There’s no better feeling than soaking in your hot tub’s sparkling clean water. Thanks to a proper balancing of chemicals, the water stays pretty clean and healthy. You do, however, want to take the time, once in a while, for some more thorough cleaning. Don’t be intimidated though, there might be a lot of parts that require care, but maintaining them is pretty easy. This guide will help you to keep enjoying your spa with some helpful maintenance tips.

CLEANING YOUR HOT TUB
Depending on your usage, you’ll want to drain and clean the tub 3-4 times a year. Fortunately it only takes about an hour to drain, and then an hour to clean; follow these steps.
1. For the entire spa, it’s important to use a non-abrasive, non-sudsing cleaner. All you need is a soft rag to wipe down and remove any built up dirt.
2. For spa pillows, use care when removing them from the hot tub, so you don’t damage the plugs on the back. Your owners manual will have specific instructions and recommendations for which cleaner to use. It’s important to rinse the pillow well to prevent brining those chemicals into your hot tub, it will also improve the lifespan of the pillows.
3. For your vinyl cover, when it’s removed spray it with a hose first to loosen any dirt or grime. You can use a mild dish soap with baking soda on the cover, but that can be tough to rinse off completely… and you definitely need to rinse it off before use. That’s why its recommended to use a dedicated cover cleaner such as the IPG cover cleaner which also protects the cover from UV rays.

CLEANING YOUR FILTERS
Particles from minerals or calcification from hard water can do a number on your water filtration system. To keep your filters clean (and thereby improving the life of your filters and pump) follow these steps.
1. Spray your cartridges with a garden hose. Be sure to rotate them to remove debris from between the filter pleats.
2. Grease deposits tend to build up on spa cartridges, there are environmentlly preferable filter cleaners you can use to easily remove the grease and gunk, making your cartridges squeaky clean. Feel free to start soaking your cartridges in a cleaner while your cleansing and wiping down the spa.
3. Rinse the cartridges thoroughly before putting them back in your hot tub.
NOTE: If your filters are more than three years old, consider changing them, the chemicals and wear from your hot tub starts to break down the filters in that amount of time.

REFILLING YOUR HOT TUB
The right water chemistry is essential to your health and your hot tubs health. Once you’ve filled the tub up again, ensure your pH range is between 7.4 and 7.6. If your PH is too low, it will make your water acidic which can damage your spa, as well as hurt your eyes and skin. Too much PH, however, will hinder your sanitizers ability to properly clean the water, creating a cloudy hot tub.

It’s also necessary to enure your calcium level is between 100 and 250 parts per million. It the calcium is too low your water will pull from other minerals such as iron and copper which results in corrosion. When the calcium is too high though, the water clouds and you’ll see scale formation begin.

Keep test strips/kits on hand as well as your sanitizer, shock, and pH up, and pH down and you’ll have no problem maintaining your hot tub.