could cause corrosion in your spa equipment. If the level is too high, you’ll have water that is too alkaline and may cause scaling or your water to become cloudy. In either scenario, add pH Up or pH Down solutions to restore the water’s chemical balance.
4. Perform Regular Filter Maintenance
Your filter is crucial to your water’s maintenance program! We recommend removing the filter and cleaning it with a hose once a week to extend the life of your hot tub and provide for clean, safe water. Filters need to be replaced when they become frayed or dark grey or black since it will no longer effectively trap small contaminants. Generally, expect to replace your filter each year.
5. If in Doubt Empty it Out
Has your water been in your hot tub for more than 3 months? Does it meet the safety levels on your test strips? If not, drain your hot tub completely. Before refilling, make sure to thoroughly clean the hot tub, including the shell interior and filter. You can buy specially formulated hot tub chemicals to clean the interior and filter. Visit us in store to stock up on hot tub cleaning products!
Hot Tub Service and Repair at Midnight Sun Pools n’ Spas
Are you in need of hot tub chemicals, hot tub service or hot tub repair in Brainerd or Bemidji, Minneapolis? Why not contact the team at Midnight Sun Pools n’ Spas? Our friendly and efficient team is waiting to serve you!