Have you ever removed your hot tub cover – only to notice off-putting stains on the shell or fixtures?

These stains can not only put a damper on your plans for a relaxing soak, but they can cause damage to your hot tub over time. The good news is that most hot tub stains can be removed easily, and there are measures you can take to help prevent them from forming again.

Hot tub stain removal

Although there are many different kinds of stains (caused by a variety of factors) most hot tub and spa stains can be cleaned using the same method.

1) The first step? Rinse and degrease the interior plumbing in your hot tub. To do that, remove the filters and headrests, add spa surge serum, follow the product instructions, and run the jets of your hot tub for up to two hours to allow the rinse to circulate through the plumbing.

2) Next, turn off the power to your spa and completely drain the water. NOTE: Rising Sun Pools & Spas offers multiple models of hot tubs. To make sure you are draining yours correctly, look in your users manual or contact the Rising Sun team for help. The Rising Sun Pools team even offers a spa draining service if you’d like a professional to handle it.

3) Then, to clean off the stain, all you really need is hot water and a bit of vinegar (or a Rising Sun Pools tile cleaner). Soak the drained tub with the vinegar-water mixture and gently scrub the area with a soft rag or cloth (and a little elbow grease). Be sure to clean all the sides, jets, fixtures, AND cover. It’s important NOT to use an abrasive cloth, which could cause damage to the shell. This vinegar-water solution can help deodorize your tub, as well.

4) At this point, make sure to check your filters and clean them if necessary. NOTE: When you use a spa surge serum, you typically float your filter to clean it.

5) Once you’ve given your spa a good scrub, you can begin refilling the water. Make sure you don’t power on the hot tub before the water level rises over the filter.

6) Finally, it’s time to add chemicals and balance the water. After adding the chemicals, wait at least five hours before checking whether the levels are balanced. Need help determining whether your water chemistry is balanced? Bring a water sample to your nearest Rising Sun Pools location. We can test and give you accurate results and recommendations.

Common types of stains & removal solutions

Although MOST hot tub stains can be removed using the method described above, certain types of stains occasionally require specific cleaning solutions. We’ve listed some of the most common kinds of hot tub stains and fixes below.

• Calcium Build-Up – The combination of high pH levels and the warm water in your spa can cause an excess of calcium to form, which is also known as “hard water.” When this occurs, it can leave behind a white build-up on the sides of your tub. Fortunately, calcium stains are NOT very difficult to clean using a soft cloth soaked in a water-vinegar mixture.

• Dirt & Debris – Regular use of your spa means that dirt and grime will likely accumulate in the hot tub over time. Such organic matter stains can be removed with a combined mixture of vinegar and water.

• Metals – Certain metals – such as copper, iron, and manganese – can react with the heat of your water and create hot tub stains. If your hot tub has a metal stain, you can remove it by adding ascorbic acid or Vitamin C to the hot tub water and circulating it for two hours.

• Foam Build-Up – Oil from your skin, perfume, make-up, or lotion can cause foam to form in your water. Eventually, this will lead to a build-up similar to soap scum. Foam stains can be removed with a typical vinegar-water combination and a magic eraser.

• Rust & Corrosion – Rust stains can be caused by improperly balanced water in the spa. To remove a rust stain from your hot tub, rub the area with a Vitamin C tablet or a water-baking soda solution.

REMEMBER: Rising Sun Pools offers tried-and-true products that help you combat dirt, debris, metal, rust, and corrosion in your spa. Come by one of the physical Rising Sun Pools stores to get your stain removal and prevention products today!

Hot tub stain prevention

The best way to prevent stains from forming in your hot tub again in the future is to maintain proper water chemistry. The keys to having properly balanced spa water include…

• • Adding hot tub sanitizer,
• • Testing the alkalinity and pH levels routinely,
• • Measuring the hardness of your water regularly,
• • Cleaning your tub often,
• • Giving your spa filter a frequent rinse,
• • Using a skimmer and water vacuum as needed to remove any unwanted organic matter,
• • And avoiding wearing lotions, make-up, perfumes, and other products when you enjoy your hot tub.

Fortunately, Rising Sun Pools offers sequestering agents and chemicals to help you protect your spa from unwanted stains. Just stop by one of the Rising Sun Pools storefronts. We also recommend having a Rising Sun Pools professional full purge, drain, and refill of your hot tub regularly.

Rising Sun Pools – Hot Tub & Spa Installation & Service in Raleigh, NC

Not only do Rising Sun Pools hot tubs and spas offer the very best in both quality and design, but our team ALSO offers a full line of hot tub and spa maintenance, programs, and products.

Need some hot tub maintenance help? Learn more about our spa maintenance services here.

RELATED:

• How to Get Rid of Hot Tub Odors
• Reducing Foam in Your Hot Tub
• Quick Tips For Cleaning Your Hot Tub
• The Importance of Purge, Drain, & Refill