How often should you clean a hot tub filter?
The short answer
Then a deeper clean with filter cleaner about once a month, and a full soak every 3 to 4 months or whenever you drain the tub.
The filter catches what the water carries: oils, lotion, hair, grit. A clogged filter makes the pump work harder and lets the water go cloudy, so a little cleaning often beats a big clean rarely.
Take the filter out and hose between the pleats, top to bottom, until the water runs clear.
Spray it with a filter cleaner made for hot tubs, wait as the label says, and rinse well.
Soak it in filter cleaning solution, usually overnight, then rinse. Draining day is a good time.
Do it sooner when
- The tub has had heavy use, a party, or a lot of guests.
- The water looks cloudy or the jets feel weaker than usual.
- Your tub shows a flow or filter warning.
What to avoid
- Household cleaners and dish soap. They foam in the tub and can damage the filter fabric.
- A pressure washer. It tears the pleats.
- Putting it back dirty. Rinse off all the cleaner first.
Hot tub makers differ on the details, and some filter types (ceramic ones, for example) have their own instructions. Your owner's manual has the schedule for yours.
This is general guidance. Your hot tub's owner's manual comes first, and so do the instructions on your products.
Sources: Jacuzzi: Hot tub filter cleaning made easy; Hydropool: How often should I change my hot tub filter?; Sundance Spas: How to clean and replace a hot tub filter.