Hot tub care: how to properly maintain the equipment

One of the prerequisites for the smooth operation of a hot tub is to maintain its condition in proper order.The equipment of the plumbing fixture, which is an indispensable assistant, is vulnerable to clogging.

Therefore, in order for you to continue to be able to relieve tension and restore vitality in a comfortable environment, you need to learn how to properly care for your hot tub. Such actions will minimize the risk of various types of problems and breakdowns.

Let's look at this issue together - the article discusses the intricacies of servicing hydromassage equipment and the features of caring for bowls made of various materials. Also given are the most common breakdowns, recommendations for proper maintenance and choosing the best disinfectant.

Common technical problems

A hydromassage bath is a complex technical system equipped with an impressive range of functionalities.

They are responsible for starting and stopping equipment, stimulating the movement of water, saturating it with air, generating pressure, and also performing a number of various significant actions. Read more about installation of a hydromassage bath we talked about in our other article.

Along with other types of equipment, functional Jacuzzi systems require scheduled and sometimes unscheduled maintenance.Scheduled inspections should be carried out at the frequency specified by the manufacturer of the technical system, unscheduled inspections should be carried out immediately after a problem is detected.

The technical equipment of the jacuzzi requires preventive inspections and periodic troubleshooting, some of which can be fixed with your own hands.

Signs of an easily repairable or impending serious breakdown include:

• Failure or delay on/off. Technical systems with braking react when buttons are pressed and do not start or turn off. If such deviations in operation are detected, it is advisable to call a specialist who specializes in repairing Jacuzzi equipment.
• Knocking out traffic jams. You should definitely call an electrician to possibly lay and connect a separate branch of the electrical network for the hot tub.
• Difficult water flow. A purely plumbing nuisance is a blockage, which, if you know the design of the Jacuzzi bowl, you can deal with yourself.
• Insufficient pressure. If the jets no longer produce a massage effect, it means that the nozzles are clogged. To fix the problem, you need to carefully unscrew the cap and remove dirt and sediment from the inner surface with a soft rag.
• Low quality water supply. Occurs due to clogged or failed filters that need to be cleaned or replaced.

Like any plumbing equipment, a hydromassage bath is subject to all breakdowns that occur due to the failure of faucets or just cartridges. Their repair and replacement are carried out according to the standard scheme.

Another type of serious disruption to the operation of equipment is associated with breakdowns of the air compressor and pumping equipment.

Without knowledge and experience in the field of repair of compressor and pumping equipment, you should not undertake troubleshooting. It is better to contact a specialized workshop.

We recommend looking at more information about various breakdowns of a hydromassage bathtub and methods for eliminating them in our other article.

Caring for bowls made of different materials

The choice of cleaning method and the option of using disinfectants for treatment largely depends on the material from which the hot tub bowl is made.

The main requirement that should be strictly observed when using hydromassage plumbing: take a bath - wash it

If you do not rinse the bathtub immediately after taking water procedures, the next time it will be unpleasant to sit in a bowl with dried plaque and dirty walls.

Maintenance of acrylic bathtubs

Bathtubs with acrylic bowls occupy a leading position in the popularity rating. They are comfortable, lightweight and can withstand mechanical loads well. But inorganic rubber polymer is very sensitive to various types of damage.

Therefore, when caring for an acrylic surface, it is unacceptable to use metal brushes and other hard materials that leave micro-scratches on it, which gradually turn into microcracks under the influence of water.

Detergents containing organic solvents, formaldehyde and aggressive acids are contraindicated for acrylic bathtubs.

Detergents containing acetone and other types of solvents are also not suitable for caring for acrylic. It is not permissible to use abrasive cleaning agents. They damage and thin out coatings.

It is best to use cream and gel formulations for this purpose, which have a gentle effect. But even they should be used no more than once a week.

To keep the surface of an acrylic bathtub clean and tidy, it is enough to rinse the tank with water and wipe with a moisture-absorbing cloth each time after completing water procedures.

If scratches do form on the acrylic surface, you can correct the situation by using liquid acrylic. It is applied to the damaged area and polished with polish until the surface becomes uniform with the rest of the coating.

To remove scratches, you can also use special pencils such as “FixltPro” and polishing pastes. But it is worth considering that these products are effective only on fresh scratches.

We recommend more useful information about the best products for caring for acrylic plumbing fixtures view here.

Steel and cast iron baths

The enameled coating of steel and cast iron bathtubs allows the use of abrasive substances for cleaning. But such cleaning can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the injectors.

The only exceptions are those models that provide for closing the nozzle valves, which prevents the holes from clogging during cleaning.

Manufacturers recommend using foaming and gel compositions that are not capable of corroding the coating and harming the equipment.

If you handle plumbing fixtures carelessly, scratches and chips may form on the enamel coating. In addition to the fact that they spoil the appearance, they are also a threat to plumbing in general. In a humid environment, colonies of bacteria can form inside cracks.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the best safe means for cleaning cast iron bowls without damaging the enamel.

The defect can be eliminated by restoring the enamel on the damaged area. Modern enamel compositions plus the use of pouring techniques make it possible to restore coatings only at the site of damage.

In case of extensive chips, surface repair is carried out by sealing first with coarse and then finely dispersed putty. Only after this the sanded area is covered with enamel and treated with polish.

Apply enamel paint or aerosol in 2-3 layers only to a thoroughly degreased surface, maintaining an interval between them until the composition has completely hardened.

After the procedure is completed, the bathtub coating takes on its original appearance.

Does your bathtub have numerous chips and scratches? We recommend that you read bath restoration methods made of cast iron.

Subtleties of cleaning system elements

The main difference between caring for a hot tub compared to traditional models is the need to clean the surface of not only the tank itself, but also the internal filling of the structure. These are jets and nozzles, supply pipes and a pump.

Maintenance of hydromassage equipment includes cleaning the surface every few days in combination with preventive measures, as well as washing nozzles and pipes.

Surface treatment methods

Before treating equipment with disinfectants, it is necessary to wash the bowl from grease and dirt with ordinary detergents.

If you notice that hard water leaves limescale deposits, rinse the whirlpool system with clean water and wipe with a cloth each time after bathing.

The hydromassage system is cleaned in the following sequence.

1. Apply detergent to the surface in accordance with the instructions described on the label.
2. Wait the period specified by the manufacturer. On average it takes 5-10 minutes.
3. Rinse off the product with streams of clean water.
4. Wipe the surface dry with a napkin. For this purpose, it is best to use cotton or bamboo napkins, or microfiber rags. They perfectly absorb moisture without leaving streaks on the surface.

If a self-cleaning system is installed in the hot tub, the disinfection procedure takes place with minimal human intervention.

Before starting the automatic mode for disinfection, you only need to place a portion of the disinfectant in a special compartment

When dealing with traditional models that lack a self-cleaning system, preventive disinfection is carried out in several stages:

1. Fill the tank with water, the temperature of which reaches 20-25 °C.
2. Dissolve the prepared product in water.
3. Start the hydraulic and aerosystem for 5-7 minutes, setting the highest power. In some models, on the contrary, manufacturers recommend shutting off the air supply so that only water without air masses moves through the pipes.
4. After turning off the equipment, leave the filled bath for another 5-10 minutes so that the product dissolved in the water completes its task.
5. Open the drain hole and drain the water. You should be prepared for the fact that dirt flakes accumulated in the pipes will begin to flow into the bowl along with the water.
6. Refill the bath at a level above the nozzles, but with cold water. The hydraulic and aerosystems are started, after which the tank is emptied again.

After such a “bath” of the tank, the bathtub will sparkle and shine like new.

The liquid level in the reservoir must be 8-10 cm above the location of the nozzles, otherwise when the hydromassage is turned on, the engine will quickly fail

The taps and spout will have to be additionally treated with liquid detergents, then rinsed generously with water and wiped dry with a napkin.

If at the time of general cleaning of the plumbing you do not have a special product at your disposal, you can use a 7% bleach solution or “Belizna”. To treat a medium-sized bath, you will need 1.5 liters of this chlorine solution or 100 ml of “Whiteness”.

A solution of citric acid helps to quickly remove mineral deposits from waterscale without damaging the surface of the plumbing fixtures.

But “aggressive chemicals” should be used only as a last resort, since they can harm the internal gaskets of the equipment. To protect yourself during the procedure, the room should be well ventilated.

Prevention of lime deposits

Once a year, additional cleaning of the system should be carried out to prevent lime deposits.

If the maintenance of the hot tub has been irregular and water stone has accumulated inside the equipment, the following measures will help correct the situation:

1. Fill the bath with water so that it covers the nozzle holes.
2. Take the finished product or prepare a 7% solution of citric acid. To treat the entire surface you will need up to one and a half liters of the prepared solution.
3. The solution is mixed with water in the bath and the system is started. During initial cleaning, the system should operate for at least half an hour. In the future, when performing routine cleaning, the duration of the system operation may not exceed 10-15 minutes.
4. The reservoir is left filled for 12 hours and then emptied.
5. The bath is refilled with clean water, the system is run for 5 minutes, after which the reservoir is emptied.

If after cleaning the tank it is noticed that dirt is coming out of the nozzles, they should be disassembled and cleaned individually. To do this, you need to remove the decorative ring and unscrew the metal cap of each nozzle. The holes are cleaned manually using a cloth soaked in water.

Cleaning pipes is a more difficult task. After all, the hydromassage system is an intricacy of corrugated polymer tubes of different diameters. Tubes should be removed in strict accordance with the instructions supplied with the equipment.

It is better to entrust the dismantling of pipes to professionals, since incorrect disassembly of the structure and subsequent assembly of elements can lead to more complex and expensive breakdowns

Dismantled pipes are cleaned under high pressure of water without the use of special detergents. If rinsing with water does not help, use a long, dense wire with a piece of gauze wound around the end.

If the hydromassage mechanism malfunctions, replacement of nozzles, water collectors, or a hydraulic or aero compressor will most likely be required. In order not to aggravate the situation, it is better to entrust this work to professionals.

Is your bathtub fixture in need of expensive repairs that cost the same as buying a new bathtub? In such a situation, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the recommendations for choosing a hot tub.

Review of disinfectants

The range of cleaning products on the market is quite wide.For acrylic surfaces, you can use products from domestic manufacturers such as Acrilight, Santekh and Acrylon.

The imported compositions “Triton Acrylic cleaner” and “Sif Cream” also cope well with this task.

For daily washing of the walls of the tank after taking water procedures, you can completely dispense with the use of a product that is used for washing dishes

Maintenance of a bathtub with hydromassage equipment should be more thorough than in the case of an ordinary bathing tank.

This is due to the fact that high humidity and sufficient temperature are favorable conditions for the proliferation of various kinds of microorganisms that can be dangerous to human health.

The development of colonies of fungi and bacteria can provoke the manifestation of obstructive bronchitis, allergies and even asthma. Information on how to get rid of fungus in the bathroom is discussed in detail in another our article.

Cleaning clogged hot tubs must include disinfection.

Ideal for disinfecting hot tubs:

• "Wonder Walker" — a product from a German manufacturer easily cleans the bathtub of limescale and fatty deposits.
• "Mellerud" – a cleaning and care product from a leading German manufacturer perfectly disinfects the surface, removing all organic deposits from it and eliminating odors.
• "Cascade Complete" - an American product produced by Procter & Gamble does not contain phosphates and easily copes with pollution due to enzymatic activity.
• "Bagi Jacuzzi" – an effective Israeli-made product eliminates mold, mildew and bacteria without a trace.

Over time, persistent deposits accumulate on the elements of hydromassage equipment, which cannot be removed using ordinary household chemicals. To remove deposits and eliminate biofilms, special cleaning products are needed.

The fact that pathogenic microorganisms have entered the system can be easily determined by the formation of mold areas and the appearance of an unpleasant odor

Among the products from the professional series you can safely use:

• "Triton Disinfectant" – the disinfectant perfectly removes water scale and rust, and also kills fungi and prevents the growth of bacteria.
• "HG" - the drug, produced in the Netherlands, contains only natural ingredients: lactic acid, tea tree oil. Thanks to this composition, it hygienically cleanses the system of organic residues and debris particles and does not pose a risk to human health.
• "Edel Weiss" — the drug is available in the form of a concentrated gel, the active ingredients of which do not contain abrasive components. They remove organic contaminants from pipes well, thoroughly cleaning the entire internal system.

Most preparations, after use, create a special thin film on the surface that prevents rapid contamination, leaving the treated surface clean and disinfected for as long as possible.

Simple rules for proper care

A hot tub is not as demanding and capricious as it might seem at first glance.

She just needs proper and timely care, which consists of following five simple rules:

1. Before installing the equipment, carefully review the operating characteristics of the equipment.For some models, a cold water pipe must be provided for installation of the solenoid valve. Most models require the installation of a water pre-filter. To ensure easy access for carrying out preventive measures, think in advance about a convenient location for placing plumbing fixtures.
2. If you want to extend the life of the injectors, use water filters that will trap small particles that contaminate the holes. Only turn on the hydromassage system when the jets are completely covered with water. Otherwise, the unit's motor may burn out.
3. When receiving a session, do not use oils, lotions or foaming agents. They can clog the hydromassage system, forming sediment in the pipes. When taking water treatments, follow the rule “first enjoy the hydromassage, then enjoy the foamy pleasure.”
4. When bathing, use only sea salt and those additives that are marked appropriately for use with hydromassage systems.
5. Avoid contact with any varnish (even hair varnish) on the surface of the bathtub.

If, due to hard water, the hydromassage system quickly becomes dirty, it is worth considering the option of installing devices to soften it.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video with rules and recommendations for caring and cleaning the hot tub bowl:

By adhering to the simple rules given in our article, you can not only maintain the presentable appearance of your plumbing fixtures, but also extend the life of the equipment.

Are you looking to clean your hot tub for the first time and don't know where to start? Ask your questions in the comments to this article - we will try to help you.

Or have you been the proud owner of a hot tub for a long time and are doing an excellent job maintaining it? Tell us what products you use to wash the bowl and how you disinfect the equipment - your secrets will be useful to many users.