When Do I Clean & Replace My Hot Tub Filter?

There’s nothing like a calming soak in a hot tub after a long day, but finding sticks, clumps of dirt, and other unwelcome items in the water can easily spoil your good time.

If you don’t clean and inspect your hot tub’s filter regularly, it’s only a matter of time until something like that happens to you. Keep reading to find out when you should clean your filter, how you should do that, and when it might be time to purchase a new filter altogether.

When It’s Time for a Cleaning

Your hot tub filters remove most of the contaminants from the tub’s water on a regular basis, but those contaminants don’t just disappear. The hair, skin oils, leaves, and other undesirable things that the filter removes remain trapped in the filter’s media (the pleated paper or fabric folds inside the casing). You might also find calcified mineral build-up here.

Getting rid of this debris is as easy as rinsing your filter out under your hose – using soap is not recommended because it is difficult to make sure you’ve rinsed it all out. If you miss any, you may accidentally cause your hot tub’s water to become uncontrollably foamy.

How often you will need to do a basic cleaning like this depends on how often your hot tub is used. If you use it every day, you’ll want to clean it frequently – every other week, or sometimes even less. If you only use it occasionally, you may be able to wait a month or more before cleaning becomes necessary.

When It’s Time for a Deep Cleaning

After 3 to 4 months have passed, your hot tub filters will need a deep cleaning. Be sure to invest in specialized filter cleaning solution for this task; it is imperative that you remove all traces of mineral deposits and other contaminants so they do not get the chance to degrade your filter cartridge over time.

Your filter should sit submerged in cleaning solution for 3 to 4 hours to give the solution time to break down the dirt and other particles. When you remove it, run it under some water again to remove any last traces of contaminants.

When It’s Time for a Replacement

Cleaning your hot tub filter will definitely extend its life, but it still won’t last forever. At some point, you will need to invest in a replacement filters.

If you notice that your filter is turning yellow or green despite your best attempts at cleaning it, it is almost certainly too old to function well and should be replaced. Look out for any tears or warping in this area too; these problems make it impossible for the filter to work effectively. If you see them, you should change the cartridge right away.

Small cracks along the edges of the plastic core or end caps are another worrisome sign that a filter won’t last too much longer, but these may not be immediately visible with just a quick visual inspection. Be sure to give your cartridges a thorough examination every once in a while to catch subtle problems like this.

Never Forget the Filter

Your hot tub cannot function properly without a clean, intact filter to keep its water pure. Clean your filter regularly, and be sure to swap it out for a new one when the situation calls for it. If you’re diligent about taking care of this critical part, your entire tub could last significantly longer.