Your spa filter(s) play one of the most critical roles in keeping your water clean. Regularly cleaning your filters is vital to keeping your hot tub clean. This article will explain why cleaning and maintaining your filters is necessary, what sort of routine you should use, how to clean them, and when to replace them.
The importance of clean filters
Each time someone enters your hot tub, they bring some form of contaminants like body oils and sweat, hygiene products like lotions and shampoo, hair products (and hair), or makeup. Although showering before using your hot tub can help remove some of these, it's impossible to remove them all - this is where your spa filter(s) comes in - it works to remove these types of contaminants from the water and larger debris that may enter your hot tub.
Over time your filter will capture these contaminants and become clogged or dirty, at which point it needs to be cleaned. A dirty filter can't capture new contaminants, resulting in dirty water and more stress on your pumps, and if left untreated can cause problems with your water hot tub's plumbing.
An effective filter-cleaning routine
You'd be surprised how quickly filters accumulate contaminants and debris over time. Most spa owners find rinsing their filters 1-4 times per month, plus a deep clean every 2-4 months offers the best results. However, the amount of cleaning your filters require will depend on several factors, such as:
- How often your hot tub gets used
- The quality of your filters
- The age of your hot tub and filters
- How clean the water is
- Environment and weather
The best way to know how often you should rinse your filter(s) is by initially checking and rinsing them weekly. If your filter(s) and water is looking pretty clean after a week, try every two and then a month. There is no harm in rinsing your filters, so rinse them as often as you'd like.
Filters should be deep cleaned every 2-4 months by soaking them in a filter cleaning solution like Jacuzzi Cartridge Cleaner. Optionally, you can use a spray filter cleaner like the Aqua Magic Cartridge Cleaner, which can help provide a better clean than a rinse, and often prolong the deep soak to closer to the 4-month mark. Similar to rinsing, how often you'll need to do a deep cleaning depends on the above factors, so adjust accordingly.
How to deep clean your filter(s)
What you'll need:
- Filter cartridge cleaner
- Replacement depth filter (depending on your hot tub) as they cannot be cleaned
- Garden hose
- Bucket(s)
- Filter Flosser (optional, but highly recommended)
Steps:
- Turn off the power to your hot tub.
- Remove the filter cover (see your owner's manual for specific instructions).
- Unscrew and take out the filter(s). Some filters do not unscrew and are pulled out.
- Empty and rinse your debris bag if your hot tub has one (available on some Jacuzzi models).
- Rinse the filter(s). Connecting a Filter Flosser to your garden hose makes this easier.
- Fill your bucket(s) with water.
- If you're using Jacuzzi Cartridge Cleaner, add 1 litre per 20 litres of water in your buckets (1 quart of cleaner per 5 gallons of water); a ratio of 1 part filter cleaner to 20 parts water.
- Soak your filter(s) in the filter solution for 30-60 minutes.
- Rinse all excess filter cleaner off the filter(s).
- Reinstall your filter(s) and filter cover.
- Turn the power back on to your hot tub.
When to replace your filter(s)
Regular hot tub filters should be replaced every 8-12 months, depending on use and cleaning habits; depth filters cannot be cleaned and should be replaced every 3.
Conclusion
A good filter cleaning routine will help prolong the life of your filters, reduce wear on spa components, and help keep your water clear and clean. Rinse your filters 1-4 times per month, depending on the usage of your spa; doing it more often can only help. Give your filters a deep clean in cartridge cleaner every 2-4 months, and replace them every 8-12; if your spa has a depth filter, it will need to be replaced every 3.
Unsure what filter(s) you need? Check out our filter finder.