Over time, your hot tub filter can accumulate mineral salt deposits and clog up. As a ‘go-to’ cleaning agent, people wonder how to clean a hot tub filter with vinegar. Does vinegar work on cleaning your hot tub filter?
Soaking your hot tub filter in a clean bucket of vinegar and water mixture overnight helps remove the scale. You must ensure that the bucket is large enough to soak the entire filter. Rinse the filter well to remove any vinegar residues that may affect the pH level of your hot tub.
Read on to learn the details of cleaning your hot tub filter with vinegar. I will provide the step-by-step process for you to have a guide. I will also discuss the possible effect of vinegar on your hot tub and its pros and cons.
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Can You Use Vinegar to Clean Your Hot Tub Filter?
You can clean many things with vinegar, including the kitchen sink, floors, greasy stovetop, pots, pans, and others. Vinegar is a ‘go-to’ cleaning solution because of its capability to dissolve mineral deposits, dirt, grease, and grime.
The acetic acid in the vinegar allows it to function as a cleaner and disinfectant simultaneously. But can you use vinegar to clean your hot tub filter? The obvious answer is YES.
Vinegar is one of the many options to clean a hot tub filter. It can help loosen the dirt and mineral deposits in your hot tub’s filter. It may not be as strong as the other cleaning agents, but it will do the job if you follow the process properly.
One of the advantages of using vinegar to clean your hot tub filter is its safety. You can use it without worrying about skin irritations. Additionally, vinegar does not foam up your hot tub.
Related Read: What Does Vinegar Do to a Hot Tub?
Another benefit of using vinegar to clean your hot tub filter is its disinfectant properties. Your hot tub filter can collect many bacteria from dead skin cells, body oils, and other substances. Your kitchen vinegar can effectively eliminate them.
On the other hand, it is not as strong as the other options, such as bleach and other cleaners. Since it is a weak acid, you may need to soak your filter in the solution longer. Sometimes, it may not clean your hot tub filter well enough if it is extremely dirty.
However, in most cases, the vinegar-water solution usually works just fine. If the filter is not cleaned well with vinegar, you can opt for other options, such as the Black Diamond Filter Cleaner and the Eco One Filter Cleanser.
Which Vinegar Should You Use to Clean Your Hot Tub Filter?
I should mention that there are different kinds of vinegar, including apple cider, white distilled, balsamic, and red or white wine vinegar. Which kind of vinegar is best for cleaning your hot tub filter?
Of all the different types of vinegar, the white distilled vinegar stands out when we talk about cleaning. Some people call this “white vinegar.” The vinegar solution contains around 10 percent acetic acid and 90 percent water.
White distilled vinegar is the best cleaning agent because it doesn’t stain like the other darker-colored vinegar. The acidity level of this vinegar is also comparable to that of the other multi-purpose cleaners.
White distilled vinegar is also the most common type of vinegar that you will find in your kitchen cabinets. Therefore, you do not need to take a special trip to the store to purchase a bottle of vinegar for cleaning.
Apple cider vinegar is also another option next to white distilled vinegar. This type of vinegar also contains good cleaning properties. Furthermore, it also contains anti-bacterial properties.
How Much Vinegar Do You Use to Clean a Hot Tub Filter?
The size of a hot tub filter varies. The amount of vinegar you need to clean your hot tub filter will depend on the size of the filter. The goal is to soak the filter in the water and vinegar mixture completely.
But how much vinegar exactly do you need? How much water? What is the mixture ratio?
Some people mix 2 cups of vinegar for every 4 cups of water. This ratio could work if your hot tub filter is mildly filthy. However, you can make your solution stronger by mixing an equal amount of water and vinegar.
The 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar should be good enough to loosen the dirt and mineral deposits on your hot tub filter. This ratio is also the ratio that most people use. If you think your filter has a stubborn scale, you can adjust the ratio to make your solution a little stronger.
Cleaning Hot Tub Filter with Vinegar: Step-by-Step Process
Cleaning your hot tub filter can be challenging, especially if it is your first time. There are also things you need to observe to ensure that you do not cause more issues.
Below are the general steps for cleaning your hot tub filter with vinegar. The steps provided should serve as your guide. Ensure to read each step.
Things You Need
- Water
- White Distilled Vinegar
- Bucket
- Garden hose
- Filter brush
Step 1: Turn off your hot tub. Never turn on your hot tub without the filter to avoid damaging other components.
Step 2: Locate the hot tub filter. You should partially see the filter or the filter cartridge inside the tub. If you are not very certain, you can refer to the manual.
Step 3: Remove the hot tub filter. Removing it usually involves carefully turning it clockwise until it is off the thread.
Step 4: Examine the condition of the filter. Check if you can still clean it or if it needs a replacement. Most filters last for at least a year, but if you notice obvious damage like rips and tears, it is best to get a new one.
Step 5: Clean the filter from noticeable dirt with plain water using your filter brush. Be gentle in doing this step not to damage the filter.
Step 6: Prepare a 1:1 water and vinegar solution in a clean bucket (Example: 5 cups of water and 5 cups of white distilled vinegar). The solution should be enough to submerge the hot tub filter completely.
Step 7: Soak the hot tub filter overnight to ensure all mineral deposits and dirt loosen. You can move the filter around every couple of hours to ensure that all parts are well-submerged.
Step 7: Rinse your filter using your garden hose after a good overnight soak. Do not apply too much water pressure, as it may damage the filter. Ensure that you are rinsing it properly to remove all the vinegar residue.
Step 8: Allow the filter to dry.
Step 9: Reinstall the filter according to the steps provided in the manual. You simply need to reverse the process you did when you removed it.
Step 10: Run your hot tub again and relax.
Can Vinegar Damage Your Hot Tub Filter?
Although the filter is not the most expensive component of your hot tub, purchasing a new one still requires you to shell out money. Therefore, ensuring that you handle it with proper care is a must.
The question is: can vinegar actually damage the hot tub filter?
Vinegar is a mild yet effective cleaner. It does not contain harmful ingredients that can deteriorate your hot tub filter. It is very safe to soak your hot tub filter in a vinegar solution for however long you want.
The only possible issue you will encounter is staining its polyester material. However, this can only rarely happen when you use dark-colored vinegar. Therefore, I highly recommend using white distilled vinegar to ensure that staining does not happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hot tub experts suggest you clean your filter once every two weeks or twice a month. This frequency can be considered a good maintenance habit. Doing this will keep your hot tub filter healthy and minimize expensive maintenance costs.
Generally, hot tub filters can only last for a year. However, high-quality filters may last longer than one year. Doing regular filter cleaning or maintenance will also help prolong its life.
The rule of thumb is to mix equal water and vinegar to create a cleaning solution to soak your dirty hot tub filter. However, you can deviate from the standard ratio by adding less or more vinegar. It is important to note that vinegar is not harsh enough to damage your hot tub filter.
You should replace your hot tub filter at least once a year. However, in some cases, you might need to replace it earlier, depending on its condition. The signs you need to replace your hot tub filter include obvious wear and tear, awfully dirty and overused appearance, and failure to let the water through smoothly.
Conclusion
The steps on how to clean a hot tub filter with vinegar are not complicated. You must gently remove the obvious dirt on the hot tub filter using your garden hose and filter brush before soaking it in a water-vinegar solution overnight. The final steps are to rinse the soaked filter and let it dry before the reinstallation.
I recommend using white distilled vinegar over the others because it has a good acid content like the other cleaning solutions in the market. Moreover, white distilled vinegar also avoids staining the polyester material of your hot tub filter.
