When you’ve had a long, hard day, there’s nothing better than relaxing and unwinding in a whirlpool tub. However, it isn’t such a pleasant experience if there are unpleasant black bits floating in your water, or an unappealing soap scum around the sides.
Knowing how to clean whirlpool tubs is pretty important if you’re going to invest in one, but luckily the process isn’t a complicated one. It’s possible to clean them with either commercially available products or common household items, so here we’ll look at both options in this insider’s step-by-step guide.
What Do I Need to Clean My Whirlpool Tub?
If you’d prefer to try cleaning your tub with household items first, here is a list of tools and equipment you’ll require:
- A measuring cup
- A bottle brush or toothbrush
- Microfiber cloths
- Sponge
- Bucket
- Baking soda
- Distilled white vinegar
- Automatic dishwashing detergent (liquid or powder)
- Chlorine bleach
Where Do I Start?
Before beginning to clean your whirlpool tub you should check your manufacturer’s manual for any recommendations that are specific to your model. The instructions may vary depending on the type of tub you have. For example, some brands say to close the air valve controls while others suggest leaving the valve controls open while cleaning.
Your Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide
Stage One – Initial Cleaning
- Wipe any visible debris or hair away from the inside and rim of your tub using a microfiber cloth or damp sponge.
- Fill up your tub with sufficient hot water to cover all the jets by around two inches.
- Add two tablespoons of liquid or powder dishwasher detergent to the water. Should you only have tablets for an automatic dishwasher, dissolve one in a large cup of boiling hot water before you add it to your tub. Don’t use dishwashing detergent designed for hand-washing your dishes since too many bubbles will be produced.
- Add ½ cup of chlorine bleach liquid or 2 cups of white distilled vinegar to the tub. Never combine chlorine bleach and vinegar as toxic chlorine gas fumes can result. Choose which one to use and don’t add the other.
- Unless it states in your user manual to leave the air valve controls open, turn the air-induction valves to the whirlpool jets off. This forces both the cleaning solution and water to only circulate through the tub’s internal plumbing for a deeper clean. Switch the jets onto a high setting for quarter of an hour. The debris will begin to wash into your tub from inside the internal plumbing.
- After 15 minutes has elapsed, switch the jets off.
- Drain the water from the tub.
Stage Two – The Second Round
- Use a microfiber cloth or sponge to wipe any debris away which is stuck to your tub.
- Fill up the tub once again with either cold or warm water to the level of a few inches above its jets.
- Again leaving open the tub’s air induction valves switch the jets onto a high setting allowing them to operate for 15 minutes more.
- Switch the jets off then drain out all the water from your tub.
Stage Three – A Final Clean
- Pour 1 cup of baking soda into a measuring cup of small bowl.
- Dip a bottle brush or old toothbrush into the dry powder baking soda.
- Using the brush, clean each jet’s interior surfaces.
- Open the air-intake control cover and scrub this area using damp baking soda.
- Wipe any residue away using a damp sponge.
- Rinse off the cover before replacing it.
- Sprinkle a little dried baking soda onto the tub’s interior. This gentle abrasive will cut easily through the grime and soap scum in the tub causing no damage to its finish.
- Use a microfiber cloth or damp sponge to clean the tub’s interior surfaces completely.
- Finally, once you’ve clean all of the surfaces of the tub thoroughly, rinse the baking soda powder away using a bucket of fresh water.
- Using a dry microfiber cloth, wipe the tub’s interior down to guard against water-spotting.
How to Clean Whirlpool Tubs With Biofilm Remover Products
If you’d rather use a commercial product to clean your tub rather than household staples, you will need a biofilm removing liquid. This can be purchased at any store selling hot tub and jacuzzi cleaning supplies and it can also be bought online.
Biofilm remover products have been specifically designed to clean all the grime and gunk that accumulates over time inside a whirlpool tub’s plumbing. Created by mold, mildew, bacteria and biological material build-up, biofilm can be removed easily by using one of these dedicated removal liquids instead of using bleach, vinegar or detergent to clean your tub.
Either method used on a regular basis will clean your whirlpool tub effectively as both can effectively clean inside the jets.
Follow this step-by-step guide to cleaning your tub with biofilm remover:
- Fill your tub up with hot water up to a level of 2 to 3 inches above its jets.
- Once the tub has reached this level, turn the water off. You must ensure the jets are entirely covered up with the water as, if the level is too low, the motor could get damaged and water could spray up into the air.
- Read the packaging on the biofilm removing product and add the amount specified on it to the tub’s water.
- Switch the jets onto their highest setting and this will begin circulating the cleaning product through the syste
- In half hour intervals, allow the tub to sit and run the jets alternately. Switch on the jets for half an hour, then switch the jets off, allowing the tub to sit for another half hour. Finally, switch on the jets once more for a last 30 minutes.
- Drain out the water from the tub so the plumbing can be cleaned out thoroughly.
- If you want to give your tub an extra thorough clean you can repeat the process.
- Using a sponge or clean cloth wipe any gunk away which remains on the tub’s surface after the water has been drained away.
- Use a bottle brush or toothbrush to clean anything away which is stuck around or inside the tub’s jets.
- Fill the tub back up with cold water, again to a level of 2 or 3 inches above its jets.
- Allow the jets to run for 15 minutes. This rinses any remaining gunk out of the plumbing system while also rinsing away any biofilm remover that remains.
- After 15 minutes, drain the water out of the tub completely.
- Wipe the surface of the tub thoroughly using a clean cloth or sponge.
How Often Should I Clean My Whirlpool Tub?
How often your whirlpool tub requires cleaning will depend on the frequency with which you use it. For example, if you only use yours occasionally, cleaning will only be necessary every 3 or 4 months. However, if you use yours on a regular basis, cleaning at least once monthly is essential.
Some tub manufacturers suggest that you give your tub’s jets a manual clean after every use to remove oils, soap scum and dead skin as well as other gunk which can build up in the system after use. No matter how frequently you use your tub, it’s best to use one of the cleaning processes outlined above around every five uses. This will keep it in good and hygienic working condition.
You should also only ever use low-foam bath salts and specialist whirlpool bath oil if you’re going to use products in your tub. This is because bubble bath additives and oil-based bath soap have foaming properties which intensify due to the whirlpool’s action, and the resulting residue may stick firmly to the tub’s internal pipework.
How Can I Keep My Whirlpool Tub Cleaner for Longer?
Although cleaning your whirlpool tub isn’t a difficult task, it can be quite a time-consuming one. Therefore, it isn’t too surprising that many people want to find ways to keep their tub cleaner for longer so they can reduce the frequency of deep cleans.
Here are a few expert tips to help you preserve your tub’s sparkling clean sheen:
- After cleaning the jets stick to a routine monthly regime of cleaning that will ensure they stay in good shape in the long-term.
- Don’t use any abrasive cleaning products on your tub. These could leave tiny scratches which could end up attracting dirt and grime and leaving the finish with a dull appearance.
- A dull finish can be easily restored by using automotive waxes designed for plastic on the tub’s walls. Never wax the tub’s floor though as this could cause a slipping hazard.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your whirlpool tub in top condition is key if you want to enjoy a relaxing spa bath when you need it most. If you follow the advice outlined above, you’ll know how to clean whirlpool tubs effectively and easily so it can stay hygienic and ready for use all year long.