With the clocks changing soon and balmy summer days just around the corner, if you’re anything like us, you’ll be thinking about getting back to warm, relaxing evenings lounging in your spa!

Before you jump in, though, now is an ideal time to check over your hot tub, make sure it’s in perfect working order, book a service to get it spotless (unless you’re already ahead of the game with our service plan, of course) and do any necessary maintenance. Here are the key things you can do to make sure your hot tub is at its best and ready for the spring season! 👇

Check for External Damage

• Cabinet & Shell: do a visual check of the cabinet and shell to make sure there’s no damage such as cracks. If you spot any damage, contact your dealer.
• Cover, Clips & Straps: do a visual check of the cover to ensure there are no holes or tears, and that the clips and straps aren’t torn or damages.  If the cover feels heavy or has an unpleasant, mildewy odour, then it could be time to replace it. If you spot any obvious damage or think you need a new cover, contact your dealer.

Check Your Spa Is In Good Working Order

If your spa is full and hasn’t been winterised, then run some initial checks (if your hot tub is empty then you can do this later on after you’ve refilled).Turn on your spa and check there’s no damage and everything is working, including:

• Jets: run the jets and test the valves to make sure they’re operating at full power.
• Control Panel: check your control panel for any signs of damage or error signs that could indicate issues with your spa’s workings.
• Heater: Make sure the water is heating properly by increasing the temperature and looking out for any error signs or signs that the water is not heating.
• Leaks: check around the hot tub for any sign of leaking or pooling water that could indicate damage to the internal shell or pipes.
• Filters: check for any obvious signs of tears, damage or debris.

Check your Chemical Stocks

Before you empty your hot tub to clean, it’s worth making sure you have everything you need in stock, and order more if not. Here’s a list of chemicals and items you may need:

Sanitisers

• Chlorine or bromine
• Shock treatment (chlorine or non-chlorine)

Balancers

• pH increaser and decreaser
• Alkalinity raiser
• Hardness raiser/anti-scale

Cleaners

• Surface cleaner
• Filter cleaner
• Foam remover
• Spa clarifier or O-Care
• Hot tub pipe flush

Other Items

• Sanitiser/balancer test strips
• Filters

You can shop chemicals here, filters, test strips, replacement pillows, accessories and more at our online shop. Once you’ve made sure you have everything you need, you can get your spa clean and fresh.

Get Your Service Sorted

Check when your last service was, and, if necessary, book one in. Your hot tub should be serviced every year to keep it fresh and in great working order. During a service, a qualified technician will check your hot tub for damage and replace any worn/faulty parts, deep-clean your spa (including cleaning behind the jets, flushing the pipes, and more), as well as balancing the water chemistry. For a full rundown of what a service entails, see our guide to what you can expect from a hot tub or swim spa service. Get in touch if you want to book a service or to find out about how you can save with our service packages.

Get Your Spa Sparkling Clean

The good news is, if you have a service booked, your technician will do all of the cleaning and any maintenance checks for you. If you’re not due a service for a while, though, or your hot tub hasn’t been cleaned in the past one to three months, then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get it shining. Here are the steps to deep clean, drain and refill your hot tub.

Clean the Lines

Give the lines a good clean while the hot tub is still full and before draining it to prevent particles and deposits building up in the plumbing system. You’ll need to use a product such as Hot Tub Flush and follow the pack instructions. Here’s what you need to do:

• Make sure your hot tub is full.
• Take out the filters.
• Turn the jets on full.
• Pour the recommended amount of Hot Tub Flush into the filter housing.
• Leave the jets to run for a full cycle (around 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your spa).
• Turn off the power to your spa and follow the steps below for filter cleaning and draining your spa.

Clean the Filters

Ideally, you should have two sets of filters, so you can use one set while the other soaks. To clean:

• Turn off the power to your hot tub.
• Remove the filters and spray with a high-powered hose to remove dirt and debris.
• Soak in a filter-cleaning solution overnight, following the manufacturers instructions.
• Rinse and leave to dry before reinstalling.

Drain the Water

If you’ve been using your hot tub during the winter and kept it full and running, then now is a great time to drain it down and give it a good clean – especially if your annual service is a while away. This step should be done every one to three months, depending on usage and you’ll need to drain it after you flush the pipes too. Your specific hot tub should come with details of how to do this, bit here are the general steps:

• Once you’ve cleaned the pipes, make sure your hot tub is switched off at the circuit breaker, as this will make sure there’s no risk of your pumps and jets running while your tub is empty and causing damage.
• Remove the filters (now is a good time to clean them using the steps above).
• Decide where you’re draining the water to. Attaching a hose pipe to your spa’s drain valve and directing it towards a drain will help to avoid flooding the area or water logging your garden.
• Your hot tub manual should tell you where to find the drain valve and how to open it (eg American Whirlpool drains are usually in the bottom corner of the spa, and you’ll most likely need to open the cap first, being careful not to open the valve at the same time, attach the hose and open the valve), and whether there is one or two. If it has two, use the main valve to drain most of the water and the secondary valve to drain the remainder (always be sure to check the owner’s manual for full instructions).
• When the spa has been fully emptied, close the drain valve, remove the hose and close the cap.

Clean Your Shell, Pillows and Jets

After the water has been drained, you can clean the inside of your hot tub:

• If you have a spa vacuum, you can use it to remove any fine debris and leftover water from your hot tub.
• Use a spa surface cleaner and a damp cloth to clean the shell, paying special attention to the water line. For stubborn marks/limescale, you can use a spa scrubber.
• Remove the head pillows to clean behind them and wipe them down.

Refill Your Spa

It’s now time to refill your spa. You can refill your spa using a garden hose. Here’s how:

• Make sure the valve is closed and the cap replaced.
• Open diverter valves and jets to ensure air can escape as you refill.
• If you live in a hard water area, you may want to put a hose filter on your hose, to ensure no grit or debris is introduced to your spa.
• Fill your spa with cold water through the centre of the standpipe in the filter housing (or check your owner’s manual for the best place to fill), to ensure you flush any air out of the pipes, and always keep the hose above the water level to avoid introducing any dirt.
• Keep an eye on the water level as it fills. If your spa doesn’t have a fill line, your hot tub will need to be filled to around two thirds of the way up the skimmer housing.
• Once the spa is full, you can turn it on the main power. Consult your owner’s manual for next steps, for example Marquis spas will enter ‘pump priming mode’ for the first five minutes, after which you can allow the spa to circulate for around five minutes to get rid of any remaining air.
• Don’t forget to re-install your filters

Balance the Chemicals

Add your sanitiser of choice – whether chlorine or bromine, granules, tablets or in-line sanitiser and run the jets to let it circulate. Use a test strip to check the total alkalinity (TA), the pH balance, the total hardness and sanitiser levels, and adjust your water accordingly.

For full details on balancing your spa chemicals, see our Hot Tub Maintenance Guide.

Enhance with Accessories

Now your hot tub is sparkling clean, in perfect working order and ready for use, it’s time to relax and enjoy the soothing hydrotherapy. If you want to enhance the experience, you may want to check out accessories such as aromatherapy, muscle soaks and more. You can browse a selection of our spa accessories here, or call our shop for more items, including spa glasses, snack tables and more.