Hot tub maintenance checklist
Quick answer
Keeping a hot tub is a small, steady rhythm, not a big job: test and sanitize a couple of times a week, clean the filter monthly, and change the water every three to four months. Do those three things on time and the water mostly takes care of itself. The checklist below is the whole routine in order.
Almost every hot tub problem, cloudy water, foam, itchy skin, a creeping power bill, traces back to a step on this list that slipped. None of it is hard; it just has to happen on a schedule.
After every soak
- Put the cover back on, snug and latched, so heat stays in and debris stays out.
- Rinse off before the next soak, and ask guests to as well. Lotions, deodorant, and detergent in swimsuits are what cause foam and cloudy water.
- Glance at the water. If it looks hazy or smells off, test before the next use.
Twice a week (or before each use)
- Test the water with strips or a kit: pH, total alkalinity, and sanitizer.
- Balance it in order: alkalinity to 80 to 120 ppm, then pH to 7.2 to 7.8, then sanitizer (chlorine 3 to 5 ppm, or bromine 4 to 6 ppm). The dosing calculator sizes each dose for your gallons.
- Top up sanitizer to target so there is always a residual protecting the water.
- Wipe the waterline with a soft cloth to stop a scum ring forming.
Weekly to monthly
- Shock the water after heavy use or weekly, to burn off the oils and contaminants sanitizer alone leaves behind. Size the shock for your tub.
- Rinse the filter under a hose every week or two, spreading the pleats to flush trapped grime.
- Soak the filter in a cartridge cleaner monthly to strip body oils and scale a rinse leaves behind. A spare cartridge lets you swap and soak with no downtime. See cleaning the filter.
- Check calcium hardness monthly if your water is soft; low calcium makes water foam and corrode.
Every three to four months: change the water
- Drain and refill. Water wears out as stabilizer and dissolved solids build up; no amount of chemistry fixes tired water. The bather rule sets your exact interval, and drain and refill walks through it.
- Clean the shell and the cover, and deep-clean or replace the filter while it is out.
- Rebalance the fresh fill: alkalinity, then pH, then sanitizer.
As needed
- Cloudy water: test and balance, clean the filter, shock, add a clarifier.
- Foam: a defoamer knocks it down now; shock, clean the filter, and refresh old water for the real fix.
- Condition the cover a few times a year so the vinyl does not dry out and soak up water.
- Before winter, decide whether to keep it running or winterize.
What you need on hand
Test strips, a sanitizer, the pH and alkalinity adjusters, shock, and a filter cleaner cover almost everything on this list. A starter kit bundles the chemicals for a fresh fill.
Get hot tub test strips Get spa chemical starter kit
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Common questions
How often should I test my hot tub water?
A couple of times a week, and before each soak if you use it less often. Sanitizer is used up over time and by bathers, so a quick strip test tells you whether to top it up before you get in.
What is the most-skipped maintenance step?
Cleaning the filter. A rinse every week or two plus a monthly chemical soak prevents most cloudy-water problems and takes strain off the pump. A clogged filter is the single most common cause of a hot tub call.
Can I leave a hot tub for two weeks while away?
Yes, if you balance and shock it before you go, make sure the sanitizer level is solid, and leave it running and covered. Turning it down a few degrees saves energy without risking a freeze. Test and rebalance when you get back.