Cleaning Your Spa Pool Filters

Filters are essentially the kidneys of your spa pool, they clean all the liquid passing through them, making it safe and inviting for you to bathe in. These filters are very busy, breaking down and trapping any nasty contaminants or bacteria that enter your spa pool water. This includes substances like dirt, skin lotion, even creepy crawlies trying to go for a swim. It’s not a matter of if, but when this stuff enters your spa pool’s water.

This is why it’s absolutely crucial you understand how to clean and look after your filters so they can continue keeping your water clean and safe. The regularity and quality of your cleaning will directly impact how effective the filters can be, so in this article, we will walk you through exactly how to look after this critical component.

Note: Most spa pools have only one filter, but some have two – so make sure to clean all that are present.

Filter Components

Media: Made of white, pleated spunbond polyester, this is the part that does all the hard yards. As water passes through the spa filter, the media will catch the debris.

Core: Usually a robust piece of plastic, the core is mainly there to offer the filter structural integrity and ensure the media fabric isn’t moved around by the constant flow of water.

End Caps: These plastic discs on either end of the filter keep the media and core in place, while also providing a way for the filter to be attached to its chamber.

What Equipment You’ll Need:
✓ Garden Hose
✓ Clean Bucket
✓ Spa Filter Cleaner
✓ Filter Cleaning Wand

Weekly – Quick Rinse

A weekly rinse will stop debris from building up and chemicals eating away at the material. You’ll need to remove the filters from the spa and give them a thorough rinse with clean water. We recommend using a garden hose, or even better, a Filter Cleaning Wand. Simply connect the wand to your garden hose and allow the powerful and precise water velocity to give your filter a deep clean.

To maximise this process, we recommend transferring a very small amount of Spa Filter Cleaner into a clean spray bottle for convenience. You will then dilute the small amount of Filter Cleaner with water to arrive at the solution you will use. After you’ve done that, and have your spa filter removed and ready for cleaning you can spray a generous amount of the solution directly onto the filter pleats. Be sure to cover the whole filter in solution, then wait 15 minutes for the chemicals to climb all the way in and do their job before rinsing.

Monthly – Chemical Soak

Each month you’ll want to run a more thorough cleaning process. In a big, clean bucket, dilute one capful of Spa Filter Cleaner in water high enough to completely submerge your filter. Repeat the process if you are cleaning more than one filter. Let your filter soak in this solution overnight, or ideally for 24 hours. After that, you need to give the filter a very thorough rinse with clean water, or your Filter Cleaning Wand before you let it dry in an open area where air can pass through the pleats.

Note: It’s crucial to ensure you have comprehensively rinsed the chemicals out of your filter and allowed it ample time to dry. If these chemicals are still present when you put the filter back into your spa, you may end up with spa foam, which can require you to drain and refill your spa pool all over again.

It’s a good idea to do this process anytime you’re draining and refilling your spa, so you start off the water as fresh as possible!

Every Six Months – Replace Filters

After a few months of non-stop water washing, your filters will not be as effective as they once were, and cleaning them only goes so far. This is why we recommend you completely replace your Spa Pool Filters every six months, or sooner if you have a particularly high bather load.

Bather Load simply refers to how many people are using the spa pool and how frequently they’re doing so.

Other reasons to replace your filters early include if the media is compromised for any reason (ripped or bent). Also if the end caps seem brittle, discoloured, or cracked.