How To Clean Tub Jets That Don’t Work

In this detailed guide, I will explain to you how to clean tub jets that don’t work! As you’re aware, whirlpool bathtubs have been a popular option for those looking to add the benefits of soaking to their lives.

They help to relieve sore muscles, provide comfort and relaxation, and even provide a little bit of luxury to their owners. Like anything else, however, bathtubs need a good cleaning every once in a while.

The jets in particular, the source of relaxation in whirlpool bathtubs, can get dirty over time. They can even start to produce a black substance that is potentially hazardous to your health.

So, now that we understand the importance of keeping your bathtub jets clean, the matter comes down to how to effectively do it. With this guide, you can take your tub’s jets from looking questionable and gross to completely clean in no time.

How To Clean Tub Jets That Don’t Work

Make the Preparations

While there are other cleaning applications where you can grab your rubber gloves and a cleaning spray, this is not one of them. It is important to make the proper preparations before you get the cleaning efforts underway.

For one, you need to make sure what the proper water temperature and level are so that the cleaners you do use work their very best.

Moreover, you need to know how to set up the jet’s valves so that you can not only clean but disinfect them. Just because you can’t see those hard-to-reach spots does not mean that they don’t get disgusting.

Fill the Tub

The very first thing that you should do in preparation for cleaning your bathtub jets is to ensure that you have enough water in the tub.

Cleaners are most effective when the water is as hot as it possibly can be, so make sure that you have enough in the tub to get the job done.

When using too little water, you may not be able to completely disinfect the tub. Without proper disinfection, you may find soap scum, mildew, biofilm, and all sorts of other gunk popping up again sooner rather than later.

Fill the tub up so that the water level goes past the top of the jets. This allows the cleanser and water to get through the entire jet system. It can then effectively attack those contaminants that can get in the tub and throughout the jets.

Turn Off Air Induction Valves

Now that your whirlpool bathtub is full of water, it is time to take care of the induction valves. Bathtubs with jets in them have a complicated system consisting of several valves.

Those valves allow you to control how the water circulates while also letting the tub know how much air needs to be injected into the jets.

By closing off the air induction valves, you ensure that only water will flow as you clean. Moreover, it creates a closed loop so that you can disinfect the tub with whatever cleaner that you use to get the job done.

Just make sure that you read the owner’s manual if you aren’t completely familiar with the features of the air induction setup.

For the most part, you can close those valves by turning them clockwise, but there are some tubs out there that have different features.

Add in the Cleaner

With the tub ready to go, you can now mix in your cleaner so that it can properly clean the jets. There are two methods for doing this.

You can purchase a bathtub cleaner specifically designed for just this purpose. You may also be able to get said cleaner through the bathtub’s manufacturer.

This way you can ensure that you have the right cleaner for the job. That said, some people are not crazy about the chemicals used in cleaners such as these and choose an alternative route.

You can also create a DIY cleaner with some bleach or vinegar. The bathtub needs something strong that will both scrub at the internal components while it also disinfects and takes those hazardous agents and removes them from the tub.

A great DIY recipe has a dishwashing detergent in it for its cleansing action while chlorine bleach will kill any of the contaminants that may be residing in the jets.

Vinegar is also a great option since it is such a versatile household cleaner. Some people may prefer to use vinegar in place of the bleach since it is an organic alternative. Your mixture should be ¼-cup of dishwasher detergent, liquid or powder work fine.

Mix that with a cup of either vinegar or bleach and you can even add in some essential oils for a better smell and the benefits that come with aromatherapy. All you need to do is add your mixture to the tub.

For acrylic tubs, you would want to swirl it around so that the cleaner is properly distributed throughout the system. Give it a few minutes to dissolve effectively into the water before moving to the next step in the process.

Circulating the Solution

Cleaning a bathtub with jets is actually quite similar to that of cleaning an above ground pool. In both, you add the cleaning agent to the tub.

The good news is that, while some other cleaning methods involve scrubbing, you can let the jets do all of the work for you. The jets, when activated, will move the cleaner throughout the tub and into the inner workings of the tub.

That helps the cleaner attack the dirt and any other impurity that may be residing deep within the jets and other crevices of the tub. Crank the bathtub’s jets up to the high setting and give them about 15 minutes to run.

If the water darkens, that is totally normal, so don’t freak out. That is a good sign that the cleaner has begun dislodging and killing mold, mildew, and all sorts of other gunk and grime.

When you feel confident that the jets have done their due diligence, you can turn them off once again. From there, you will want to drain out the water and the residual cleaner that is leftover when the water drains.

Use Baking Soda for Rust

Depending on the age of your tub and the care that you have been providing, you may have to deal with a little bit of rust on the faucet and other metal-based components.

The jets may be clean but you want the entirety of the tub cleaned, too. Some contaminants can burrow deep into the crevices, especially areas that have rust on them.

They can even survive the previous cleaning attempts if you don’t get right at them with some cleaner and a brush. Thankfully, baking soda is effective at dealing with rust.

All you do is mix ¼-cup baking soda with a cup of white vinegar, putting it into a spray bottle. You will ultimately get a paste mixture out of this, which should then be applied to the areas with rust.

Using a scrub brush or old toothbrush, you can get into those hard-to-reach spots to get the rust out. Make sure that when you are finished, you rinse away everything with warm water.

The rust should be gone and any contaminants that were hiding underneath should be gone as well.

Add Cold Water Back Into the Tub

When you feel like all the rust has been cleared away, you are hitting the home stretch of the cleaning process. There will likely be residue left over from the cleaner that you used.

You don’t want to soak in that cleaning residue, so it is time to rinse it all away. That is where injecting a good bit of cold water can do a lot of good.

By rinsing the tub with cold water, you can get rid of both the cleaner residue as well as any remaining debris, leaving your bathtub not only clean but completely sterile as well.

Just fill up your whirlpool tub with cold water until it completely covers all of the jets. Once again, let the jets do the work. Flip them on and let them go for about 15 minutes or so.

When the 15 minutes is up, drain out the water once more. You should be staring down a completely cleaned bathtub. All that’s left is to hop in and enjoy the relaxing benefits that a whirlpool bathtub has to offer.

The process is super easy and should be done every once in a while to ensure that your jets (and the rest of your tub) remain clean and sterile.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to clean tub jets that don’t work, your whirlpool bathtub can do a world of good for you. And for all that it gives to you, it helps to give back once in a while by implementing a thorough cleaning.

The best part is that you don’t have to get down on your hands and knees and scrub to get it clean. With a little bit of a homemade concoction, you can let the jets do all the work for you. What’s left is a sparkling tub that is ready for you to soak in once again.