User ReviewedHow to Clean a Jetted Tub Three Methods:Cleaning Water Jets with Household SuppliesCleaning Air Jets with Household SuppliesCleaning With a Biofilm RemoverCommunity Q&A After a stressful day, you come home and decide to make use of that neglected Jacuzzi tub. You put on some music, fill the tub with steaming water, light scented candles, pour a glass of wine, slip into the bath, and fire up those jets to gently massage and relax you—only to be coated slimy black gunk and greasy gray bubbles! The bad news: those jets are a haven for bacteria and mold. The good news: it's quick and easy to clean, and even easier to maintain. We'll show you how to clean your jetted tub in the standard fashion with common household cleaners, as well as how to remove more stubborn problems (called biofilms) with special cleaners. Turn off the air induction valve. Add cleanser to the water. Add 1/2 cup (100ml) of household bleach. Run the jets for 10-15 minutes. Run the jets for another 10 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup (100 ml) of household bleach. Give it another run. Turn air bath unit off and drain tub. Over time, your jetted tub is likely to develop accumulations of stubborn combinations of deposits in the tubing called biofilms. These bio-films are not readily penetrated with common household cleaners[1], and can carry high levels of potentially harmful bacteria. To remove them, use special cleaners designed for this purpose. 1Read the instructions on the container and be sure to follow them carefully to avoid injury or potential damage to your jetted tub. Fill the bathtub with warm water high enough to cover the jets. Add the recommended amount of biofilm remover to the water, and run the jets in the tub for the specified interval. For the initial cleaning, run the tub for an hour. For maintenance cleaning, use a lighter concentration of the biofilm remover and run for a shorter duration (10-15 minutes). Drain your tub, and clean any residue around the sides.

Repeat the cleaning once or twice a month.air purifier retailers Optionally, you can use a specialty tub cleaner instead of detergent and bleach. sharper image air purifier consumer reportsTub dealers, manufacturers, and many online plumbing suppliers sell these cleaners. lens cleaning kit for dslrThey are much more expensive, but have nicer looking bottles and they guarantee the results. If your tub is too gross to deal with yourself, there are professional cleaning companies that will clean your tub, but they are the most expensive option. With regular maintenance, you'll never need to call them. If bleach is not advised, use 1 cup (.23 L) of white vinegar instead. Do not leave children unattended near a tub.

Check manufacturer's instructions and cleaner labels to make sure the cleaners won't hurt your tub. Never start the jets unless they are covered by at least a few inches of water. If the jets are exposed, the motor will be damaged. If the jets are covered but the water is too shallow, they may spray water upwards, bathing your walls instead. Never use foaming cleaners or bubble bath in your tub. The effect will be overwhelming—and overflowing. They will also muck up the works. Ventilate the room while using the cleaners. Bleach fumes can be dangerous in poorly ventilated areas. Bath oils and lotions leave residue in the pipes as well. You should never use them in a hot tub.How Air Tubs Work Why use a whirlpool or air tub at all? Other than the fact that it feels good, it just may be good for you, too. You can get fancy, if you want, by calling it hydrotherapy. Hot water relaxes your muscles and jets massage and soothe your body. Proponents of hydrotherapy believe that it eases joint pain, improves circulation and is beneficial to the body's overall healing process [source: American Cancer Society].

In fact, it was hydrotherapy that launched the hot tub business. After engineering a submersible pump that could be used in a bathtub for a family member's hydrotherapy needs, the Jacuzzis built the first integrated whirlpool tub in the 1960s [source: Jacuzzi]. Whirlpool tubs mix air and water and force the mixture through outlets toward the person sitting in the tub. Manufacturers build outlets for the jets into the seating areas of the tub to massage and soothe tired bodies. Bath & Laundry Appliances How Clothes Dryers Work Air tubs create a much gentler massage by compressing air and jetting it out through the bottom of the tub via many smaller outlets. Millions of small bubbles rise through the water and surround the body, creating a less intense, effervescent massaging sensation. Tubs that combine air and water jets are also available and allow users to vary their massage depending on preferred pressure. Air tubs are slightly easier to maintain and keep clean than whirlpool tubs.

The fact that air tubs jet air means that they rarely allow excess water to build up internally, preventing mold and mildew from growing in and around the piping and pump. Whirlpool tubs that use water in their jets should be cleaned periodically according to the manufacturer's directions, usually with a disinfectant and possibly bleach [source: Heloise]. You can also buy purpose-made whirlpool cleaning solutions. Air tubs are a little more expensive than water-jetted tubs at an entry-level price point. You can find water-jetted tubs starting around $500 and air tubs at about $1,200. Higher-end tubs of both types can be found between $3,000 and $4,000. Combo tubs are the most expensive with prices running from about $1,000 to over $5,000 [source: Consumer Reports].How To Clean Bathtub Jets with Basic Household Ingredients (Image credit: Ashley Poskin) There's nothing quite like sitting down for a relaxing bath only to find water with floating black flecks, hair, and who-knows-what-else.

Unfortunately, if you're the owner of a jetted bathtub, this lament may seem all-too-common given that the crevices of the jets tend to collect gunk that is hard to clean by hand. But there are some simple ways to keep those jets clean using basic household ingredients. Fill the tub until the jets are covered by 2-3 inches of hot water. Add 2 Tablespoons of a low-sudsing dishwashing liquid and 1/2 cup of bleach. If you want to keep things green, you can substitute 1 cup of white vinegar for the bleach. (Note: Some manufacturers don't recommend bleach since it can dry out internal gaskets with time, so you may want to resort to the tough stuff only in filth emergencies.) Alternatively, you can use powdered dish detergent. Run the tub's jets for 15 minutes. Empty the tub, and refill it (cold water is fine this time). Run the jets for 10 minutes more. Drain the tub and rinse it well to get the gunk off. If you need a really deep clean, you can attack the jets with a bottle brush and a nonabrasive cloth.