How to Keep Your Inflatable Hot Tub Water Clean

It’s no secret that you’ll have to eventually change the water in your inflatable hot tub.

From relaxing solo to hot tub parties with friends, even with a filter, the water quality slowly diminishes every time you soak. This is completely normal since you’re immersing yourself in the same body of water time and time again.

Because changing your hot tub water is inevitable, your next step is to identify when to change it, which ultimately depends on a few different factors including frequency of use and chemical management.

In fact, even with proper chemical maintenance, you can still end up with an imbalance of chemicals, which can lead to water quality loss. If you notice the water is developing a bad smell, has become cloudy, or if you just can’t get your pH to balance, it’s time to change the water.

One you’ve established the water needs to be changed, here are a few helpful tips on how often you should change the water, how to do it and how to keep it clean longer.

How often should I change my hot tub water?

Even with regular chemical treatments, we recommend changing the water every one to three months, depending on your frequency of use and your chemical management practices.

Why every 1-3 months?

Over time, water can develop high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), which is a combination of all the dissolved matter that has accumulated in the water (chemicals, minerals, salts, oils, etc.). Once this occurs, the water has reached its maximum capacity to break down and absorb any more chemicals. We've found this helpful TDS calculator to simplify the process of checking the water levels.

Another reason is due to supersaturation. Since water can only hold on to so many chemicals, if you continue to add more and more to the same water, the chemicals will start dissolving more slowly until they won’t dissolve at all. This makes it difficult to keep chemical levels balanced, which can cause the water to get cloudy or even become gritty.

How should I change the water?

After you’ve removed the dirt and debris from the water, connect your garden hose to the drainpipe and allow the water to drain into a suitable drainage area (an area that won’t accumulate water quickly). Next, give the inside and outside liners a good scrub with a brush, scrubbing mitt or towel to remove any grime or build-up. Once you’ve done that, refill your hot tub using your garden hose, then add chemicals per chemical kit instructions.

Want more details on how to clean (basic clean and deep clean) your inflatable hot tub? We've compiled a list of easy hot tub cleaning tips just for you!

How do I keep the water clean for a longer amount of time?

While we recommend changing the water every one to three months, if you notice the water is getting dirtier sooner, there are some things you can do to keep the water cleaner for longer:

• When you’re not using the hot tub, make sure to put the cover on.

• After use, before you put on the cover, use a skimmer to remove larger debris.

• Regularly balance chemicals and clean (or replace) the filter.

   - Run out of filters or chemicals? Check out our hot tub accessories.

• Shower to remove any body oils, hair products or make-up before enjoying the hot tub.

Now that you have all the tips, bookmark this blog and set a reminder, so you know when it’s time to change the water again.