How to Maintain a Spa or Hot Tub at Home
Having a home spa or hot tub can be a great way to relax at the end of a long day and can mean enjoying your outdoor space even when the weather starts to turn cool. Maintaining the spa properly will help ensure it lasts as long as possible without breakdown and will also ensure the water is always clean and ready for your enjoyment. Note a few tips for maintaining a spa or hot tub at home so you can keep yours in tiptop shape year-round.
Adding chemicals
Always add just one chemical at a time to the spa; this will ensure that each one does what it needs to do without being diluted by other chemicals and that there is no chemical reaction between them. You may also find that chlorine or bromine is enough to clean the spa and that you won't need to add an algae cleaner or other such chemical after adding chlorine.
Be sure you keep the water running in the spa and cover it for several minutes after you add the chemicals, so they can mix with the water and circulate over the entire surface of the spa. Covering it will also keep them from evaporating before they've managed to work as they should.
Cleaning the walls
You may use chlorine to keep the spa waters clean, but never use more than what is recommended; adding too much chlorine can damage the walls of the spa and also dry your skin every time you use it. You also want to ensure you only use soft-bristled brushes when cleaning the walls of the spa, as something too rough and abrasive may cause scratches to the surface. Algae and bacteria can then seep into those scratches and cause the spa to become even more unsafe and unhygienic.
Cleaning the filter
Changing the filter as recommended by the manufacturer is important, but you need to clean the filter between changing in order to keep it running optimally and protect your home spa. Remove the filter from its place and run a garden hose over it. Let it dry completely before you return it. Use a soft brush or rag to remove anything lodged in the filter, such as leaves, twigs, and other larger debris. You can also buy filter soaks that you add to a bucket of water along with the filter, to clean the mesh fibres even more thoroughly, and keep your filter operating at optimal levels.
