Gilbert Spa Cleaning is crucial to ensure that each soak or swim is relaxing, healthy and safe. However, many people struggle to keep up with this important maintenance task.
A few simple tips and tricks can help make the process easier and more effective.
Tennis balls may seem like the least likely of spa cleaning items but they can be a great tool to help keep your hot tub clean. When dropped into your spa’s skimmer or directly into the water, the fibers of the ball soak up and trap residue from lotions, sunscreen, cosmetics, and other body oils that normally slide off your skin into the spa. If used regularly, this will help prevent the build-up of an oily film on your spa shell and reduce the amount of time it takes to get clear water.
The tennis ball is a small spherical ball that’s typically made from natural felt with a rubber core. It has a curved seam running around its perimeter. The ball is available in different sizes and pressures, with a pressurised tennis ball often chosen for competitive play because it maintains its bounce height and speed over long periods of use.
A high-quality woven felt, such as wool or a mix of wool and nylon, covers the rubber core. Using an automated cutting machine, the material is cut into shapes called ‘dog bones’ and then covered in glue. The felt cover is then pressed to the core, creating the famous curved seam, and quality controlled for size, weight, and bounce height before being packed into cans ready for use.
If you’re buying a tennis ball, stick with well-known brands such as Dunlop or Slazenger. While cheaper brands can be hit or miss, a good reputation means consistency and durability.
The choice of a tennis ball should be based on your playing level and the type of court you usually play on. Beginners should look for a low pressure ball with a soft, slow, and controlled bounce that builds confidence. Intermediate players will benefit from a medium duty pressurised ball with good speed and durability.
A tournament player needs a high-quality, pressurised ball with an optimal feel and control for maximum performance. When choosing a tennis ball, remember that higher internal pressure results in better bounce quality but can reduce the lifespan of the felt covering.
Vinegar
Not many foods play the dual role of prized cooking ingredient and household cleaner like vinegar. Vinegar, derived from a process of fermentation, has been used for thousands of years as a food preservative, flavoring agent and household disinfectant. More recently, it has gained popularity in the wellness space for its purported health benefits including weight loss, lowering cholesterol and blood sugar and helping with digestion and gut health.
White vinegar is a versatile cleaning and disinfecting agent for both surfaces and appliances. It contains acetic acid, which kills bacteria and viruses. It also dissolves rust and mineral build-up and helps deodorize surfaces. It’s a very effective natural cleaner and is significantly cheaper than commercial household chemicals. It has gardening applications as well, killing weeds and helping cut flowers stay fresh longer.
If you don’t have any distilled white vinegar in your home, you can make it yourself using any fermentable carbohydrate source, such as molasses, dates, sorghum, apples, pears, berries, whole grains, potatoes, rice or beets. The yeast in these sources ferments the natural food sugars into alcohol, which is then exposed to oxygen and acetic acid bacteria that convert the alcohol into vinegar. Some vinegar is made by a fast fermentation method, while others are brewed over weeks and months for a slower but more thorough conversion into vinegar.
Vinegar is an excellent choice for spas. It can be used as a mildew remover and can easily break down soap scum, water spots and other residue that builds up in the hard-to-reach areas of your hot tub. It can also be used to kill bacteria and mold, which is important for ensuring that the water in your hot tub stays safe and clean to use.
When using vinegar to treat your hot tub, it’s important to follow all safety precautions and instructions. It’s also a good idea to test the water regularly with a quality spa test kit or strips to ensure that the pH and sanitiser levels remain balanced. Regular spa maintenance is the best way to keep your hot tub healthy, hygienic and in top condition.
Garden Hose
When it comes to garden hoses, not all are created equal. The best hoses are durable and easy to use. In addition to being tough enough for scraping on rocks or being stepped on, they’re flexible and have smooth exteriors that facilitate pulling them past trees and other obstacles. Some are even made with a special interior coating to keep the water flowing smoothly without clogging or leaks.
When choosing a hose, look for one that has a thicker wall than standard hoses to prevent ripping and tearing. You also want to be sure the hose has good burst pressure ratings and is made with material that won’t freeze in cold climates. The hose should also have quick-connect couplings to make it easier to change water wands and sprinkler heads.
The hose’s diameter is another important consideration. A wider hose moves more water in a minute than a narrower one, so you’ll be able to get more work done with less time. It’s also worth looking for a high-quality, long-lasting rubber hose that has an internal webbing to reinforce it, as this adds strength and durability.
A kink in the hose isn’t just unsightly, it can actually cause serious damage to the inner workings of the hose. Whenever possible, try to avoid twisting, kinking or folding the hose, and instead, carefully uncoil it when finished each time.
You can also help maintain the integrity of your hose by using a spray nozzle with a shut-off valve to stop the flow of water. A garden hose pre-filter is also recommended, as this will eliminate any organic materials that could contaminate your hot tub’s water.
To make sure your hose is ready for spa water, use our Clean Screen Garden Hose Pre-Filter to remove organic contaminants, tannins and metals like copper, iron and zinc from the hose itself. This makes initial chemical balancing much easier and helps your spa’s filters last longer.
Filters
The use of a good quality filter is essential to the quality of your spa water. A dirty or clogged filter will impede the efficiency of the water circulation system. This results in a less than optimum level of chemicals being used to sanitize the water, leading to poor quality water and possible skin irritation for bathers.
Filters must be cleaned regularly to keep them working properly. This is usually done by placing the filter in a bucket of hot water with a filter cleaner solution such as Spa Marvel Cleanser(r). Bleach can be used to clean a spa filter, but it is recommended that alternative cleaning methods are employed because residual bleach may contaminate the spa water and lead to skin irritation for bathers.
It is also recommended that bathers invest in a quality spa conditioner, especially those living in areas with hard water. This will help soften the minerals that can damage plumbing, leave hair and skin feeling gritty and scaly, and make it difficult for soap to dissolve, creating a buildup that clogs pipes.
Ensure that your spa is filtered 6-8 hours a day. The best way to do this is by using a continuous filtration system, which works without interruption, allowing it to be more energy-efficient than cycle filtration systems.
Test the water on a regular basis. Use easy-to-use test strips to measure pH, free sanitizer, alkalinity and total hardness. This will allow you to monitor the water balance and adjust as needed.
For the most thorough filtration, consider installing an internal spa filter that is independent of the massage water circuit and filters the water before it enters your spa. This will extend the life of your cartridge filter and limit the amount of disinfectants you need to use. A filter like this is available from your professional spa retailer. Alternatively, an ozone system can be installed in your spa to neutralize lotions and detergents and prevent them from clogging the filter. This system requires a higher initial investment but can be more cost-effective in the long run.
