When we first looked at our MN home, I was excited about several features of this well-built house, but one unexpected feature that wasn’t on my wishlist, but probably should’ve been, was a deep, jetted soaking tub. I love taking baths and I’ve never had an oversized soaking tub much less one with jets. The funny thing about this bathtub is that it’s the exact same one my Oma & Opa had in their house and I soaked in that tub for hours after spending the day at horseback riding camp. (Oh, the dirty rings I left in that tub make me cringe today, but they never made a fuss about it.) I know how to clean a bathtub, but I wasn’t sure how to clean a jetted tub, so I asked my mom. She’s had a jetted tub for years and has perfected the process.
When I shared the techniques on my Instagram Stories when we first moved in, so many people commented on it and tried it in their own jetted tubs. I’ve been meaning to share it on here for years, but I never feel inspired to pull out my camera when I’m in cleaning mode! The nice thing about how I clean this jetted tub is that I can get it started and let the cleaners work while I’m cleaning the bedroom and the rest of the bathroom.
how to clean a jetted tub | what you’ll need
- dishwasher tablet (I use THESE)
- A gallon bottle of white vinegar
- bleach cleaner (bleach-free disinfecting cleaner)
- baking soda
- scrub brush with a long handle
- old toothbrush
baking soda | toothbrush | tub brush | Finish dishwasher tabs | bathroom cleaner | distilled white vinegar
how to clean a jetted tub | the steps
- Fill the tub with hot/warm water, adding one dishwasher tab right as you’re filling so it can dissolve. Pour in about 1/2 gallon of white vinegar. Fill tub to completely cover the jets.
- Turn on jets and let them run for 10-15 minutes.
- Use the long-handled scrub brush to scrub any tub ring. Drain the water.
- Sprinkle the tub with baking soda and let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Scrub clean. (If this is done every week or two, it should just take a quick scrub.)
- Rinse cleaner with a pitcher or large cup/small bucket (or a shower spray if your tub has one.)
- Spray the jets and around the drain & overflow valve with bleach or bleach-free disinfectant spray and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Scrub the sprayed areas with an old toothbrush.
- Rinse tub once more.
- Clean around trim and fixtures with an all-purpose cleaner.
If I’m in a hurry or the tub hasn’t had much use, I’ll just do steps 1-3 and wipe around the fixtures.
If the tub needs to be sanitized beyond using hot water & soap, swap out the vinegar for 1/2 cup of bleach. (SAFETY NOTE! Never, ever use bleach and vinegar together. It causes a reaction that is very toxic. Use one or the other!)
I do this once a week or sometimes every other week if I have a lot going on and can’t get to it. Doing it once a week, though, really helps prevent soap scrum build-up, so cleanings are quicker and easier.
If you don’t have a jetted tub, this is still a nice way to get a tub squeaky clean, especially if it has a lot of build-up on the sides.
My mom has a jetted tub and uses dishwasher powder and a toothbrush, none of the other stuff has been needed. Maybe try this to see if it shortens the chore. I knew how much effort it is to clean those jets, so I ripped our jetted tub out and replaced it when we bought our house.
Yep, you can certainly simplify things. Sometimes I just use the dishwasher tab and vinegar and don’t worry about scrubbing the jets if I’m in a hurry.
I don’t even have a jetted tub and I still read this whole post. (I need a laughing emoji here.) I’m just soaking it all in.
So funny!
We had a jetted tub. However, I never used it very much…one time I filled it up and turned on the jets only to have a couple of spiders jet out right next to me!, i am morbidly scared of spiders and bees. I got out fast. That was my last soak :)).
I had it removed last year and replaced with regular bath tub.
Should have cleaned out those jets…..your bathroom is gorgeous….enjoy your soaks Marian,
Yes! The jets should be cleaned now and then to prevent that. I don’t think the jets were used a lot by the previous owners, so I really flushed out the jets before using it.
Just concerned about safety! You gave a warning about not mixing bleach cleaner and vinegar and your photo shows bleach-free cleaner. But your supply list says bleach cleaner. If people read it should be fine……….but just in case.
Thanks! I clarified that, since I did photograph a bleach-free cleaner.
I don’t use my jetted tub. Do I still need to clean it this way?
If you don’t use the jets, I would suggest cleaning it this way about every other month or so to make sure there isn’t mold or mildew lurking in the tubes. Water does get in them even if you’re not moving air through.
Removed my jetted tub for a streamlined Kohler tub. So happy I did. It was a space stealing beast. Lol
Oh, nice! This one isn’t huge like some garden tubs and it’s still in great shape, so we kept it. Also, I use the jets!
I love your cleaning tips and will certainly pin them for future use. Fortunately our jetted tub automatically clears the jets after we use it. And I use hydrogen peroxide as bleach voids the warranty on the microbial finish – go figure. But I love the tub and p, after 3 years, have no complaints!,
I too use hydrogen peroxide as I’m on a septic tank and don’t want bleach on my system. Kills the good microbes.
Our jetted tub has plastic rings around the jets that are removable for a little deeper cleaning. Also the on off switch has a removable ring around it. And “ring” may not be the correct term just calling it that for lack of a better word.
Yes, some of them do have removable parts. I also read that you can use dental floss to get under rings that can’t be removed.
Hum, not a fan of jetted tub, we have one in our house in France and we barely ever use it; also the water is very hard and so rich in minerals that everything using water gets lots of deposit. I am sure it was a mistake to have installed a jet tub. And since we have not gone to France because of Covid, the openings may well be nests for spiders.
Getting goose skin now.
Monique
Yeah, I would definitely flush that out before you use it! We have very hard water in our area, too, so we installed a water softener when we moved in to protect the pipes, fixtures, and appliances.
Marian, you mentioned your water softener. Do you have any recommendation for a water softener? Ours went kaput years ago and I’ve not replaced it. I feel like I have alligator skin in the winter. I’m at a loss where to find a good one.
We had it installed by our heating/air/plumbing company, so they selected the brand. It is one that has a reservoir for salt that needs to be filled every 2-3 months or so, so that’s a consideration. I really don’t have anything to compare it to, though, so I can’t make a suggestion. I would, though, suggest asking a plumbing company with a good reputation.
One house I lived in came with a neglected jetted tub and very hard and rusty water. The first time I turned it on rust came pouring out jets. I mixed Oxiclean in hot water and sprayed it into the jets and the rust seemed to melt away. I finished by using a toothbrush and then ran the tub filled over the jets with Oxiclean added to the water. It was amazingly clean!
Our retirement house in Arizona came with a walk in tub with jets?. I’m the only one who uses it but not as a tub because 1- you have to sit in there all dolled up in your birthday suit and wait for it to fill, and then 2-reverse the process while it empties???. I use the hand held as a shower but I’m going to have it mounted on the wall soon. My Fella uses the guest shower.
So a friend swore by Zep spray degreaser for everything…especially her tup. She would send before and after pictures.
One day my husband came home with a bottle of it. I decided to try it on our tubs and it was AMAZING! I just used it to clean my microwave fan filters….sprayed and rinsed…that easy!
Since I don’t use the jets in my tub, I didn’t think about specifically cleaning them for quite a long time—until one day I noticed how grotty they had become— Yuck! Now I run the jets regularly and give them a scrub with a toothbrush. Going to try these suggestions next time. Thanks!
We have a jet tub but don’t use it. Our house sat vacant for a couple of years before moving in so you can imagine the shape it’s in. I tried all the things and gunk continues to come out the jets. When we redo our bathroom, it’s going.
This was so very helpful as I only cleaned my jetted tub in the past with warm water and bleach. Who knew!
Just wondering where I could buy a similar long handled brush?