How to Clean Jetted Tubs With Bleach

No one wants to sit down for a nice bath and find flecks of water stains, hair, and who-knows-what-else floating in the water. Unfortunately thought if you have a jetted tub this is pretty common because the jets and plumbing can collect build up and release it into the water even when the jets aren’t on. But there are some simple ways to keep those jets clean using dish soap and bleach.

• Fill up the tub until the jets are covered at least 3″ of water
• Add a couple squirts of Dawn dishwashing liquid and 1/2 cup of bleach. If the manufacturer of the tub doesn’t recommend cleaning with bleach, you can substitute 1 cup of white vinegar. (Some manufacturers don’t recommend using bleach in the manual because it can dry out internal gaskets with time, so you may want to resort to the tough stuff only in rare emergencies.) Also if you don’t have Dawn you can use many other varieties of dishwashing liquid.
• Turn on the tub jets and let them run for 15 minutes.
• Now drain the tub, and refill it (cold water is fine this time). Run the jets for another 10 minutes.
• Now empty the tub again to drain out the gunk.
• If you need an especially deep clean, you can also manually clean the exterior of the jets with a toothbrush.
• If there’s still dirt around the jet covers, try using a product like Scrubbing Bubbles to help break up the gunk.

And remember, if you’ve never cleaned your jetted tub before, check the manufacturer’s owner manual. Some manufacturers recommend closing off the air controls, while others recommend leaving them open during cleaning, and certain manufacturers recommend their own cleaners for their tubs.