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Posts Tagged ‘hot tub care’

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Deep Cleaning your Spa or Hot Tub

May 10th, 2013 by

Deep Cleaning your Spa or Hot TubYour Spa or Hot Tub is wonderful for restful relaxation or romantic evenings – but there is a dark side. Maintenance and Care.

Just like owning a car, there are specific and regular treatments needed to keep it running and looking good. Unlike my car however, my spa is easy to clean, maintain and service.

Here’s the what I do to really deep clean my hot tub, which I do every 3 months – or sooner, if I’m planning a big hot tub party, or we’ve had a “high-use weekend”.

 

Clean the Pipes

If your spa is like mine, it has dozens of jets and hundreds of feet of hidden pipes and hoses. Scientists discovered that BioFilm bacteria can find harbor inside the plumbing and equipment of hot water tubs. Just like carbon build-up in your car, it’s best to remove these deposits regularly to keep the spa sanitary. I use a product called Jet Clean the night before I plan to drain the hot tub. As it circulates, it breaks down scale and biofilm, so that I can flush it out with my next day draining.

Clean the Filter

After I have circulated the Jet Clean, I remove the filter cartridges and spray in between the pleats with my garden hose. Then, I drop it in a bucket of Spa Filter Clean solution and let is soak overnight. In the morning, as I’m draining the spa, the spa filter gets another cleaning with the garden hose (until it stops foaming), and I set it in the sun to dry. Drying your spa cartridges, before re-installing, helps kill any remaining bacteria, and lets the fibers open up and “breathe” just slightly.

Drain the Spa

First, shut off the power to the spa, in preparation for draining. Most spas have a water valve underneath, where a garden hose is connected. If not, a small submersible pump can be used. As it’s draining, I move the garden hose around my yard to recycle the water. When it’s half empty, I use another garden hose with a spray nozzle to spray into the jets and skimmer. If you notice any algae or slimy discoloration, remove the jet eyeballs and drain covers, and soak them in a chlorine solution. Use a bottle brush to scrub inside the pipes, and hose out again with fresh water.

Clean the Shell

My spa is an acrylic shell, with a beautiful shiny silver finish. To clean the inside of the shell, I spray on CitraBright and wipe it down with a soft cloth. Even though the spa shell looks clean, I’m always amazed at the amount of dirt on the cloth. It’s important to not use any household cleaners or other products that could contain harmful chemicals or phosphates. You don’t want that stuff in your spa water. Citrabright cleans fast with no residue, and has a nice Orange County scent.

Protect the Shell

Fast Gloss seals and protects the shell of the spa from sunlight and spa chemicals. What I really like about it, and why I use it, is that it makes my spa shine like it’s brand new! It also removes any streaking left over from the cleaning process. Just wipe it on, and buff a bit – real easy. It also lasts a long time, I think I’ve had my bottle for over 2 years now. After this treatment, I begin to fill the spa. Mine takes about 3-4 hours to fill, so I might have to delay filling, or adjust my schedule so I don’t overflow the spa (again)!

Clean the Spa Cover

I can’t work for a Hot Tub cover company and have a ratty looking spa top! My spa cover is 4 years old, but it still looks great. I use our hot tub Cover Care and Conditioner every 3 months. This is a combination cleaner and conditioner, in one step – just wipe it on, and wipe it off. I also use it on the spa pillows.

Clean Underneath

My spa equipment sits underneath the spa. It’s a nice warm place for small critters to hide, and maybe damage something, so keep this area of your spa clean too. I normally use my long extension on my vacuum cleaner, and suck up any cobwebs or debris. Occasionally, I spray it with a hose, but I’m careful about the electronics. If you find any evidence of rodents, you can use poison bait, or try Mouse-Away, which repels them with a cute mint sachet.

And that’s it! That’s how I do it anyway. Every 3 months, just like changing the oil in your car – give your spa a deep clean, and it can look like new – nearly forever!

XOXO;

Gina Galvin
Hot Tub Works

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The Importance Of Draining And Cleaning Your Hot Tub

May 21st, 2012 by

When, Why and How to Drain your Spa or Hot Tub

arctic-spas

Would you leave your bathtub filled with water and have everyone in your household use it without ever draining it and replacing the water? I hope the answer is a big fat NO!

It’s gross, to put it bluntly. So you can see why it’s so important to drain and clean your hot tub. Your average size bath tub holds roughly 50 gallons of water. An average size hot tub holds about 400 gallons. There is not a big difference here.

Plus, the water is HOT, hence the term “hot” tub. Hot water is great at extracting our body’s natural…naturalness. Oils, lotions, dirt (yup, dirt), makeup, and all other sorts of things we have on our bodies. This can turn your hot tub into a breeding ground for bad bacteria really fast.

Now, unlike a bathtub, we use chemicals in our hot tubs to keep them from getting…well, like a bathtub. We use sanitation chemicals to kill any forms of bad bacteria in our water. We also keep our water properly balanced (pH and alkalinity) and that helps to keep it clean and sanitized. But even adding all those chemicals won’t be enough. Eventually, you can do no more, and therefore, you must drain.

You should drain your hot tub every 3-4 months, depending on how much and how many people use it.citrabright

Once you drain it out all the way, you should take this opportunity to clean your hot tub manually, like you would wash your car (just don’t use car soap). You can find all the cleaning chemicals you need on Hot Tub Works, and a fresh batch of clean towels. After draining, start off by cleaning the inside shell of the hot tub as best you can. I like using Leisure Time CitraBright to clean the spa shell. Removes water line gunk and dirt, and leaves a nice scent and a high gloss.

Draining time is also a great time to clean your hot tub filters. Again, you can find spa filter cleaner at Hot Tub Works Tubs to really help degrease those filters. Make sure you take this time to check for any fraying. If you see your filters starting to come apart, it’s time to get them replaced.

spa filter cleanerI like to use a spa filter cleaner solution and dilute it with a little water in a bucket and soak the filters for a few hours. After you take them out of the bucket, make sure you give them a very thorough rinse. If you don’t, you may have foam when you start your hot tub up again. Also, it’s recommended to let the spa filter dry completely before putting it back to use.

Once your filters are all clean and your hot tub is wiped down, it’s time to fill it with fresh water. Now that your hot tub is filled, but sure to test and get the right levels of pH and Alkalinity before you take your first dip. And, be sure to add sanitizer to the spa. You wouldn’t want to soak in untreated water.

So, that’s it! You should do this every few months in order to prolong the life of your hot tub and to keep your friends and family safe from any harmful contaminants in the water.

What are you waiting for? Get Tubbin’!

This is a guest post from Matt Giovanisci, the creator of Swim University, online guide to pool and hottubcare. He has over 15 years of experience in the swimming pool and hot tub industry.

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Bears Love Hot Tubs

June 7th, 2011 by

BEARS IN HOT TUBS

It’s not every day you find a bear in your back yard.

And it’s certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to find one taking a dip in your hot tub.

Jenny Sue Rhoades found the black bear swimming in her hot tub two miles from Wekiwa Springs State Park in Florida.

Surprise: The black bear was caught swimming in a family's hot tub last week just two miles from Wekiwa Springs State Park

Surprise: The black bear was caught swimming in a family’s hot tub last week just two miles from Wekiwa Springs State Park

 

Cooling off: The bear broke through the screen and decided to have a rest in the family hot tub

Cooling off: The bear broke through the screen and decided to have a rest in the family hot tub

She told WFTV that she never turns on her hot tub in the summer because no one uses it – that was until last Friday morning when she looked out her window and a black bear was in the backyard.

She said: ‘I should have yelled at him for leaving dirty paw prints around the spa. I went in my office and I got my camera, by the time I came back out his nose was pushed up against the screen.

She said the bear then broke the pool screen, climbed through and started drinking the water in the spa and even though she yelled at the bear, he ignored her.

Gone again: As quickly as he arrived he left again after quenching his thirst

Gone again: As quickly as he arrived he left again after quenching his thirst

Mike Orlando, Florida Fish and Wildlife officer, told WFTV: ‘Once it gets to that point there are things where we may have to actually have to come and get the bear.‘

Florida Fish and Wildlife said there are roughly 3,000 bears in Florida and their population is growing. There are so many black bears in the state they are even considering taking them off the threatened species list.

Roy Lukman, a Longwood resident, said he sees bears about once a week and will only walk in the daylight for fear of being attacked

He said: ‘It will come across between just exactly where that sign is.

‘People have told me that he won’t hurt you and things like that. I am still keeping my distance.’

Florida Fish and Wildlife said that getting bear resistant trash cans and only putting out the trash in the morning of pick-up day will help prevent occurrences with bears.

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Tech Savvy Hottubworks Team

May 9th, 2011 by

http://www.hottubworks.com/Images/Logo.gif

One of the most interesting parts about the owners at our company, Hot Tub Works, is how technologically savvy they are. I have worked for several individuals that don’t even know how to use a computer :) .

But I am impressed at how quickly a topic that we talk about in a meeting becomes a blog topic, winds up on Facebook, becomes a tweet on twitter and gets a ton of comments from our fans. So if you ever want to let the owners know how you feel or have any questions we are always online to help you out.

If you want to add us on Facebook click here:

If you want to add us on Twitter click here:

And as always you could always call us at 800-770-0292. We hope to hear from you in the future – all over the web :) .

- Nick

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Hottubworks Spa Community

May 6th, 2011 by

One of the most useful but underutilized parts of the site is the Spa Community section. This section could be found on the home page of www.hottubworks.com on the left side highlighted in blue or there is a link to each section below:

spa-community

Hot Tub Tool Box

How to Videos

Forum

 

 

 

 

 

Under the Hot Tub Tool Box section you will find helpful articles and walkthroughs on chemicals and installation of various hot tub parts including pumps, equipment, etc.

Under the How-to-Video section there are instructional videos on how to turn a wet end, install an equipment pack, etc. and there are also instructional videos and informational videos on a majority of the major items on our site.

One of the best parts about this section of the site is that some of the videos actually are demonstrated by our staff, including an information video on pre-filters told by me.

The forum section is helpful to find answers to questions that aren’t available through videos or to find answers to questions during our off hours.

The blog – well, you know about the blog – over 300 articles of interest to spa owners.

Also, as always, we are available by phone if you ever want to discuss any additional questions that you may have. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

~Nicholas

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Reward for Missing Hot Tubs

May 4th, 2011 by
strange-guy-in-tub

 

Stolen Hot Tubs?  Really. Not the brightest crooks.

 

Update: The case was solved, and the spa bandits were turned in by someone who anonymously claimed the reward money. The used spas were recovered, and put to personal use by the company.

 

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Reward for information in theft of two hot tubs

Rapid City Journal

The owner of Rapid Spa is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to a conviction in the theft of two hot tubs from the Rapid City business.

The hot tubs weigh about 300 pounds apiece and were stolen from the business at 141 E. Omaha St. location on separate occasions, according to Bob Hurd, owner of Rapid Spa.

The first theft occurred about a year and a half ago; the hot tub retailed for about $5,200, Hurd said. The second happened in December 2010; it was the same model, but retailed for about $4,500, Hurd said.

Any information regarding the two hot tub thefts can be emailed to stolenhottub@gmail.com.

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Hot Tub at Playboy Mansion Needs Some Love…

April 18th, 2011 by

Health scare: Playboy bunnies pose under the marquee at the Mansion before the party. Officials have found the Legionella bacteria in a hot tub

Being experts on the subject of hot tub maintenance, I was surprised to see this outbreak come from one the most infamous hot tubs that exist in LA.

It would be real easy to make a moral correlation here but I’ll refrain from the obvious……

Article below.

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Health officials have confirmed that the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease was found in a whirlpool spa at the Playboy Mansion where more than 100 people fell ill in February.

The Los Angeles County Health Department presented its findings on Friday at an annual conference at the Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta. The legionella bacteria also causes a milder illness called Pontiac fever.

Health scare: Playboy bunnies pose under the marquee at the Mansion before the party. Officials have found the Legionella bacteria in a hot tub.
Struck down: Investigators found the bacteria which causes Legionnaires' at the Playboy Mansion after scores of people fel ill on the same day
Struck down: Investigators found the bacteria which causes Legionnaires’ at the Playboy Mansion after scores of people fell ill on the same day
Investigation: 200 guests fell ill after attending a fundraiser at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion in February

Symptoms, which include fever and headache, are the same as those suffered by the Playboy Mansion partygoers. The people who fell ill were at the mansion to mark the end of the three-day DOMAINFest Global Conference on internet business. The conference took place at the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica.

On the second night, there was a party at the Sky Bar on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. The finale on the third night was at Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s famous mansion. Within 48 hours after leaving it, scores of people reported coming down with symptoms including fever, respiratory problems and violent headaches. About 700 people from 30 countries attended the conference.

DOMAINFest asked people who were at the event to fill out a confidential survey to help in the health department investigation. Officials ended up speaking to 439 people and found that up to 200 of them had a fever and at least one other symptom. Sixty-nine people reported falling ill on the same day.

Something in the air? Public health investigators believe the illness which affected 200 guests may have been spread through the atmospheric fog
Something in the air? Public health investigators believe the illness which affected 200 guests may have been spread through the atmospheric fog. Dr Jonathan Fielding, director of the county Department of Public Health, said that Legionella bacteria are commonly found in moist environments. Pontiac fever, which is caused by bacteria, typically lasts two to five days and treatment is usually unnecessary, ktla.com reports.

The bacteria are not spread from person to person, they are inhaled in water vapor from hot tubs, showers and even air conditioning systems. Some of those who became ill originally suspected a fog machine that was used at the party in February.

A Playboy spokesman said at the time: ‘There is no truth in the rumor that anyone caught anything at the Playboy Mansion, nor is there any evidence. ‘None of the Playboy staff became ill, the deejay was in the middle of the fog and she didn’t get ill. ‘We have been contacted by the Health Department and the Playboy Mansion is cooperating fully with the investigation.’

One partygoer, Elliot J. Silver, said: ‘It is scary that everyone came down with the same thing at the same time. ‘It knocked me on my ass. A lot of people are blaming the Playboy Mansion on the blogs, but you can’t be sure.’

- Legionnaires disease is one of many bacterias that can cause sickness, from improperly sanitized and filtered hot tubs.

Thanks;Jerry

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The perfect Get Well gift – Spa Hot Tub Aromatherapy

April 15th, 2011 by

Rx Crystals - Detox Therapy

If cold and flu got you down – try Detox Therapy!

April is here and in Southern California that means unpredictable weather. One day it can be sunny and over 80 degrees then the next day cool and cloudy with a high of 60 degrees.

Unpredictable weather usually means the predictable spring cold. Boy did I get one! The cold came with fever, aches, sore throat and cough. Other than cold medicine and sleep the only relief I found was a soak in the tub. I tried for the first time Our Spazazz RX Crystals.

I used the Respiratory Therapy Crystals and the Muscle Therapy Crystals. Wow is all I can say! Both of these really worked well. I used both of these in the bath tub and I recommend them to anyone who gets a Spring Cold like I did.

Tonight I plan on trying the Joint Therapy Crystals. I also think this trio would make the perfect “get well” gift for any friend or family member who gets sick.

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Spa Hot Tub Pre-Filter to Ensure Clean, Easy to Maintain Water

April 11th, 2011 by
spa-prefilter

Using a Pre-Filter on your Spa Fill Water

One of the most important things that you could do to take care of your hot tub water is to ensure that all the build-up and particulates in the water are removed. This will help prevent staining on the hot tub surface and it will allow you to maintain chemical levels in the water.

This is especially important if you are using well water because of the extra metals and build-up inherent in the water. The best thing to use to accomplish this is to purchase a pre-filter.

We have a good pre-filter on our site for use when filling your spa.  HTF-3128, this spa prefilter can be used for several fills and will remove particles in the water up to .5 of a micron (that’s small!).  Just connect it to your garden hose, and it filters the water before it goes into your spa or hot tub.

If you have any further questions on either of these pre-filters please give us a call.

~Nick

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Top Ten Spa Cover Care Tips

March 31st, 2011 by

spa-cover-care

 

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from our customers is how to take care of a new spa cover. Here’s my list of ten tips to increase the lifespan of a new spa cover.

If you have any spa cover care tips of your own, leave them below in the comments! Or, make your own list of Do’s and Dont’s for hot tub covers, ways to increase their lifespan.

 

Ten Hot Tub Cover Care Tips

  1. Clean your spa cover monthly with mild liquid dish soap or hand soap diluted in water. Hose the cover off, and use an old towel to dry.
  2. Use cover wipes like our 303 Spa Cover Wipes, or apply a vinyl conditioner like Vinyl Protectant or Spa Cover Conditioner and Protector.
  3. Do not use an abrasive sponge. Use a small, clean hand towel, regular sponge or soft bristled brush.
  4. Use a Spa Cover lifter, to avoid damage while moving it, or while stored.
  5. Keep your spa cover latched while it’s on; use Wind Straps in areas of high winds or hurricanes.
  6. Remove your spa cover for an hour, at least twice weekly, to allow it to “gas off” and dry out.
  7. If you have Tree Sap on the cover you can remove this by rubbing some vegetable oil on the sap.
  8. Mildew can be removed with a vinegar solution cleaning, rinsing, and a thorough drying.
  9. Don’t allow kids or large animals to stand or sit on the spa cover.
  10. Remove snow accumulation of more than 12 inches.

Mildew Growth in Spa Covers

Vinyl protectants have ingredients designed to protect your cover from the sun’s rays so that your spa cover will look great for many years. But beneath the vinyl, mildew can appear on spa covers, when conditions are right.

The underside of the cover is made to withstand the harsh chemical environment it is exposed to but should be removed weekly from the spa, to allow it to dry. It is also important to keep the spa water balanced, and with proper sanitizer levels. These two things will inhibit growth of mildew.

Most hot tub owners use their hot tub at least 3 times a week which allows the cover to be exposed to air. If you do not use your tub as often make sure to open the cover up at least twice a week and allow the cover as well as the water to breathe.

There is nothing organic in the spa cover to grow mildew, so if mildew does appear it is due to improper chemical levels or not airing out the tub cover enough. If you do get mildew try swabbing the area with vinegar and laying the cover in the sun for a day.

In extreme cases, you’ll want to unzip the cover, to allow cleaning inside of the fabric and of the foam core, applying the vinegar solution internally. Stand the spa cover in an upside-down “V” shape. preferably in the sun, on a warm and dry day.

With simple maintenance you can further extend the life of your new spa cover.

Lietta!

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