March 28th, 2023 by Shauna Hammond

Getting a new hot tub can be n exciting time, and I am sure you just can’t wait to hop on and spend some time relaxing, however, there are quite a few important steps you need to go through in order to get your hot tub ready for first-time use. We will take some time to go over the essentials and some need-to-know care tips so you can keep your hot tub running at its best as well as keep yourself protected!

Clean the Body and Shell

Whether you have a new hot tub or have purchased a second-hand tub, one of the first things to start with is to give the body and the shell a good clean, yes even for new tubs!

This is simply because even if they haven’t been used yet they can still gather dust and dirt while in storage, you don’t want this making your water cloudy or getting ducked into your filter, so before you begin to clean the entire area with an anti-bacterial cleaner ensuring to get into every nook and cranny.

Check Filters

This isn’t as essential for those who have purchased a new hot tub, but it is good practice to get used to checking your filters frequently anyway, so take this time to get familiar with where your filter is located how to remove it etc. This will make the job much easier when the time comes to actually clean your filter. However, if you have recently purchased a second-hand hot tub then checking your filters is very important.

You should check filters for any signs of damage, if you notice any then this will need to be replaced before you should even think of filling your hot tub, so make this your first priority. If the filter is in working order but you notice any dirt or grime on it (Sometimes if a new hot tub has been in storage a while this may have gathered some dust) then you need to clean this before beginning. 

There are a few options for cleaning your filter the first being a quick clean, it is recommended t do this weekly and is ideal for removing larger bits of dirt or removing any possible dust build-up. To do this simply rinse your filter with water ensuring it gets in between the pleats, you should then leave it to dry before placing back in your hot tub.

The other option and this is recommended for a deep clean as it will remove oil and grease which will build up on your filter with use, the most popular way to do this is by rinsing your filter first to remove large debris before then leaving it to soak overnight in a solution of warm water and no-foaming filter cleaner, after it has been soaked you can rinse this again before leaving to dry. Now we know that sometimes it’s not easy to wait 24 hours to let your filter soak especially if you are eager to start relaxing in your tub, that’s why there are also instant filter cleaners available too, these will clean your filter in around 30 mins!

Cleenly Instant Filter Cleaner Spray 2 x 1L

Price: £21.95

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Preparing the Water:

Once the body and filter have been thoroughly cleaned, it is time to start working on getting the water prepared. This is where it can begin to get confusing after all there are so many different chemicals available on the market, how do you know which one to use? Or for that matter what do they even do? Well, don’t worry we will keep things nice and simple in this blog by only covering the essentials.

So, once you have filled your hot tub, the minimum and maximum amount of water needed for your tub should be included in your user manual so be sure to check this and follow the instructions. However, as a general rule of thumb, water should cover all jets and leave at least an inch under any pillows.  Water will then need to be tested to check the levels of a few important things: chlorine, alkalinity and pH levels.

Test Alkalinity

The right amount of Alkalinity is important when balancing your water, so we would recommend testing this first. This can be done with a simple strip test which are readily available online, following the manufacturer’s instructions and once the test is complete you can check your results.

Your hot tub water should have a TA (total alkalinity) level of 80-120mg/l ppm if your level is too high or too low, you will need to use and reducer or increaser to achieve the correct level. You should add this a bit at a time until you achieve the correct levels. This is important as incorrect alkalinity can affect your hot tub in the long run, making your chlorine useless and resulting in limescale build-up.

Testing pH Levels.

Testing the pH level of your water is very similar to the above steps – tests can be purchased online and can vary from simple paper strips to the more expensive but more accurate electronic tester and either one is perfectly fine. Follow the user guides to test the water and you should have your results usually in a few seconds.

Depending on what your pH level reads will depend on what chemical if any you will need to add. The pH level for your hot tub should ideally sit between 7.2-7.8 if your water has these levels then that’s perfect and no adjustments are needed however this is unlikely. So, if your pH level is too high, you will need to use a pH reducer – each product will require a different quantity you need but it should indicate how much a dose will reduce pH by, so work out how much you need then add little by little, testing occasionally until your reach the correct level. Now if your pH level is too low, then you will need to use a pH increaser – you can then follow the same procedure until reaching the correct level.

It is important you achieve the right pH balance as too much and the water can be too acidic which can lead to irritation of the skin and eyes, while a pH level too low can lead to cloudy discoloured water than can result in limescale build-up.

Check Chlorine Levels.

Chlorine is important to keep the water clean and prevent the build-up of limescale in your pipes which can result in the breakdown of your machine, however too much can have a negative impact on your health including irritation of the skin and eyes. You can purchase chlorine testing strips easily online. Chlorine levels should be between 1-3 ppm, add chlorine slowly until achieving the correct levels. This should then be tested 2-3 times a week so be sure to keep plenty on hand!

Once you have checked all levels and added the necessary chemicals your water should be ready, please note we do advise leaving each chemical around one hour before adding more/others, we also recommend leaving for a further hour until all chemicals are fully dissolved to test to ensure correct levels are balanced. This is the trickiest part of hot tub care but one you get used to it, it will be a breeze.

Hot Tub Maintenance

Now that you have used the essential chemicals to balance out your water levels to ensure you can comfortably use your hot tub we will discuss some other important products you will need to add to your arsenal to keep your hot tub in top condition.

System Flush

While this step may seem like a gruelling task after working so hard to balance water levels, it is important for the maintenance of your hot tub. This is why every 3 months it is recommended to run s complete system flush on your system while using a product such as the Cleenly System flush. The cleaner will run through the system pushing out dirt, grease and oil that builds up in pipes and jets, once this has run through the system all water will need to be emptied out and refilled.  

Cleenly Hot Tub System Flush Cleaner 5L

Price: £16.96

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Scale Stop

Including a scale stop product in your hot tub care routine is important especially if you live in a hard water area as it will keep limescale from building up and blocking pipes which can lead to your machine breaking down. It is recommended to dose your water once a week with a scale-stop product.  

Spa Clarifier

Spa Clarifiers are a great product to use if you have noticed your eater has started to become a little clouded and murky. This cleaning product contains a binding agent which will bind the microscopic particles that are too small to be picked up by the filter together making them large enough to then be filtered out to leave your water crystal clear!

Cleenly Hot Tub Water Clarifier 5L

Price: £24.98

Buy Now

Algaecide

Algae build-up is commonplace in areas with bodies of water, especially if the water is left to stand for a period of time, and let’s be honest no-one wants to relax in murky green water, which is why adding a small dose of algaecide once a week can help keep this at bay.

Also, Keep in Mind

Adding too many chemicals into your water at one time can lead to reactions that may cause foaming, clouding or even reducing effectiveness. This is why we do not recommend using each treatment on the same day but rather stagger it out over the week, also be sure to wait at least an hour for the products to fully dissolve before using the water again.

We hope this blog has been helpful in explaining the most important chemicals and what their purpose is and when you should use them. However, if you are ever unsure about adding chemicals to your hot tub then you can contact your manufacturer for guidance!