Not everyone uses their spa every day, and that's perfectly fine. But if you only hop in once every week or two, it's easy to lose track of the basics. When did you last clean the filter? When did you last test the water? Are your pH, alkalinity, and calcium levels still in the safe zone?
For infrequent users, those small lapses can quietly turn into bigger problems. The good news: a few simple habits will keep your spa clean and running well for years.
Your filter timer has your back
Every portable spa has a built-in filter timer. If you go to use your spa and notice the filter icon flashing, that's your reminder to clean or replace the filter cartridge.
Once you've cleaned or swapped the filter, press and hold the filter icon for three seconds to reset the timer. That's it. One thing to keep in mind: even with infrequent use, if the filter is running all the time, the cartridge should still be replaced with a new one every six weeks.
Why infrequent use can cause water problems
Most spa issues, and most early failures, come down to water chemistry sitting out of balance for long stretches.
Here's a common scenario. You last used your spa three weeks ago. Today you test the water and the pH or alkalinity is out of range. Even though you've barely used it, the water has been sitting outside the ideal range for most of those three weeks. That's when heaters, pumps, seals, and liners start to suffer.
Balanced water is gentle on your spa. Unbalanced water is either corrosive or scale-forming, and both shorten its life.
The simple habit that protects your spa
If you finish a soak and know you won't be back for a while, whether that's a week or longer, do one thing before you get out: test and balance the water.
Leaving the spa with pH, alkalinity, and sanitiser levels in the ideal range means the water stays healthy while you're away. This one habit can easily add four or more years to the life of a portable spa.
If you're not using the spa for a while
Option 1: Use standby mode
If you're taking a break but leaving the spa set up, switch to standby mode after balancing the water. It cuts energy use while keeping the system safe. (We've got a separate article that explains standby mode in detail.)
Option 2: Storing the spa for longer
If you're packing the spa away, make sure the liner is completely dry. After draining, press the bubble function one last time. That blasts air through the bubble curtain and clears out as much moisture as possible before you dry the shell.
Don't forget the control unit
If the spa is going into storage:
- Disconnect the control unit
- Flush it
- Reverse-flush it
- Remove as much moisture as you can
- Give it a vinegar soak for at least four hours
- Finish with a final flush and dry-out
This stops residue or biofilm from sitting inside the system, which is the most common cause of F1 errors when people pull their spa out of storage months later.
Final thoughts
Infrequent spa use is completely fine. You just need a couple of habits to keep things running smoothly:
- Reset the filter timer when you clean or replace the cartridge
- Balance the water after your soak if you won't be back soon
- Use standby mode, or fully dry and clean the spa before storage
Do those, and your spa will be ready and waiting whenever you fancy a soak.