Help with my 1st drain

[Bama]

Ok, I let my tub drain overnight.
This morning my tub should be empty...haven't looked into it yet, should I clean it with something?  I was thinking of using baking soda, but didn't know what any residual might do to the PH upon filling again.
Any words of wisdom out there on best cleaning method or anything else I should do while the tub is empty?

Help is always appreciated!

[Brewman]

I use a spa surface cleaner and one of those plastic scrubby pads, go over the inside of the shell and the jet surfaces, rinse, then drain out that water.  
 Whatever you chose to use, if anything, just rinse the sides down and drain that water out.  When you refill with new water, any amount of residual left should have a very minor impact on your water.

The cleaner I use is a gel made by Baqua Spa/Brilliance (same product different packages), but I'm sure there are other equally good choices out there.
The stuff can even be used with water in the spa- I got turned onto it when I was using Baqua and had to remove that brown ring around the collar junk- the cleaner took it right off.

[PotomacG]

Hello Bama.

First off, if you used swirl-away or some other cleaner, you probably have rings of hardened gunk stuck to the side of your tub.  Two methods of cleaning these come to mind.  First would be to take said swirl-away or other solution used on a rag to cut the gunk.  The second would be to use SoftScrub either on a rag or a soft (tub-safe) scrubby sponge.  I know that Watkins approves the use of SoftScrub on their shells.  You'll have to check with your manufacturer.  I would use a bucket of water and keep rinsing out the rag/sponge.  You can hose the tub out when you're done.

Remember, SoftScrub contains bleach.  Any residual chlorine would be welcome upon fill up.  

Unfortunately, you need to wait for the tub to fill and heat up before you can soak those sore muscles you get from scrubbing  :-?

If you don't have a lot of gunk, just fill it up and relax.

[tony]

I have never yet had to clean the shell of my spa when I drain.  There just hasn't been anything to clean.  I use spa gloss which is a polish maybe once a year.  Otherwise I just fill.

[PotomacG]

tony,

Run this http://www.spadepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MT1028&Category_Code=Maintenance per labled instructions the next time you drain and I am fairly certain that you will have some shell cleaning to do.

[LtDan]

I have never yet had to clean the shell of my spa when I drain.  There just hasn't been anything to clean.  I use spa gloss which is a polish maybe once a year.  Otherwise I just fill.

What he said. I wipe off above the water line, that's it.

[tony]

tony,

Run this http://www.spadepot.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MT1028&Category_Code=Maintenance per labled instructions the next time you drain and I am fairly certain that you will have some shell cleaning to do.

I use a plumbing cleaner at least once per year.  The product you linked to is a pretty good one as well as Swirl Away.  I don't like the new Leisure Time product as much.  I have tried them all.

These have more to do with internal plumbing than what is on the shell.  My shell is as clean a whistle.  I am amazed at how nice it stays.

[Brewman]

Same here.  I pretty much wipe down the shell at the Mrs'. request.  Small price to pay to avoid her wrath......

[Gomboman]

Yep, same for me. There's nothing to clean. I wipe it down and use a Mr. Eraser around the edges just to be safe. Make sure you clean your filters.

Same here.  I pretty much wipe down the shell at the Mrs'. request.  Small price to pay to avoid her wrath......

[hot tub Frank]

i just refill.
 never really had a ring around the tub.