Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: stiffy on August 24, 2004, 07:03:58 pm
-
My dealer instructed us to soak in bleach over night.
Is this good or should we get the filter cleaner?
Should you rinse inside out or vis-versa.
-
I would suggest using filter cleaning solution. However, if your dealer said bleach and is willing to help if it destroys the filters than..well...I would still use filter cleaner. You clean your filters to disolve the body oils and "gunk" from the pores. I don't know if bleach alone would do this. The filters play a pretty important part in the tub...not just the filtration. A cloged filter will slowly wear down a pump.
-
Chlorine and bleach are in the same family. I wouldn't use bleach to clean my filter. As huh just mentioned,you want to use a filter cleaner,preferably 1 that will dissolve the oils and soap residues commonly found in the filter.
The best I have found is a spray compound,that hot-springs carries.
GL
-
Thanks, would any filter cleaner give me what I need?
-
I agree, bleach does not sound like great idea. Most any filter cleaner will work. There are two types...the spray on and the soak.
-
ok, who like which, sray or soak and why?
-
I soak. I feel it is more thorough. But then again, I have never tried the spray. My spa only uses one pleated filter and I rotate between two, so one is always clean. I keep my solution for four months so I just drop the dirty one in the cleaner overnight and rinse the next morning and let it dry till the next month. If I had a spa that used multiple filters, I might find the spray more convenient.
-
Someone at work told me today that they put their filter in the dishwasher... Is this a good idea?
-
Funny. this reminded me that a Marquis dealer recommended the local power wash place for your car or the dish washer
-
I use the Baqua cleaner, and follow the package instructions, which is to soak overnight, then rinse.
Seems to work pretty well.
Maybe I've just found a new use for my pressure washer!!!! ;)
-
Someone at work told me today that they put their filter in the dishwasher... Is this a good idea?
Pubic hair :-X Thats all i've got to say on the dishwasher idea.
-
Pubic hair :-X Thats all i've got to say on the dishwasher idea.
Point taken... YUCK!!!!!!
-
Pubic hair :-X Thats all i've got to say on the dishwasher idea.
I would think that one would wash the filters separate from the dishes, silverware, and whatnot. But even the most remote dinner party catastrophe possibility might keep me from going there anyway. :o
-
I actually TRIED the dishwasher method a couple of times, at the suggestion of my dealer. DIDN'T work worth a darn.
Never thought of the "pubic hair" problem, though. Maybe that's why nobody wanted to come over for dinner for a time. Hmmmmm.....
:o
-
WHOA, Something about eating my own pubic hair makes me not so hungry!!!!!
Well there is a few soakers but heard nothing from those who like to spray?
and nothing if a filter could take a power washing, you know no drilling it with the power washer of course?
-
Soak them in a white vinegar and water solution overnight. They will be squeaky clean.
-
Soak them in a white vinegar and water solution overnight. They will be squeaky clean.
What proportions do you use??
-
Be careful. Most filter makers warn against soaking or rinsing in acid. I know vinegar is a weak acid and not likely to do much harm, and these filter makers are generally refering to muratic acid, but if you take a dirty, oily filter and soak it in acid you will basicly 'set' the gunk and not clean it.
And I would love to know how soaking a filter in bleach is any different than tossing in a tbsp or two of dichlor to a running spa.....
Go buy a bottle of filter cleaning solution. It's not that expensive, it works every time, and will improve the quality of your life. Want to save some money? Then find a bucket - buy one if you have to - which can cover your particular filter cartridge with the minimum amount of water. That way you can get the most use out of a bottle of filter cleaner.
Example: if you can get a bucket or other container to cover all or most of your filter with just a gallon of water, you can get eight soakings out of a bottle of filter cleaner - assuming that brand mixes up eight gallons per bottle.
'Nother tip: start with really hot water.
-
You know, its funny.. I just went over this with a customer of mine yesterday, and the same things came up.
Most filter cartridges are made of spun bonded polyester cut from large sheets and pleated into individual cartridges.
Bleach probably isnt the best thing to soak or clean your filters as it isnt going to do much to break down body oils deposited in the material. What it will do is break the bond on the polyester fibers.
If you want to soak your filters, you can used a pre-mixed solution offered by pool and spa supply stores, you can use TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) mixed in solution ( one cup to five gallons of water), or even Cascade powdered dishwashing detergent. In each case you will want to rinse the cartridge thoroughly before reinstalling the cartridge.
As for using the dishwasher or a pressure washer for filter cleansing... Both are not a good idea. As has been pointed out, putting something that filters out sweat, body hair, dead skin, and other excrement from your spa water really shouldnt be put where you put the dishes you eat off of. A pressure washer isnt a good idea also, because the increased psi will pull the fibers apart and the filter will be less effective, sometimes causing a spa not to operate after the pleats collapse.
Rinsing your filters off once a month with a regular garden nozzle and soaking once or twice a year in tsp should be adequate to maintain good spa operation and keep your water filtered.
-
If you are going to use TSP you will probably have to buy it at a paint store or a small hardware store as most of the big box stores only carry TSP minus the P which is next to useless for cleaning anything.
You could possibly use Professional Strength Soilex, it contains no Phosphates but does a better job than Phosphate free TSP for cleaning before painting, I don't know about how it will do on filters.
It contains sodium carbonate and ammonium chloride.
What do I use?
I use a filter cleaner and soak my filters for about 12 hours, seems to do the job and doesn't cost a heck of a lot, get two soaks out of a bottle and use two bottles a year and know my filter will not fall apart or any other weird thing happen to them
-
Note: TSP is not as readily available as it used to be.
There is a product in supermarkets called "TsP" which comes in a bright red/orange box and has a teepee over the S. Read the label: it is NOT TSP, it is a general cleaner that is "formulated similar to Tri Sodium Phosphate."
If you want to use TSP, buy the real thing. I have seen it in the paint section of my local home center.
But be careful with it: it's not a nice chemical.
-
OK, lots of great feed back.
So, I find a pool chem dealer right near my place that I never new was there. I look for filter cleaner and a taylor test kit. guy ask why for what and I tell him.
says tide powder detergent will do the trick and is best for the price to clean my filter as good if not better then filter cleaner he sells. Just streasses to rise really well,da LOL........
also wonders why I want to spend the money on a test kit, I dont trust the strips. plus the fair hair fair skined daughter just broke out on cheek and thigh. ask me to bring in a water sample to test.
I do this and says my ph 8.2 and alk is 60, says go home drop a heeping Tbl of arm and hamer in the tub.
stop using spa 56 (dichlor)because I have a silver cartidge and CD ozone and shock once a week with non-chlor, potassium monopersalfate, thats all I need/ no dichlor.
Oh, and highly recomens spa perfect once a week, I'm thinking he was doing good on the advice then dropped a few nothches for a steady chem purchase?????
Would love to get some feed back on this
-
stop using spa 56 (dichlor)because I have a silver cartidge and CD ozone and shock once a week with non-chlor, potassium monopersalfate, thats all I need/ no dichlor.
Would love to get some feed back on this
AHHHH. There are many ways to skin a cat and to care for a spa. However, the one piece of advice he gave above is NOT a good idea. The Nature 2 cartridge (aka silver cartridge) and ozone are great additions IMO to HELP keep the water clean but they must be supplemented with some chlorine. I'd advice you to add 1 to 2 TSP (tea, not table) of dichlor after use depending on spa size and # of users. Chlorine dissipates very quickly in hot water so it'll do its job and by the next morning it'll be largely dissipated but the water will be cleaner/clearer and ready for your next use. If you try his adviec without supplementing with dichlor you'll only run into water quality issues at a minimum. Chlorine is a great sanitizer and used properly will make caring for your spa much simpler.
-
well pulled the filter not tooo long ago and man O man was it nasty for every other day use and this is the fourth week. given what I have learned here I should not be supprised.
after rinseing the filter to what I considered thorough I spread the pleats apart and was perty shocked to see that there was some nasties deep in the crease of the pleat
with that experiance I would have to say I like the idea of soaking then spray.
-
As far as dishwasher goes....
Don't put the filter IN the dishwasher, but rather use dishwasher detergent to soak a filter.
Its waaaay cheaper than cartridge cleaner solution, and I feel does a fine job to dissolve grease.
You still need a high pressure hose to clean the filter after soaking to remove those hairy items ???
-
Yeah I'm also curious about the power washer idea. Power washers can clean a lot of things, but they can also strip paint, and make holes in things.. would this work?
As for multiple filters, nothing says you have to clean them both at the same time, right? One bucket of filter cleaner, clean one filter one night, clean the other one the next night.. Right?
- Mike
-
If your dishwasher heats the water, over 140 will melt and damage the filter.
Careful with the power washer / car wash, not only will it removes any and ALL dirt from the filter, but there's a good chance you'll blast clean through it...BIG holes.
5 gallons water, 1 cup of TSP, soak over night, rinse thoroughly, you're done.
-
Soaking in filter cleaner is really the best way to do it. Maybe the occasional spray and rinse, but definitely soak it at least a couple of times per year. It cracks me up that so many dealers suggest bleach, and the dishwasher. Both terrible ideas that don't work nearly as well as an overnight soak in filter cleaning solution.
Fyi, rinse it out really well. Like, when you think you are done, keep rinsing. Even a tiny bit of residual can cause annoying foam.