My new home came with an old whirlpool tub. It's original to the house, I think, a bit yellowed with some cracked ceramic tiles but it is way bigger than the tub I had at the old place and I was super excited to try out the jacuzzi jets.
My sister adores her giant spa bathtub but I never had one before and knew nothing about it. Of course, it first needed to be thoroughly cleaned and I had to search the net for info on how to do that properly. Other than the normal bathtub scrub, it is important to keep the inner workings clean to avoid problems with the motor and eliminate any mould or bacteria from growing in the system. Apparently you can get foamy scum and black stuff backwashed out through the jets - yuck! Although I'm sure many people do, it is not recommended to use any bubble bath, foaming wash, or oils in the tub water. I plan on maintaining this properly so that's got to be the rule no matter how nice it looks to be in a bath filled with lovely bubbles!
About once or twice a month the whole system should be flushed. Here is a link to the instructions but basically you run the tub (with the jets turned fully clockwise so there is no air induction) with hot water and 2 teaspoons of dishwasher powder and 20 ounces of regular bleach. This cleaning solution works its way through the pipes, cleaning and disinfecting along the way. It is so simple to do and I really feel like it is sanitized well after the procedure. I actually love the way it smells too...like a clean, fresh pool or spa at a resort!
My first soak in the tub was heaven! After a very busy few weeks of hard work it felt amazing to sink down in the hot water (one could never fully immerse oneself in the mini tub we used to have!) and really escape in the moment. The jets and motor still work (there was no way to test it when we viewed the house initially) and totally make the bath feel like a hot tub. Now I get why my sister loves her tub and I think being able to disappear from the hub-bub of responsibility, where no one can interrupt, is the truly relaxing part!
I really like to take good care of things to keep them running well and looking nice. When there is no operator's manual available thank goodness for the internet for providing good instructions on how to maintain anything. I totally appreciate what I have (even if it's old!) and want to make everything last as long as possible. Following directions and keeping to a maintenance schedule helps me do that without much effort.