The Ultimate Guide: How to Clean Your Inflatable Hot Tub Like a Pro (2025 Edition)
There’s nothing quite like sinking into the warm, bubbling water of your own inflatable hot tub. It’s your personal oasis for relaxation and stress relief. But that crystal-clear paradise can quickly turn into a cloudy, slimy, or smelly swamp if not cared for properly. The secret to long-lasting hot tub happiness isn’t just about the initial setup; it’s about a simple, consistent cleaning routine.
Here at Hot Tub Bro, we’ve spent years maintaining all kinds of portable spas, from the rugged Coleman SaluSpa to various Intex models. We’ve seen the good, the bad, and the very, very green. This guide is the culmination of all that hands-on experience. We’re going to walk you through everything—from 5-minute daily tasks to a full quarterly deep clean—so you can keep your spa sparkling, safe, and ready for you to enjoy at a moment’s notice.
The Quick Cleaning Checklist
Don’t have time for the full deep dive right now? Here’s the TL;DR version of a solid cleaning routine:
- After Each Use: Add a small dose of sanitizer.
- A Few Times a Week: Test the water and balance chemicals. Rinse the filter cartridge with a hose.
- Weekly: Shock the water to eliminate contaminants. Wipe down the waterline.
- Every 1-3 Months: Drain the tub completely, scrub the interior, deep clean the filter, and refill with fresh water.
Part 1: The “Why” – Understanding Hot Tub Grime
Before we get into the “how,” it’s crucial to understand the “why.” Your hot tub is a warm, wet environment—the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and other unwanted guests. The main culprits making your spa dirty are:
- Bathers: We bring in sweat, body oils, lotions, hair products, and dead skin cells. An adult can introduce billions of bacteria into the water in a single soak.
- Environment: Leaves, pollen, dust, and insects can all find their way into your tub.
- Biofilm: This is the enemy. Biofilm is a slimy, protective layer of bacteria that can form in your spa’s plumbing lines. It’s resistant to sanitizers and is the primary source of persistent water quality issues.
Proper cleaning isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about health. A poorly maintained tub can lead to skin rashes (hot tub folliculitis) and other infections. It can also damage the most expensive part of your spa: the pump and heater. A little bit of consistent effort goes a long way in protecting both your health and your investment.
Part 2: Your Essential Cleaning & Maintenance Toolkit
Having the right tools makes any job easier. You don’t need a professional-grade setup, but a few key items are non-negotiable for keeping your hot tub in pristine condition. Here is our recommended “must-have” kit, with links to our top picks on Amazon.
5-in-1 Test Strips
The foundation of water care. These instantly read your sanitizer, pH, alkalinity, and hardness levels.
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Spa Sanitizer
Your choice of chlorine or bromine granules/tablets to kill bacteria and keep the water safe.
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Balancing Chemicals
pH Increaser, pH Decreaser, and Alkalinity Increaser. Essential for water comfort and sanitizer effectiveness.
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Spa Shock
A non-chlorine or dichlor shock to oxidize contaminants, remove odors, and reactivate sanitizer.
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Scum Absorber
A simple sponge that floats in the water and absorbs oils and lotions, preventing waterline scum.
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Filter Flosser/Wand
A high-pressure nozzle for your garden hose that gets deep between filter pleats for a thorough rinse.
See on AmazonPart 3: The Ultimate Cleaning Routine (Daily, Weekly, Quarterly)
Consistency is key. Instead of one massive, overwhelming cleaning day, we break it down into manageable chunks. This routine is the cornerstone of our general guide to inflatable hot tub maintenance.
The 5-Minute Tidy
These quick tasks prevent small issues from becoming big problems.
- Skim the Surface: Use a small skimmer net to remove any leaves, bugs, or floating debris.
- Wipe the Waterline: Use a soft cloth or a specialized spa sponge to wipe away any oils that have collected at the water’s edge. This prevents stubborn scum rings from forming.
- Dose After Soaking: After you get out of the tub, add a small, recommended dose of your sanitizer (about a teaspoon of chlorine granules). This replenishes the sanitizer that was used up during your soak.
The 20-Minute Refresh
This is your main event for water care. Pick a day and make it your “tub day.”
- Test and Balance: This is step one, always. Dip a test strip, compare it to the chart, and adjust your chemicals accordingly. Aim for these ranges:
- Chlorine: 1-3 ppm
- pH: 7.4 – 7.6
- Total Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm
- Clean the Filter: This is the most important weekly task. A dirty filter can’t keep your water clean.
- Turn off the pump completely.
- Unscrew the filter housing inside your tub.
- Remove the filter cartridge.
- Using a garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle (like a filter flosser), thoroughly rinse the filter, working from top to bottom and getting between each pleat.
- Screw the clean filter back in and turn the pump back on.
- Shock the Water: “Shocking” means adding a large dose of an oxidizer to break down oils, lotions, and other organic waste. With the jets running, add the recommended dose of a non-chlorine shock. Leave the cover off for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Wipe Down the Cover: Wipe the inside and outside of your hot tub cover with a mild cleaner or a vinegar-water solution to prevent mildew growth.
The Great Reset: Full Drain & Deep Clean
No matter how well you care for your water, eventually, it gets saturated with dissolved solids and becomes hard to manage. A full drain and refill is the ultimate refresh. This process is very similar to a new inflatable hot tub setup, but with a cleaning focus.
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1
Purge the Pipes (Optional but Recommended)
Before you drain, add a dose of a spa pipe cleaner product to the old water. Run the jets for the recommended time (usually 20-30 minutes). This will dislodge all the hidden biofilm and gunk from the plumbing. You might be shocked (and disgusted) by what comes out!
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2
Drain the Tub
Turn off and unplug the pump. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve and let gravity do the work. To speed things up, you can use a submersible sump pump. As the water level drops, use a soft cloth to guide debris towards the drain.
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3
Scrub the Interior Shell
With the tub empty, it’s time to scrub. Use a non-abrasive sponge or cloth. For a cleaning solution, you can use a simple 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar, a paste of baking soda and water for stubborn spots, or a specialized inflatable hot tub surface cleaner. Rinse thoroughly with your hose when you’re done.
Warning: Cleaners to Avoid
NEVER use abrasive cleaners like Comet, bleach-based products, or harsh household detergents on your inflatable tub’s vinyl liner. They can damage, discolor, and weaken the material.
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4
Deep Clean the Filter & Pump
While the tub is empty, give your filter a chemical bath. Soak it for several hours in a bucket with a filter cleaner solution. This will break down oils and minerals that rinsing can’t remove. Also, take a moment to wipe down the pump unit and check that all connections are secure—a common issue we cover in our Intex PureSpa troubleshooting guide.
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5
Refill & Rebalance
Once clean, close the drain valve and refill the tub with fresh water. If your tap water has a lot of metals or minerals, consider using a hose-end filter. Once full, turn the pump on, start the heater, and begin balancing your water chemistry from scratch. It’s ready to enjoy once it reaches your desired temperature!
Part 4: Troubleshooting Common Water Problems
Even with a great routine, issues can pop up. Here’s how to diagnose and fix the most common problems.
Problem: Cloudy or Milky Water
Common Causes: Dirty filter, high pH or alkalinity, not enough sanitizer, or an excess of contaminants.
The Fix:
- Start by cleaning your filter thoroughly.
- Test and balance your pH and alkalinity.
- Shock the water with a non-chlorine shock.
- If it’s still cloudy, your Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) might be too high. It’s time for a full drain and refill.
Problem: Excessive Foam or Bubbles
Common Causes: Soaps, detergents, lotions, or hair products introduced by bathers. Very low calcium hardness can also contribute.
The Fix:
- Use a small amount of a “Foam Down” product for a quick fix.
- For a long-term solution, shock the water to break down the organic contaminants.
- If the problem persists, it’s a sign that the water is saturated with soap residue and needs to be drained and refilled.
Problem: Green Tint in the Water
Common Cause: Algae. This happens when sanitizer levels drop too low for too long, especially in sunlight.
The Fix:
- Manually remove as much algae as you can by scrubbing the walls.
- Clean your filter thoroughly to remove any algae spores.
- “Super-chlorinate” or “slam” the tub. This means shocking it with a large dose of chlorine shock to bring the level up to 10-20 ppm and holding it there until the water is clear.
- Run the filter continuously during this process. This may take a day or two.
Pro-Tips for a Cleaner, Happier Hot Tub
- The Shower Rule: The #1 way to keep your water clean longer is to have everyone take a quick rinse-off shower with no soap before getting in. This removes most of the lotions, deodorants, and oils that contaminate the water.
- Use a Foot Bath: Place a small tub of water next to your spa for people to rinse their feet before stepping in. This keeps grass, dirt, and sand out of your tub and filter.
- Love Your Cover: Keep your cover on and locked whenever the tub isn’t in use. This not only saves energy but also keeps out debris and sunlight (which degrades chlorine). This is especially important if you plan on using your tub in colder months, a topic we cover in our guide to the best inflatable hot tub for winter.
- Smaller Tubs, Bigger Impact: Remember that smaller tubs, like many popular 4-person inflatable hot tubs (including the compact Bestway SaluSpa Miami), have less water volume. This means that contaminants from one person have a much bigger impact on the water chemistry, making a consistent cleaning routine even more vital.
- Know Your Model: While these rules apply universally, it’s good to know your tub’s quirks. Our Intex vs. Coleman comparison highlights features like Intex’s hard water system that can make maintenance easier.
Final Thoughts: A Sparkling Reward
Cleaning your inflatable hot tub might seem like a complex chore, but it’s really just a series of simple, repeatable tasks. By investing just a few minutes each week, you ensure every soak is a safe, healthy, and blissful experience. You protect your investment, prevent frustrating problems, and keep your backyard oasis sparkling and ready for action.
Now that you’re an expert on maintenance, if you’re ever in the market for a new spa or an upgrade, be sure to check out our comprehensive review of the best inflatable hot tubs of 2025 to see the latest and greatest models available. Happy soaking!
