The ideal spa features water that isn’t just warm and bubbling, but that’s also clean, clear, soft and fresh too. Often your hot tub water will seem perfect… until you get in and sense grit sitting between you and the shell. It’s an uncomfortable feeling, and one that will have you wondering how to clean dirt from the bottom of a hot tub.
There are a few ways to get dirt, sand, calcium and other grit out of your hot tub. You can suction it up with a turkey baster, a pool noodle water squirter, or a purpose-built tool like a hot tub vacuum. You can pick it up with waterproof putty. In cases where there’s a lot of grit, you can drain, clean and refill your spa.
In this guide we’ll take a closer look at how to clean the bottom of your swim spa or hot tub, what the grit might be, and how you can avoid this build-up in the first place.
What is the white powder in the bottom of my hot tub?
First things first: what is the grit that you can feel at the bottom of your hot tub?
The most common gritty intruders in your spa are the likes of sand, dirt and organic debris. These invaders can be brought in on your skin or the wind, and are to some degree inevitable (although there are a number of effective preventative measures you can take, which we’ll look at in a moment).
You may have noticed an odd looking sediment collecting at the bottom of your spa: not dirt or sand, but a white powder. This is limescale, which comes about as a result of ‘hard’ water – calcium-rich H2O that is common in certain areas of Australia. This limescale builds up on the interior surface of your spa shell. As people move around the spa it is dislodged and falls to the bottom.
If you’re unsure whether your issue is limescale or sand, pick up a bit of the sediment from the bottom of your spa, place it on a piece of paper towel, let it dry, then rub it between your fingers. Limescale will feel chalky, while the sand will feel, well, sandy.
How do you clean the bottom of a hot tub?
A question we often get asked at Hot Spring is how to clean a hot tub without draining it. There are a number of ways to remove sand and grit without removing all the water too, including:
1.With home remedies
You may have all the tools you need already sitting around your house. Depending on the severity of the problem, try getting rid of the grit using the following methods:
- A turkey baster: If you have a small, concentrated pile of sediment in your spa pool, you may be able to suck it up with a turkey baster. Draw the sediment in, then empty the baster into a bucket.
- A water cannon pool noodle: Another surprisingly effective method is by suctioning the grit up using one of those pool noodles that squirts water, again emptying the contents into a bucket.
- Waterproof putty: This can be quite a hands-on method, but might feel like a game to your kids, so you may be able to get their help! The system is simple: grab some waterproof putty and dab it around the bottom of your hot tub to pick up the grit.
2. With a hot tub vacuum
If you have a significant amount of dirt, sand and grit in your spa, or if you just can’t seem to stop the grit from building up, it may be worth investing in a hot tub vacuum. These tools are purpose-built for this exact job and offer the fastest and easiest way to clear your spa of debris. There’s also no need to jump in, as you can also operate hot tub vacuums from the side of your spa.
3.Draining and cleaning
Our final method is the most dramatic, but given you should regularly drain and refill your spa anyway, this might be an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
You can check out our complete guide to draining and cleaning your hot tub here, but in short, you can drain your spa with either a garden hose or a submersible pump. If your water doesn’t need to be completely drained just yet, you can attempt to suction up the grit using the hose or pump, though this method does waste a lot of water, and a hot tub vacuum is a better option.
How to avoid dirt and sand getting in your hot tub
Prevention is always better than cure. So how do you stop sand, dirt, calcium and grit entering your spa in the first place?
- Replace your cover: Always ensure the cover is put back on your hot tub whenever it’s not in use, as this ensures unwanted dirt and debris is kept out.
- Rinse before a soak: Have a quick shower before you jump in your spa to ensure that you don’t carry any grit or contaminants in. Even a quick rinse of your feet can make a big difference to the amount of grit that accumulates in your spa.
- Maintain your filters: The filters are your spa’s best defence against all forms of water contaminants, so be sure to clean them regularly and replace them when necessary.
- Use a scale control product: If the issue is limescale resulting from hard, calcium-rich water, consider adding a scale control product to your water.
At Hot Spring we deliver an unmatched soak
At Hot Spring we’re proud to have offered Aussies the world’s most beautiful, comfortable, innovative and popular spas for over four decades. Over that time we’ve earned our reputation for crafting quality spas that are built to last – we’re the only spa brand in Australia to offer a 20-year guarantee on the supply of spare parts.
No matter what your hot tub needs and wants, or what support you might need as a hot tub owner, you can trust our dedicated network of Hot Spring dealers to offer the help and advice you need to enjoy the finest hot tub experience possible.
Ready to feel the Hot Spring difference? Book in your test soak today!
