How to Maintain a Hot Tub When You Won’t Be Using it For a While
If you own a hot tub you understand the importance of keeping it clean and sanitized! Regular cleaning and maintenance will prolong the lifespan of your hot tub, and ensure a luxury spa experience for years to come. So whether you’re going on vacation, or simply don’t plan on taking a relaxing soak for the next few days or even weeks you may be wondering how to keep it clean.
If you want to avoid coming back home to a murky, grimy, and dirty hot tub, next time you are away for a while, this guide is for you!
6 Tips for Keeping Your Hot Tub Clean While You’re on Vacation
At Creative Energy, we have customers frequently ask, “Should I empty my spa while I’m on vacation?”, or “Can I just unplug my hot tub if I won’t be using it?”. The answer to both of those questions is no!
With a little pre-vacation cleaning you can ensure your spa remains in perfect running order and ready for a nice long soak as soon as you get home!
1. Clean Your Plumbing and Jet System
No matter how long you plan on not using your hot tub, you will want to make sure the internal mechanisms, jets, and water filters are clean and sanitized. This will purge your hot tub from any and all built-up debris, oils, and other contaminants.
We suggest using a specialized spa cleaning solution like Spa Purge which will remove the buildup of any non-living organic material that can make your water cloudy, smelly, and foaming. This will not only help maintain your water clarity but also reduce the amount of time and effort needed to maintain your spa year-round.
2. Drain, Rinse and Refill
Once all the gunk has been purged from your plumbing system and jets, you will drain out the dirty water and debris. Make sure to give your tub a thorough wipe down and rinse once it’s empty.
Now, some hot tub owners may think it’s easier to just keep their spa empty, especially if they won’t be using it for a prolonged period of time. However, keeping your hot tub empty can actually have many negative effects.
If there is even the smallest amount of water remaining in the plumbing or equipment, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria. When you go to use your spa again, you will likely be met with foul odors and murky bacteria-filled water. Additionally, without water, your rubber seals and gaskets will likely dry out, crack, and warp resulting in leaks when your hot tub is filled again.
To ensure your spa remains clean, clear, and sanitized while not in use, make sure to refill it after you have cleaned out the internal plumbing and jets.
3. Clean or Replace Spa Filter Cartridge
One of the most important things to do is to clean or replace your spa’s filter cartridge before you leave for vacation. Even if your filter is relatively clean and new, it’s best to use a cleaning solution like SpaGuard Filter Cleaner before leaving.
A filter cleaner will remove grime and scale, improve your water circulation, lengthen the filtration life cycle, and reduce your maintenance costs. If a proper cleansing still isn’t enough, you will want to replace your filter cartridge, or you’re going to have to deal with dirty spa water when you come back.
4. Test and Balance Your Spa Water
Testing your water balance is important because it measures the chemicals in your hot tub. If it is unbalanced it can make your water corrosive which will rust the metal components like the heater and pump. Calcium scale is another common issue resulting from leaving your water unbalanced.
The four primary chemicals you will want to test for to ensure your spa water is properly balanced are:
– PH
– Alkalinity
– Sanitizer
– Stabilizer
If you will not be using your hot tub for a while, you can lower the sanitizer dispensing levels because it won’t be used as quickly.
5. Set Your Water Temperature
If you are going away for a while, or simply don’t plan on using your hot tub for a bit, lower the water temperature by 10-15 degrees. This will reduce your energy costs, and ensure you can jump in for a nice relaxing soak without needing to wait too long for the water to heat up.
6. Secure Your Hot Tub with a Spa Cover
The final step is to enclose your hot tub with a spa cover. Not only will this keep your spa at a stable temperature while not in use, but it will also help keep it clean and safe. Make sure your hot tub cover is the proper size and fit for your unit and inspect it for any possible wear and tear to ensure it protects your spa properly.
Cleaning your cover with something like a 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner will keep it in pristine condition.
Have Professional Spa Cleaning Supplies Delivered to Your Home from Creative Energy
If you want to ensure your hot tub remains in perfect condition for years to come, routine cleaning and maintenance are essential – but it doesn’t have to be a chore! Shop our selection of professional hot tub supplies online and have them delivered directly to your front door, just in time to prepare your hot tub for vacation.
We also invite you to contact any of our Bay Area showrooms to speak with one of our hot tub experts!