How to Clean Contaminated Spa Water

In the vast majority of cases, spa water that has become cloudy, slimy, or smelly due to a lack of proper sanitizer or maintenance, can be restored to a clear and safe state with minimal effort.

The usual sanitization, ph balance, and filtration should clear it up within a day or two. However, sometimes it gets so ‘gross' that a water change and some extra chemical treatment is the best option. If this is the case, please follow the instructions below:

Remove the pillows and all jets from the spa. If the jets have tabs they will pop out, if they are threaded, turn counter clockwise to remove.
If the spa is equipped with Spa Boy; remove the grate on the probe housing and replace with the cap.
Add some granular chlorine (Boost) to the water, until the test strip or test kit reads “high”. It doesn't take much, a 1/4 cup is more than enough. Let the water circulate for a couple hours at this high chlorine level.
Add some Fresh Start (a de-greasing agent for the plumbing). Follow the dose instructions on the bottle, it is usually 8 oz. for a 7 and 8 foot spas; 16 oz. for an All Weather Pool.
Run all pumps for 3 cycles or approximately 1 hour.
Drain all of the water. Please press play to watch this video if you require more information on how to drain your spa.
Wipe down the spa shell, including jets, with a half and half mixture of hot water and white vinegar.
Re-install the jets.
Remove the probe housing cap and re-install the grate.
Refill the spa through the filter canister to prevent any air locks.
Install new filters.
Start the usual maintenance program. You must use an approved sanitizer; either chlorine or Onzen Sea Salt Blend if the spa is equipped with Onzen or Spa Boy.
Balance the pH, and ensure filtration is set; otherwise, the water will deteriorate rapidly and you will end up right back where you started.