How To Clean A Lay Z Spa: Including, Filters, Base & Lid

So you’ve just bought a new Lay Z Spa, and it’s taking pride of place in your garden. We’d all love for these stylish hot tubs to stay sparkling clean, but unfortunately, inflatable hot tub maintenance can get a little bit messy!

To get the most out of your Lay Z Spa, it’s essential to keep it clean. The more you enjoy your daily soaks, the more organic contaminants, dirt and debris will build up in the water.

Not only can this pose a risk to your health, but too much muck in your tub can damage its filtration system and cost a fortune in filter cartridges, pool chemicals and repairs!

So, what’s the best way to clean a Lay Z Spa hot tub?

Below, we’ll look at how to clean a Lay Z Spa correctly, including the base, lid, and filters. 

Cleaning A Lay Z Spa Hot Tub – Step by Step Guide

This article talks mainly about cleaning Lay Z Spa hot tubs and the recommended methods and products. For a larger and more general inflatable hot tub cleaning guide, that is here.

1. Lay-Z-Spa Cleaning kit

The first thing to do is gather your supplies; you’ll need:

  • A soft cloth
  • A pool skimmer
  • A dustpan and brush / hot tub vacuum 
  • Stop caps
  • Mild soap/spa cleaner
  • Lay Z Spa filter cartridges 
  • Garden hose and hose adapter 

To simplify your cleaning routine, we recommend storing these items in a lockable container next to your Lay Z Spa; this way, you can skip the faff of gathering everything up! 

2. Remove debris 

Before you can begin cleaning your Lay Z Spa, we’ve found that it’s best to get the more significant debris out of the way! 

The simplest way of doing this is to grab a pool skimmer and drag the net over the water’s surface, though some people prefer just to grab the larger pieces by hand.

Leaves and organic matter will be easy to grab if they float, but small stones and heavier objects may be a little trickier. A spa vacuum cleaner is super handy here, but a dustpan and brush can also work! 

3. Disconnect from power

Your Lay Z Spa hot tub will need to be disconnected from its power source before you can drain and clean it properly. This is especially important as firing the jets with no water can cause serious damage!

To safely disconnect your lay-z-spa, you’ll need to remove the filter and attach stop caps in their place, then switch off the pump and unplug it from the mains.

Now unscrew the pump from the exterior shell (don’t worry about a bit of water leakage here!) and attach your garden hose to the exposed opening.

4. Drain your Lay Z Spa

You can now remove the stop caps and drain the water from inside your Lay Z Spa.

Remember that your hot tub water is full of chemicals like chlorine and other spa cleaners, so make sure to direct the flow away from any plants or flat surfaces; try to divert the water to your nearest drain where possible!

Once the water level is below the opening of the pump connection, you can re-attach the hose to the outlet on the base to drain the remaining water.

5. Clean filters and accessories

Before tackling the main body of your Lay Z Spa inflatable hot tub, we reckon it’s best to clean the hot tub’s filters and accessories! 

You should replace your filters every two weeks, but if they’re fairly new (and don’t look too dirty or damaged), you can clean them with your garden hose by simply running water over the frills until it runs clean. 

To clean your Lay Z Spa’s accessories, simply lay them on the ground and give either side a blast with your hose. 

Items that have been in contact with your skin (headrests, footrests etc.) may carry stains from body oils. In this case, you can spray them with some mild soap or spa cleaner and wipe them clean with a soft cloth before rinsing them off with your hose.

6. Wash the inner and outer shell

Starting with the outer shell, you’ll want to do your best to clean every surface with only warm water and a soft cloth.

Avoid bristled brushes and scourers around your Lay Z Spa, as rough surfaces can cause punctures. Bare in mind, never use abrasive cleaners as the active ingredients can damage or discolour your spa! 

Use a spray bottle to coat the shell with warm water, and gently lift any dirt with a soft cloth. If there are any tricky stains, you can use a bit of mild soap or Clearwater’s anti-bacterial vinyl cleaner to help!

Rinse down the outer shell with your hose and clean the inner surface in the same way. Never use soaps inside your Lay Z Spa, as any residue left behind can enter the filtration system when you refill the hot tub, creating bubbles and blockages when the jets are powered back on!  

6. How Do I Clean The Bottom Of My Lay Z Spa?

The best way to remove small debris and dirt from your Lay Z Spa base is by using a vacuum; these devices come in two main styles, manual or electric.

A manual option requires physical manipulation of its handle (or the water pressure from your hose) to suck up water and dirt, filtering out any debris into an internal chamber which can then be removed and disposed of. 

An electric product works in much the same way; though it uses a power source to produce suction, these devices can be either battery-powered or corded. 

7. Lay Z Spa Filter Cleaning Hack

Your filters are your first line of defence against a dirty Lay Z Spa, and proper maintenance can save you a lot of time and money in the long run and prevent nasty yellow stains in your Lay Z Spa.

Dirty filters can block the water from circulating around your pump, stop your sanitisers from working effectively, and even cause dirt and debris to become lodged in the internal mechanisms of your Lay Z Spa!

The Lay Z Spa E02 error code

The E02 error code that can pop up on your Lay Z Spa’s control panel is a warning that there’s dirt on your filter and it’s affecting your pump’s operation. 

If you see this message, it’s time to replace that filter! 

8. How to Clean Your Lay Z Spa’s Lid

This is an important step. Cleaning your hot tub’s cover is just as important as cleaning the main body, mainly because as the water inside creates steam, all of the collected body oils and grime will begin to build up on the underside of the lid. Falling back into your fresh water once the hot tub has been cleaned! 

Cleaning the outside of your lid should be done just like the outer shell of your Lay Z Spa. Try to use only warm water and a soft cloth where possible, though a small amount of mild soap can be used to remove tough stains (just be sure to thoroughly rinse the surface before reattaching the lid!).

For the inside of the lid, we recommend using Clearwater anti-bacterial vinyl cleaner to lift stubborn oily stains, though there are natural alternatives that can be just as effective! 

Lay-Z-Spa Chemicals Instructions

The best (and safest) way to clean your Lay Z Spa is by using warm water and a soft cloth, though if this isn’t possible, mild soap or Clearwater’s anti-bacterial vinyl cleaner is the safest product to use! 

Natural alternatives

If you want natural or DIY solutions, this page covers household products you probably have to clean a hot tub.

  • Baking soda – Great for stubborn stains on hot tubs; sprinkle a little onto your cloth to help lift oils and grime.
  • Vinegar – The acidic nature of vinegar will break down most oily stains and also kill up to 99% of common bacteria found in inflatable hot tubs! 
  • Rubbing alcohol – Diluted isopropyl alcohol will do a similar job to vinegar, though it’s slightly more effective at killing germs.

What not to use

Never use abrasive cleaning products or textured scourers around your Lay Z Spa hot tub, as these can easily cause punctures. Use a soft cloth and you should also avoid using soaps inside the spa to prevent bubbles and blockages from forming when you replace the water!  

FAQ’s

You may see articles that claim washing your filters in a washing machine or dishwasher is a great little hack. However, we don’t recommend this, as the intense water pressure can easily cause damage and prevent them from working properly! 

The most common causes of biofilm and algae; both are pretty easy to avoid by maintaining your Lay Z Spa’s pH between 7.2-7.8, though if you’re seeing this issue, you should perform a Lay Z Spa shock treatment; to remove the contaminants entirely! 

Diluted bleach can certainly remove dirt from your filter, though we’d avoid this method, as bleach can weaken the filter’s fibres and stop it from working properly. 

Last Word

So that’s just about it! We hope this advice has helped and you’ve learned why it’s important to clean your Lay Z Spa if you use it regularly as a family and that you’ve picked up some valuable tips along the way!

Remember to clean your filters after every use, replace them every two weeks, and avoid using soaps to protect your filtration system. 

Never use abrasive cleaners or scourers, always clean your lid and accessories to remove body oils, and book in a deep clean about once a month and allow your Lazy Spa to have a long lifespan.

John Devlin

Hello, Welcome to my website. I’m John, and I created the InflatableHotTubGuide while researching these spas nearly a decade ago. Since its creation, the site has become the leading UK resource for many models. As a passionate hot tub user, I love to test and explore all the latest machines this industry keeps creating. I hope you find our content helpful.