When Is It Time To Clean Your Hot Tub Filter?
When Is It Time To Clean Your Hot Tub Filter?
If you are reading this then you probably already know that cleaning your hot tub filter is very important.
Unfortunately, hardly any hot tub filters come with a countdown timer of when they need cleaning.
This is also a lot more tricky if you don’t always remember the last time you washed or thoroughly rinsed it.
Here are some tips to know when it is time to clean your filters.
Is the water no longer smooth or pleasant against your skin? Do you feel itchy after using the hot tub? If yes, it might mean that the filters need changing.
Has it already been more than three months since your last clean? If so, give your filter a quick rinse through because chances are it needs it. For the best results immerse your filter in a cleaning solution. Rinse thoroughly and let it dry before reinstalling.
Has it been more than a year since you changed your filter? If so, it is probably time for a new one – depending on your model and manufacturer’s instructions.
Most filters will usually begin to get extremely dirty after a year or become weakened by excessive use. So even if the manufacturer says they last longer than a year still thoroughly clean them if you haven’t done so for a long time.
How To Clean A Jacuzzi Filter In Under 20 Seconds
Hot Tub Maintenance
Maintaining the quality of your water is one of the most important aspects of keeping your hot tub healthy and operating at its best.
To do this, I have made some suggestions of things you can take into account to make sure you always have a safe and enjoyable hot tub experience.
The tips below will help you improve the quality of your hot tub water and thereby also improving the overall longevity of the device.
3 Top Hot Tub Maintenance Tips
pH. Treating your water with regular pH treatments can reduce nitrates, which can accumulate in the water over time. A low level of pH will make the water acidic and therefore less pleasant to use. It can even increase some allergic reactions. To avoid this, regularly test the pH of your water with test strips so as to keep track of the ph level. A pH of 7.4 is neutral and anything below that means the water is acidic. If the pH is too low consider using pH neutralising treatments.
Water hardness. Hardness or “hard water” is when the water contains too many hard minerals like calcium. If this happens, your pipes can easily accumulate too much mineral deposits. This will mean that it will be harder for soap to foam and you may find the water unpleasant against your skin. Water hardness treatment can be difficult because you’ll need to treat all the water from the supply source. Your best bet is to get a water softener machine and treat all the water coming into your home. Although this is slightly expensive, you will reap the benefits throughout your home – not just your bath tub.
This includes benefits in your kitchen and bathroom plumbing, pipes and appliance
Bacteria. You should always pay attention to the signs of potential of bacteria growth in your hot tub. Products like bleach may be able to treat this issue depending on where you find microorganisms such as mold. Also consider using chlorine to keep your water as bacteria-free as possible.
The Best Hot Tub Filter Cleaning Products
- ​Oilinator Pool & Spa Saver
- Ahh-Some Pool & Hot Tub Filter Cleaner
- Oh Yuk Healthy Whirlpool Cleaner
- Ahh-A bathtub Jet Cleaner / Whirlpool Jet
- AquaFinesse Hot Tub Water Care Kit
- Aqua Finesse Filter Cleaner
- Sparoma Citrus Spa Treatment
1. Oilinator Pool & Spa Saver
The promise of the Oilinator is that it will clean and absorb unwanted dirt and grime in the water of your hot tub.
Simply leave it in your pool and it will reduce the scum ring around your pool. It will specifically catch difficult to remove oils, lotions and foam from the hot tub.
The Oilinator Pool & Spa Saver is easy to use in your hot tub or in your swimming pool. Use with other cleaning products for fresh and clean hot tub water.
The Bad
Some children may consider it a toy due to the cute design of this product.
Does not actually eliminate ALL lotions, dirt, scum etc. Only reduces it.
The product does not appear to be washable so it’s single use only. 
The Good
Easy to use. Simply leave it in your pool or bath tub and proceed as normal. It will absorb oil, scum and dirt.
This product is covered with a durable plastic fabric that can withstand chemicals such as chlorine in water.
The product itself does not contain chemicals.
Can be easily installed and replaced as needed.
Very cost-effective and will help you save on the cost of other detergent material.
2. Ahh-Some Pool & Hot Tub Filter Cleaner
This is right for you if you want something that helps you easily clean your filter cartridge without harsh chemicals.
This simple cleaner can be mixed with water in a large bucket to create the perfect cleaning solution for your tub and filter cartridge.
It can be used on all types of filters from polyester to paper and ceramics. 
Best of all, there is enough in this pack of powdered cleansers to clean your hot tub filter two or three times before you need to replace it.
The Bad
For only two or three applications, this may be a more expensive product than some of the others listed here.
This cleaner works best when used in conjunction with a complete hot tub cleanser.
It is known that the cleaner has a strong chemical odor that may be too strong for some users.
The Good
This cleaner only needs 15 minutes to complete its job and is much faster than many other solutions available.
It is also designed to prevent your filter cartridge from getting damaged especially if they are used a lot.
This cleaner can even be used on swimming pool sand filters if you follow the instructions carefully.
3. Oh Yuk Healthy Whirlpool Cleaner
This is one of the best and most affordable cleaners available on the market today.
This cleaner is intended for use throughout your hot tub. This means you can use it on any surface of your bathtub and even use it for some types of filters. But be sure to read the instructions on the bottle to make sure you can use it on your specific brand of filter.
The Bad
It is not specifically for your filter, mainly the Jacuzzi bath tub itself.
This is a harder chemical than many of the others listed here.
The Good
Not intended for filters but can work for certain brands (read instructions).
Easy to use on almost any surface of your hot tub.
It is designed to reduce the risk of dirt in your hot tub and solve existing problems.
Presents a formula of low foam formation that does not obstruct the nozzles or the pipes.
4. Ahh-A bathtub Jet Cleaner / Whirlpool Jet
It is a great solution for those who want to clean their hot tub with a high quality liquid solution. This product can be used in a hot tub or in a jet bath. But it is not designed to be used for your swimming pool.
It is slightly more expensive than the other items on this list but this is the price you pay for something that is fast acting. One round of cleaning should be enough. 
Use it with a dedicated filter cartridge cleaner during your routine hot tub deep clean for the best results.
The Bad
This is an expensive product that could go over the budget of some hot tub owners.
Doesn’t work well with hard water.
The chemical smell of this product can be too strong for some people.
The Good
Includes enough solution to clean your entire hot tub system nine times.
It can safely de-contaminate any virus or bacteria issue you might have.
Works on the nozzles, pipes and pipes for a deep clean.
5. AquaFinesse Hot Tub Water Care Kit
Get a box of this AquaFinesse Hot Tub water care kit to get everything you need to start cleaning and disinfecting your hot tub water immediately. This kit comes with a cleaning solution, disinfectant and a measuring cup for more efficient use.
It only takes a minute a week to perform this water treatment in your hot tub, but you will immediately notice a big difference in cleanliness.
Keep in mind that this product can not be used with a swimming pool and is formulated only for use in the hot tub.
The Bad
Less affordable product in general than many other cleaning products on the market today.
The Good
This product will not leave a strong chemical odor after you have used it.
It will not leave any chemicals in your water that could damage your skin.
This care kit does all the work for you and will only take a minute of your time.
The kit includes everything you need to get started straight away.
Has the right balance of strength to deal with bacteria and dirt but without aggressive chemicals.
6. Aqua Finesse Filter Cleaner
These come in small pre-packaged tablets which makes it easy to get the right portion size.
They are specifically designed for use with your hot tub filter. Apart from being easy to use they are very affordable especially when compared to the other items listed in this article.
These tablets do not contain aggressive chemicals, so you don’t have to worry about damaging your filter cartridge or other parts of the hot tub.
The Bad
In some hot tubs, you may have to break the tablets in half before placing them in the water to properly dissolve them.
These tablets should be used in conjunction with other filter cleaners for maximum effectiveness.
Some very dirty filter cartridges will need to be soaked more than once.
The Good
This economic tablet pack promises to keep your water clean for months.
Each tablet is individually packaged so you can open it and insert it easily without touching it.
These tablets can be used with any type of hot tub filter.
They do not contain aggressive chemicals.
7. Sparoma Citrus Spa Treatment
This is a spa treatment “package” that promises to improve the quality and smell of your hot tub water. Each package comes with three capsules so you can enjoy aromatherapy in your hot tub every time you’re in the mood. Apart from making your hot tub smell good, it can also help improve the general hygiene of your hot tub’s water. This is especially the case if you use your tub a lot. Reduce the amount of cleaning you need for your filter by performing this treatment regularly.
The Bad
This product should be used with other filter cleaners for optimum effectiveness.
It may not work with certain types of filters such as sand filters.
The Good
Smells good and can be used for aromatherapy.
You can get more than one use out of it, so it can be cost effective in the long run.
Available in many different scents so you can choose the smell that you like the most.
The Best Hot Tub Filter Cleaning Products
It is possible to find the perfect hot tub cleaning product that will cover any type of cleaning that you need.
Whether you are looking for something that will help you improve the overall quality or specifically clean the nozzles there is a perfect product for you.
Keep in mind that you can avoid the hot tub filter cleaning products mentioned in this article and just use regular soap and water.
However, sometimes washing up liquid is not alway strong enough to deal with some bacteria and viruses.
It’s also a good idea to get products that specifically clean certain aspects of the hot tub. This means that you know it will work well for what you need it to do.
Learning to clean the hot tub and filter cartridges yourself means you can save money on paying a cleaner.
Best of all, taking care of this is a great way to make sure your hot tub is to your standard of cleanliness.
So, get the cleaning products you need and get started today.
Happy scrubbing!
