August 15th, 2023 by Shauna Hammond

After a long day, there is no better way to unwind than relaxing in a nice hot bath add in some whirlpool jets and you’ve got your own at-home spa! However, taking care of your whirlpool bathtub does require a little more time and effort to ensure that not only does it continue to work its best but keeps bacteria at bay too! In this blog, we will look at the importance of taking care of your whirlpool tub and how best to clean and take care of it to ensure you make the most of it!  

What Are Whirlpool Tubs

For those that don’t own a whirlpool tub and are considering purchasing one let’s first take a look at what a whirlpool tub is and why they are a great investment. As mentioned above whirlpool spas do require more care and attention than your regular bathtub would so this can be off-putting however the benefits far out weight the extra effort!

A whirlpool bathtub not only offers a great way to relax and relieve stress after a long day, which in turn can also help to improve your sleep pattern. A whirlpool bathtub can also help with both muscle recovery and improved circulation as the massaging effect of the jets of water on your body help to improve blood flow improving circulation and helping to speed up healing. So, as you can see those who work out, suffer from fatigue, poor circulation, or arthritis or just enjoy relaxing then a whirlpool tub could be a fantastic investment.

Why Cleaning Is Important

A whirlpool bath gives you all the benefits of a spa in the comfort of your home, and nothing beats spending time soaking in the water and relaxing your tense muscles. However, as you enjoy soaking in the tub the dirt, oil and sweat from your bodies ends up in our tub. With a normal bath regular scrubbing will remove this dirt and leave your bath like new, it is not that simple with whirlpool tubs. This is because whirlpool baths use jets that suck in water before applying pressure and releasing them, as the water is sucked inside the system so is the dirt and grime from the water, which means this also needs to be regularly cleaned which can be somewhat more difficult.

Not regularly cleaning your whirlpool tub can result in a whole host of problems for you and your bathtub. Perhaps the biggest problem this presents is the dirt and bacteria that gather in the jets – this is then circulated back into the water which can irritate allergies or cause rashes.

The second reason is that failing to clean your whirlpool tub correctly and consistently will lead to a breakdown of the integral components inside of the tub which can result in the jets losing pressure or stopping working completely.

How Often Should You Clean

So, as you can see it is incredibly important to keep your whirlpool tub clean in order to maintain proper function and to keep the water clean to avoid health issues for yourself too. The question is how often should you be cleaning your tub? The short answer is that you should be conducting a weekly clean on your tub using a non-abrasive cleaner, and you should also conduct a deep clean every three months using a specialised cleaning product. If your whirlpool tub uses a filtering system it is also important that you are also cleaning your filter weekly also and again using a specialised product to deep clean your filter month also.  

The Weekly Cleaning

The good news is that regular cleaning of your tub is incredibly easy and does not need to be time-consuming. You should start by filling your tub with enough warm water to cover the jets before adding in a gentle cleaner – try not to use anything abrasive such as bleach as this can cause damage to the jets, you can also use a solution of baking soda and white vinegar instead,  once the tub is filled enough turn the jets on and let them run for 15 – 30 minutes before draining, then use a small soft bristles brush to give the jets a gentle scrub, before then filling the tub with water once again, allow the jets to run for another 5-10 minutes drain and then finish cleaning your bath as normal!

The Deep Clean

Now when it comes to the deep cleaning portion of your tub care which as we mentioned above should ideally be done every 3 months, you will follow the same procedure as regular cleaning except this time you will use the addition of a cleaning product designed specifically for cleaning the internal pipes of your whirlpool, this is because even with regular cleaning dirt and bacteria can still build up and your regular cleaning product may not be enough to get rid of this build-up.

We would recommend using a product such as the Ultima Plus XP Whirlpool internal pipe cleaner, as this powerful product will easily break down the film that is often created by bacteria in our pipes that cause blockages, simply add around 500ml turn on your jets and let the product get to work. This product will also help to protect against the build-up of limescale which is also very important for those homes that have a hard water supply, as limescale deposits can not only affect the internal mechanism of the jets but can also cause blockage and deterioration in your pipes too.

Ultima Plus XP Internal Pipe Cleaner for Whirlpools and Jacuzzis 5L

Price: £15.98

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Filter Cleaning

Some whirlpool spas and bathtubs will also use a filtering system, this filter will grab dirt and debris from the water as it works through the system, this helps to keep your water nice and fresh in between cleans and during bathing. To ensure your filter is able to keep performing at its best then it is vital that you take the time to also clean your filters. These should be rinsed with warm water weekly, also use a soft-bristled brush to gently remove any trapped dust or dirt before placing them back into your tub. Then once a month you should leave your filter to soak overnight in a filter cleaning this will help to remove any bacteria build-up and keep your filters working their best for longer.

5L Cleenly Hot Tub and Spa Filter Cleaner

Price: £19.99

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Whirlpool bathtubs are a little slice of the spa in the comfort of your own home, they are a great way to relax and de-stress on top of offering a range of health benefits for those that suffer from stress, muscle and joint discomfort or those with poor circulation – however, if you want to keep your whirlpool in top working condition it is vital to follow a proper care routine, we hope that this blog gives you a better idea of what this entails and how best to take care of your whirlpool tub in order to keep it working for years to come.