A hot tub should be one of the most relaxing things in your life. But if the water's cloudy, foamy, or smells off — it becomes a source of stress instead.
The good news: keeping your hot tub clean isn't complicated. It just requires a bit of consistency. Here's what we tell every hot tub owner who comes into our Uxbridge store.
The Weekly Routine (Takes About 15 Minutes)
Test your water. At a minimum, test twice a week. You can use test strips for a quick check, but we recommend bringing a water sample into our store weekly for a full professional analysis. It's free, and it catches things strips miss.
Adjust your chemistry. After testing, add whatever your water needs. The order matters:
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Adjust Total Alkalinity first (target: 80–120 ppm)
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Then pH (target: 7.4–7.6)
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Then sanitizer (chlorine or bromine)
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Shock weekly, or after heavy use
Rinse your filters. Give your filter cartridges a rinse with a garden hose weekly. This keeps the flow strong and reduces strain on your pump.
Monthly Tasks
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Deep clean your filters: Soak them in a filter cleaning solution. We recommend mineraluxe Filter Revive to deep clean your cartridge once a month.
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Check your cover: Wipe down the underside with Surface Cleanse to prevent mold and mildew.
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Inspect jets and fittings: Look for any leaks or reduced flow from individual jets.
Every 3–4 Months: Drain and Refill
This is the one most people skip, and it's the most important. Hot tub water builds up dissolved solids over time (from chemicals, body oils, lotions, and minerals) that can't be filtered out. When TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) gets too high, your water becomes difficult to balance and can irritate skin.
Drain completely, wipe down the shell with Dazzle Surface Cleanse, rinse thoroughly, and refill with fresh water. Then rebalance your chemistry from scratch.
Common Problems and What They Mean
Foamy water: Usually caused by soap residue, body lotions, or low calcium hardness. Shock the water and check your calcium levels.
Cloudy water: Often a filtration issue or chemistry imbalance. Check your sanitizer levels and clean your filter.
Strong chemical smell: Counterintuitively, this usually means not enough sanitizer — chloramines form when chlorine reacts with contaminants. Shock the tub.
Slippery surfaces: Biofilm buildup. Drain, clean the shell, and start fresh.
The Easiest Tip We Give
Shower before you get in. Body oils, lotions, and hair products are the #1 cause of water chemistry problems. It sounds simple because it is.
We're Here When You Need Us
If your water isn't clearing up, or you're not sure what you're looking at on a test strip, bring a sample in. Our team at 37 Main Street North in Uxbridge will test it for free and walk you through exactly what to do. No guessing, no overselling.
Hot tub ownership should be easy. We'll make sure it stays that way.
