Shell Cleaner products

[dafrimpster]

I know there are a number of dedicated spa shell cleaning products available. Are ther any general household cleaners that are suitable for cleaning my spa shell. I am doing my first drain and clean on my Elite Spas model 8000 this weekend. If there isn't a suitable substitute for dedicated spa shell cleaners can someone recommend a good product? Thanks in advance!
Sam

 

[gkruske]

I had been told that a lot of the household products were not suitable, just because of what was in them. Might harm the gelcoat. My hot tub is almost 20 years old, no idea what the previous owners used, but I used the pool store brand. Can't remember the name, but was basically hydrochloric acid. Nasty stuff, but shined it up really nice.

 

[dafrimpster]

Based on a recommendation from the guy at the pool store we used Spic-n-Span powder. We mixed it at "no rinse" strength and rinsed it anyway. IT did a good job cleaning. No suds when we refilled the tub. It seems to be a good choice.

 

[spishex]

When the tub is empty I use ammonia, which is exactly what the PS will tell you not to use (or why you shouldn't use household chems). It could either a) poison you if there's still highly chlorinated water laying around or b) create a large chlorine demand when you refill, so be sure to rinse it thoroughly before and after, watch your sanitizer level the first couple of days after you fill, and don't use it while the tub is full for cleaning around the water line. It works better than any of the usual shell/tile/vinyl cleaners I've ever had access to.

The reason I started using it is because of how well it works on the outside of the tub. I have a Hot Springs Classic, which has sort of a "unibody" shell. The acrylic layer is continuous from the outside bottom all the way to the footwell, so the the surface in the tub is the same as the outside.

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