Beginners Guide to Hot Tub Maintenance: Your First Four Weeks
Fill, balance, then test, rinse and wipe.
That is the whole routine for your first four weeks. Test the water before you soak, rinse the filter every one to two weeks, wipe the waterline weekly and give the filter a deep clean at the end of the month.1
Your first four weeks at a glance
Most of the work happens on day one.
After that it is a few small jobs on a steady rhythm, and a longer clean once a month. Find the week you are in and tick off its row.
| Job | Set-up | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill and start up | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Test the water | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wipe the waterline | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rinse the filter | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Deep-clean the filter | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Wash the cover | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Note the refill date | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Set-up day: fill, start up and balance
Follow this order the first time. Your own manual has the details for your model.
Jacuzzi® Hot Tub Chlorine Starter Kit£29.99
One box holds 500g of pH minus, 500g of pH plus, 500ml of antifoam, 500g of chlorine concentrate granules, water test strips and a chemicals guide, which covers everything on this page's set-up list.
Hot Tub Pre-Filter with Hoselock Connection£7.99
It clips onto a standard hose and filters scale, rust and grit out of the water as you fill. One pre-filter suits 4 to 6 fills of an average 1,500 litre tub.
Clear the tub and fill it
Take out any debris, then fill with a hose until the water covers the jets without touching the lowest headrest.2 A pre-filter on the hose keeps scale and grit out of fresh water.
Switch on the power
Turn the tub on at its breaker and let it run through its start-up sequence. If your tub has not yet been wired in, our hot tub electrical installation guide covers what an electrician needs.
Prime the pumps
Turn on each jet pump and the blower so air clears from the pipework.3
Add your start-up chemicals
Add the start-up chemicals your manual lists, then wait for a steady sanitiser reading.3
Set the temperature and cover it
Set the temperature you want (our temperature guide has the range) and put the cover on. A cover left in place when nobody is soaking keeps heat in.3
Rest it, then retest
Leave the tub undisturbed for 8 hours, then retest the water before your first soak.3
Week 1
Due: test before each soak, wipe the waterline
Test the water before every soak
A test strip tells you what the water needs before you get in. Dip it, wait a few seconds and read it against the colour chart. Test before each soak and at least once a week.1
is the pH to aim for. Manufacturers also give total alkalinity of 100 to 150 ppm and calcium hardness of 150 to 250 ppm.23
Sanitiser level
A tub without a CLEARRAY system holds 3.0 to 4.0 ppm of free chlorine, or 2.0 to 4.0 ppm of free bromine.23 Your manual lists the figure for your model.
Wipe the waterline
Once a week, wipe the waterline and seat edges with white vinegar diluted one part to four of water. It lifts the oily film before it builds up.1
Keep the routine hygienic
The HSE's spa-pool guidance centres on keeping the system clean and disinfected, which is what this weekly rhythm does.4 If the water ever turns cloudy or foamy, our guide to cloudy, foamy and green water walks through the fix.
Jacuzzi® Hot Tub Chlorine Test Strips - Pack of 50£7.49
Each strip reads chlorine, pH and total alkalinity in about 15 seconds, so a pack covers your first month of tests before every soak.
Week 2
Due: test, wipe the waterline, rinse the filter
Rinse the filter and wipe the waterline
Keep testing before each soak. This week adds one new job: the filter.
Rinse the filter
Take the cartridge out and rinse it with a hose, working from top to bottom between the pleats. Rinse every one to two weeks.1 Rinsing takes a couple of minutes and keeps water flowing freely, which also helps avoid the flow errors in our flow error guide.
Wipe the waterline
Same weekly wipe as last week. A soft cloth and the diluted vinegar are all you need.1
Week 3
Due: test, wipe the waterline
Keep the rhythm going
This is the quiet week, and the one that builds the habit. Test before you soak, wipe the waterline and keep the cover on between soaks.3
Hose off the cover
Leaves and grit sit on the cover between soaks. Hose them off regularly so they do not end up in the water when you lift it.1
After a busy weekend
If the water looks a little dull after several soaks, a dose of shock treatment helps. For a fuller list of faults and fixes, see our common hot tub problems and solutions.
AquaSPArkle Spa Fusion Oxidiser Hot Tub Chlorine Shock Aqua Sachet 35g£2.99
One sachet treats up to 1,500 litres, and it helps clear dull water after a busy weekend of soaking.
Week 4
Due: test, wipe, rinse, deep clean, wash the cover
Deep-clean the filter and wash the cover
Once a month the filter and the cover get a proper clean, and you can put the refill date in your diary.
Deep-clean the filter
Soak the cartridge in a filter cleaner solution, rinse it thoroughly and let it air-dry before it goes back in.1 Cartridges are replaced on a longer cycle that your manual sets, from every 6 to every 18 months.23 Our hot tub filters collection has replacements.
Wash the cover
Use mild soap and a soft-bristle brush. Keep solvents, abrasive cleaners, silicone and alcohol products away from the cover.2
AquaSPArkle Immerse Hot Tub Filter Cartridge Cleaner Aqua Sachet£3.99
Dissolve the sachet in a bucket of clean water, soak the filter overnight and rinse. It is made for a clean every 4 to 6 weeks, so it suits the end of your first month.
After week four
From here the pattern repeats. Test before each soak, wipe weekly, rinse every one to two weeks and deep-clean monthly. When the refill date arrives, drain, clean and refill. Once a year, run a pipe cleaner through the plumbing before you refill.1 A starter kit restocks your chemicals, and chlorine granules and tablets keep the sanitiser topped up.
Quick answers
Open a question to read the answer.
What should I do first with a new hot tub?
Clear out any debris, fill the tub with a hose until the water covers the jets, switch on the power and run the pumps. Then add your start-up chemicals, wait for a steady sanitiser reading, set the temperature and put the cover on.
How long should I wait before using a new hot tub?
Some manuals ask you to leave the tub undisturbed for about 8 hours once the sanitiser reading is steady, then retest before your first soak. Your own manual gives the time for your model.
What pH should a new hot tub be?
Between 7.4 and 7.6, with total alkalinity of 100 to 150 ppm. Your manual has the exact figures for your model.
How often should I test hot tub water?
Before each soak, and at least once a week. A test strip takes a few seconds and tells you if pH, alkalinity or sanitiser need a nudge.
How often should I clean a hot tub filter?
Rinse it with a hose every one to two weeks, working between the pleats from top to bottom. Once a month, soak it overnight in filter cleaner, rinse it and let it air-dry before it goes back in.
How often should I change the water in a hot tub?
Most manuals suggest every three to six months. If you soak two to four times a week, every three to four months works well.
Paul Margerison
Managing Director & Founder, Outdoor Living
A new hot tub rewards a good start. This four-week routine turns the first month into a simple habit, so the water stays ready for you.