Having a hot tub provides you with the ability to enjoy a warm soak to soothe sore muscles, help you relax, or just for a great time. While owning a hot tub should provide you with ample time for relaxation, keeping the water inside clean can be a full-time job. To keep your hot tub water clear and scum-free, I have some tips for you.
#1. Use Sanitizer
Bacteria like to grow in warm, moist places, which makes your hot tub the perfect breeding grounds for microscopic free-loaders that can do some serious damage to your health. To prevent bacteria from growing in your hot tub, you need to use a sanitizer in the water.
Fortunately, you have a couple of options to keep bacteria out of favorite relaxation spot. Bromine and chlorine are both options for sanitizing and keeping the water in your hot tub clean and clear. While these chemicals both keep the water in your hot tub clean, there are differences between the two of them.
Chlorine can be placed in your hot tub directly in the form of granules or in tablets that you put in a floater to dissolve slowly. While chlorine is a popular choice for a sanitizer, many people don’t like its strong smell, and instead opt for bromine, which is available in tablet form. These tablets are put into a floater that distributes the chemical into the water.
Regardless of the type of chemical sanitizer you decide on, you should test the chemical level in your water frequently to ensure your water is bacteria-free.
#2. Clean and Replace Your Filters
The filters in your hot tub pull dirt and debris out of the water. To continue to keep up with the demand your hot tub puts on the filters every day, you need to clean your filters once a week. To do this, you need to remove them and hose them down. At least once a month, you should soak your filter in a filter cleaner overnight.
If your filter starts to turn black or fraying, you are going to need to replace it. At this point, the filter is no longer able to keep the contaminants out of the water, and it isn’t useful. Expect to replace your filter at least once a year.
You shouldn’t run your hot tub without a filter, so you need to keep a backup on hand for the times that your filter needs to be cleaned. This allows you to continue to use your hot tub.
#3. Invest in a Hot Tub Cover
A hot tub without a cover is constantly exposed to dirt and debris. A custom-made spa cover from SpaMate is a great way to keep the water in your hot tub as clean as possible when the tub isn’t in use. Unfortunately, when you use the hot tub, you may notice leaves or bugs falling into the hot tub, but a well-designed and well-fitting cover can prevent all kinds of things from falling into the tub when it isn’t being used.
#4. Shock the Water
Even with the best hot tub maintenance, the water in your hot tub will need to be frequently shocked. In most cases, the water should be shocked at least once a week. If you use the hot tub often, you may need to shock the water twice a week. Remember to always shock the water before getting in the tub if it hasn’t been used for a long time.
While all shocking agents will have different instructions, most have a wait time between putting the shocking agent into the water and you getting in.
#5. Drain the Water
At some point, your best bet is just to start fresh. By completely draining your hot tub and refilling it, you are starting over with clean, fresh water that you should then keep treated. Draining the water is the only option in cases where the water can’t be balanced with chemicals.
Before refilling your hot tub, clean the shell and allow it to dry. This ensures that you are starting over with a bacteria-free hot tub.
Now that you know how to keep your hot tub water safe and clean, you can enjoy relaxing in your hot tub without worry.
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