To fully enjoy time in your spa, it's important to keep everything squeaky clean. While quick maintenance and proper water care can take you a long way, sometimes your spa will require a deep clean.
Luckily, it’s a simple process to drain and clean your tub, just follow these easy steps!
Step 1: Unplug & drain
If your tub is running on 110v, meaning it is just plugged into a standard wall outlet, make sure to unplug before doing any sort of draining or maintenance.
If you have your spa is a 220v configuration, make sure the breaker is switched OFF before beginning to drain and clean.
Then, locate the convenient drain at the bottom of your tub, on the control panel side. You can pull the drain pipe out a few inches for easier access, just give it a gentle tug. Unscrew the drain cap and either let the water flow out, or you can attach a disconnected garden hose to route the water elsewhere.
If you let the water flow out of just the short drain, be sure that all of the water is draining away from the tub and not pooling anywhere around where it could cause damage to the spa, steps, cover lifter, electrical compartment, or electrical cord.
You can also use a submersible pump for faster and more controlled drain time.
There will be a few inches of water that do not fully drain. Use a wet vac, cups, buckets, or towels to clear it out and make sure all water is gone.
Step 2: Rinse or replace filter
To remove the filter, first locate the filter compartment. It’s the floating basket that sucks in water to be filtered. Since your tub will be drained at this point, it will be laying flat. Simply unscrew the whole component to see the filter below.
Then, unscrew the filter itself and assess its condition.
If it has been over 6 months of regular use, and/or you are having problems with jet performance or keeping the water clear, it may be time to replace the filter.
Otherwise, just rinse the filter with a hose, making sure to get in-between all the pleats. You may even soak your filter in diluted bleach or vinegar to ensure sanitization, just make sure to thoroughly rinse after.
Once clean, reassemble the filter compartment.
Step 3: Wipe down
Using a mild, diluted cleaning solution or simply soap and water, wipe down the whole spa with a soft cloth or towel, inside and out. This is a good time to wipe down the entire cover as well, using only soap and water.
Rinse and wipe the inside of the spa well so no solutions or soap are left over when you refill with water.
Step 4: Refill & balance water
Tip: While your spa is empty, before refilling, now is the time to move/readjust your spa or install a cover lifter!
Now that the spa is drained, the filter is rinsed or replaced, and the inside and outside are wiped down, it’s ready to refill!
IMPORTANT: Refill your spa by placing your garden hose into the filter compartment. This primes the jets to ensure there is little to no air in the lines. You may see an error message “FLO” after refilling if there is air in the lines. More about that in step 5.
Balance your water according to your chemicals’ packaging directions.
Step 5: Plug back in
After ensuring the water is filled at least a few inches above the highest jet and the filter compartment is put together & secure, plug your spa back in (110v) or turn the breaker on (220v.) Your spa will continue to operate with the same setting(s) it was on before unplugging, so it will automatically start reheating and running its filter cycle.
“FLO” error code: If this happens after plugging your spa back in, first make sure the jet pump is running and water is flowing. Ensure water level is at least a few inches above the highest jet and try turning the jets on and off a few times. Run the hose water through the filter compartment again for a minute. If the problem persists, contact our Customer team at 888-961-7727 or ahsservice@watkinsmfg.com.
And that's all! Your spa’s deep cleaning is complete and ready for more peaceful soaks.
The water should be fully heated in 24-48 hours (110v), or 12-24 hours (220v) depending on the temperature of your hose water and temperature of the air.
OWNERS: For more hot tub tips & maintenance information, bookmark the Owner’s Corner in your web browser.