Spa Vac or Shop Vac?

[cburk0677]

How do you guys clean up small dirt or rocks that come in to the tub on users feet? I just finished my patio and it is still kind of dusty. I'm going to be placing some mats down by the hottub so people can wipe their feet off before going in. However I didn't think of this right away and I have some small debri in the tub.

Should I just use my shop vac to clean it out or is it worth it to buy one of those hand operated spa vacs?

[Steve]

The main advantage of the spa vacs is that it doesn't remove the water from the spa with the debris.

[drewstar]

How do you guys clean up small dirt or rocks that come in to the tub on users feet? I just finished my patio and it is still kind of dusty. I'm going to be placing some mats down by the hottub so people can wipe their feet off before going in. However I didn't think of this right away and I have some small debri in the tub.

Should I just use my shop vac to clean it out or is it worth it to buy one of those hand operated spa vacs?

Using the shop vac will suck up quite a bit of water too, no?

Get a spa vac. Either the hand held grit getter squeezable bulb style (you sit in the tub while uising it) or the Spa Wand that you use while standing outside the tub and draw the dirt up by siphon.

Both work well.

I have the spa want, but I think I might pic up a grit getter too. Sometimes I don't want to be in the tub to clean it and the spa wand is perfect. Other times it would be nice to have something small and handy that I can grab when I'm getting in the tub and squeeze up the bit of grit that occasionlay is in the foot well.

I wouldn't go out and buy a motorized spa vac. That's just not necessary.

But you're right,: the real answer is to eliminate the source of the dirt, and eventually the sand/dirt around the new patio will go away, but until then, a mat and a vac will go a long way.



Some popular spa cleaning gadgets

[Spatech_tuo]

Many people use the Grit Gitter. I think they really suck!

[Steve]

Here's a great link for a variety of spa vacs..

I've always had great success with the Paradise spa vac myself. It sucks too!

http://www.rhtubs.com/store/vacuumes.htm

Steve

[jfish63]

I just use a piece of garden hose about 10' long. I submerge the entire length of hose hold a finger over one end and drop it over the side of the tub. I then use the other end to suck up the debris. It does remove some water but not much. I have used the same hose for about 7 years and it works every time.

[Ruby]

I use a turkey baster when needed.  When we were still in construction stage, we had a pan of water next to the steps to dip our feet in.

[cburk0677]

Great ideas! Thanks for all of the input.

[D.P. Roberts]

I used one of the small handheld ones - the blue/green one on the right of the picture above. While it was nice to be able to use it while you're in the tub, it didn't pick up a high volume of stuff. If you have a real problem, I'd suggest getting something bigger.

[cburk0677]

I stopped by the hotspring store today and picked up a hotspring spa vac. Works really well and best part is that you can get the dirt out without taking any water with it.