Regular maintenance of your hot tub does not involve a simple process, and it can take a long time
. However, you can get a clean hot tub with clear water without the whole draining process, which is the best way to prevent health issues for the users.
The good news is that there are numerous ways through which hot tub owners can achieve a thorough cleaning without opening the drain plug.
Can You Clean Hot Tub Surfaces Without Draining Water?
The short answer is yes; there are numerous techniques that you can use to clean the spa without clearing out the water.
However, it is not the type of practice you want to undertake frequently.
It is best to consider it a once-in-three-four-month hot tub maintenance routine since executing it requires you to take the following steps.
Shocking the Hot Tub
One of the simplest approaches to water maintenance involves shocking the spa to kill and prevent the growth of bacteria.
The shocking or oxidation process involves adding higher chlorine levels into the spa.
If you have a hot tub on your property, the frequent use of the shock remedy at least once every week is advisable.
Safety Precaution: When cleaning with chlorine shock, always read the details on the instruction packet carefully.
Although the purpose of the chemical is to eliminate bacterial organisms in the water, adding excess levels can harm you too.
Therefore, mixing the right portions of the product into the water and taking some time before using the hot tub is essential.
Recycling Hot Tub Water into a Swimming Pool
You can achieve your hot tub maintenance routine through recycling as long as you have a filtration system that flows into a pool.
You will need a submersible pump that you can use to release the spa water into the swimming pool once you use a special cleaner to disinfect the internal hot tub surfaces.
It is always good to use hot tub chemicals as a cleaning solution to wipe out the body oils and organic contaminants using a clean rug.
After using cleaning products such as hot tub cleaner to remove stubborn stains, it is vital to use a spa polish to refine the surface.
You can then use the water from the pool to refill your hot tub line when you complete the polishing process.
Scrubbing the Interior of the Hot Tub
When there is still much water in the bathtub, you can scrub its inner surface.
It will be vital to clean the interior space of the tub before you consider the contents of the tub as dirty water and contaminants.
Otherwise, grime and bacteria will stick to the shell of the hot tub and infiltrate the water.
Besides, one of the basic steps is to allow the water to flow through the hot tub filter.
The final step will stabilize the PH levels and chemical imbalance and use chlorine granules for treatment and removal of dirt and organic matter.
Using a skim net to eliminate film and debris from the surface of the water when cleaning the spa helps to prevent the gunk from clogging the hot tub pipes and compromising the water quality.
It would be best to find a hose at a local pool supply store that you can use to drain off the water level by capping one end of the hose.
You may need to use much force to yank it off to a lower position than the other point.
Balancing Hot the Hot Tub Water
As stated earlier, you can use test strips to check the Ph levels of your water.
Once you check the water chemistry, it is crucial to balance the acidity, calcium, and alkaline levels.
Using chlorine granules for the chlorine shock effect once you verify the dosage guidelines for your water is crucial.
Reusing Hot Tub Water in the Bathtub
The recycling option will only be viable if a garden hose is between your bathtub and hot tub and your spa has clean water.
You will need a submersible pump for water change as you will have to transfer between 200 and 240 liters of water to utilize it to bathe.
Repeat the process regularly for five to seven days, and then drain the spa.
Filtering Hot Tub Water Through Reverse osmosis
When you live in the dry regions of the state, there are new forms of service companies that provide water recycling facilities.
You can seek the help of professional mobile water recyclers who can come to your home and drain the hot tub.
The experts will pass the green water through efficient truck-mounted filtration processes. Once the water is clean, the recycling team refills the spa with perfectly clean and clear water.
Scrubbing the Hot Tub Water Lines
What does scrubbing hot tub pipes entail?
Using a hot tub ejection chemical to liquefy the organic matter buildup in the tub lines and outlets would be best.
You can also use a toothbrush to scour across the jet inlets to ensure you properly clean the surfaces.
However, suppose your hot tub has been inactive for a long time. In that case, additional scrubbing will be necessary to guarantee the removal of bacterial film inside the water lines and spa equipment.
The only challenge is that once you use a hot tub cleaner, the tub will require a full drain.
Therefore, cleaning and scrubbing the jet openings is a process that you would want to handle ahead of time. It will be vital to thoroughly clean the system before attaching it back to the hot tub.
Ejecting and Cleaning the Spa Filter
The next part of your cleaning procedure should be to unplug and switch off the tub and take off its filter to clean it.
The gunk from the initial cleaning of the hot tub’s interior could block and clog the water lines.
As a result, based on your model, it might be necessary for you to unbolt and loosen some parts of the spa water pump to access the filter.
Once you remove the filter, you will need to spray it down with a medium-pressure hose.
The hose water should gently stream through the filter without damaging it.
In addition, use a brush with soft fibers to remove any remaining dirt on the filter and then rinse it with a gentle stream of little water.
Soaking the system in a chorine cleaning solution and then rinsing it will give you a thorough clean.
Cleaning up the Control Panels and Head Supporters
The headrest and control plugs are some of the parts of the hot tub that are so easy to clean up, especially since they are not immersed in water.
Regardless, most people forget to clean them.
The best way to go about it is to use a cleaning product on the spa surfaces to sterilize and wipe down dirt.
The last thing that you want is to increase sanitizer levels in your hot tub by accidentally combining the normal cleaning agents with your water.
Regular surface cleaners can result in skin infections and irritation, among other health hazards.
Thus, it is vital to use a special cleaner to spray the control panels and headrests of the spa and then wipe them down with a disinfected, soft, moist rug.
Soaking the Tub Jets
You can disconnect and remove most of the jets in your hot tub.
The next step would be to mix equal portions of white vinegar and warm water and soak the jets in the mixture to eliminate hard water stains.
Besides, you can access the hard-to-reach surfaces of the pipes and clean them up.
When you clean the hot tub jets, it helps prevent and decrease the pressure exerted on the spa parts.
Besides, cleaning facilitates the efficient functioning of the water jets, allowing them to release a more powerful flow.
When you soak the jets in the mixture, leaving them for more than three hours is crucial to remove bacterial contaminants and tear down the residual grime.
Treating the Hot Tub’s Water
The hot tub maintenance process involves cleaning the hot tub shell, using quality cleaning products, and chlorine shock to remove stubborn stains and do a full drain.
However, the basic steps alone do not guarantee effective water maintenance.
It is crucial to administer treatment using chlorine tablets to remove the remaining bacteria and balance the low PH of the new water.
In addition, the easiest way to determine if the bromine levels in your water chemistry are balanced is to use a test strip.
The ideal PH of your water solution at the normal level should range between 7.2 and 7.8 on a PH scale.
How to Treat Acidic Water
The last thing you want is for the PH of your hot water to be low as it causes acidity.
The inner parts of your hot tub line, including its shell, can start to erode, resulting in irreversible damage that can last for a long time.
Besides, warm water with high acidic levels can leave the users with irritated and dry skin.
The necessary chemicals for treating acidic water are alkaline-based as they help intensify the PH levels of your water.
You can add sodium carbonate or baking soda, but only after checking out your hot tub handbook.
After first time administering the treatment product, it is prudent to be patient for about six hours before checking the chlorine levels again.
- How to Treat Basic Water
If your warm water’s PH is more than 7, it affects the effectiveness of your chlorine tablets because the water’s alkalinity increases.
The first sign of basic water is the presence of calcium buildup that results from hard water stains. Besides, if you see cloudy water or clogged hot tub jets, your hot tub has alkaline components.
Some compounds that you can use in your filter cartridges to treat alkaline water include sodium bisulfate and white vinegar.
The key is to pay detailed attention to the guidelines on your hot tub to know if you are using enough water for the product.
Additionally, waiting for several hours after you treat your water before using the test strips is essential.
How to Clean the Inside of Your Hot Tub
One of the crucial parts of the tub cleaning process involves scrubbing its interior parts, including the seats and the shell.
You will need a brush with soft fibers to delicately remove the dirt without scratching it off.
The inner and deeper lengths of the hot tub pipes will require an extended brush to ensure you do not immerse yourself in the water while you scrub off the grime.
It is vital to also remember that the debris from cleaning the hot tub shell will probably remain in the water.
The filtration system in your water tub will potentially filter out most dirt particles.
However, if you depend only on the hot tub filter, the gunk may block the water lines, so you need a special submersible vacuum that can remove the larger particles.
Important Caution: Your cleaning process avoids draining water from the tub, which means that you will reuse it once it is safe and clear.
It will be vital to avoid using any cleaning solutions inside the tub.
The products can temper the water’s chemical balance and threaten the health and well-being of spa users if they leave any residues behind.
How to Maintain a Clean Hot Tub
You can prolong the life of your hot tub by using the following methods:
- Regular Sanitizing: You can sanitize the spa using products like chlorine and bromine based on the instructions provided on the chemical packet
- Cleaning up Before Entering the Spa: Showering before getting in the tub helps to keep the body oils, creams, and other contaminants from dirtying the tub
- Avoid Drinking and Eating in the Tub: You can have a clean tub free from food particles and other pollutants by eating and drinking far away from it.
- Always Keep the Hot Tub Water Running: Your hot tub should always remain plugged in even when not using it to ensure its filter can keep away the gunk and debris.
- Using a Hot Tub Cover: Keeping your hot tub covered when it is free from use will prevent air bubbles from attracting debris and dust that can result in additional issues.
Wrapping Up: How to Clean a Hot Tub Without Draining Water
One of the best hot tub maintenance routines should involve draining it at least once every four months.
However, if you cannot drain and refill the hot tub, you can check the water and clean and recycle it, among other methods.
It is also vital to take safety precautions to maintain a suitable chemical and PH level in the water even after a thorough cleaning process.
