Can I Remove the Jet Nozzles on My Walk-In Tub to Clean Them?

Yes, within limits. On the larger hydro jets the white plastic inner portion unscrews and lifts out of the tub so you can clean the chrome trim and the inside of the jet body, and a foot jet can be taken out from inside the tub and refitted, as Ella's jet adjustment video shows. Air jets stay in place, because removing an air jet lets air escape from the system. The space behind the jets is the pump plumbing, and that is cleaned by the vinegar flush rather than by hand, so the routine below pairs the two. Cleaning the trim itself is covered in How to Remove Water Spots and Stains From the Chrome Jet Trim.

Which Jets Come Apart and Which Do Not

An adjustable hydro jet is an assembly of a jet body, a chrome face cap, a spring and a gasket. On the larger jets, the white plastic inner portion unscrews from the body so it can be lifted out and threaded back in by hand. The foot jets in the footwell have a center nozzle that works as a valve, and the whole jet can be removed from inside the tub and refitted, which is how a technician checks that the valve is fully open. Air jets are different. They cannot be permanently closed off or removed, because taking an air jet out lets air escape from the system, so if the air massage feels too strong the answer is the press sequence, with the third press giving low speed, as explained in What Do I Do If My Walk-In Tub Jets Are Too Strong?. The number of jets on your tub belongs to the therapy package on your order rather than to the model name, so check your order paperwork if you want the figure for your tub.

Removing and Refitting a Foot Jet

The video shows a technician working on a foot jet, first adjusting its pressure at the center nozzle, then freeing a stiff nozzle, then removing and reseating the jet. The sequence is:

1. Turn the center nozzle left or right to open or close the jet. If it is too hard to turn, loosen the butterfly handles behind the jet. A pair of channel-type pliers seated on a handle and given a turn releases the nozzle so it turns freely.
2. Remove the jet from inside the tub. The jet is half cut, and the open side of that half-cut opening must line up with the hole inside the jet body, which is where the water comes out.
3. Line up the open side with the hole, then tighten the nut for the jet so it is secure and the nozzle does not turn on its own.

With the jet out, wipe the inside of the jet body and the jet itself before reseating it. The same alignment check is worth doing on any foot jet that seems weak, because a jet whose opening sits away from the hole is partly closed even when the nozzle feels open. The dial and nozzle adjustments are gathered in Adjusting Jet Pressure, Foot Jet Nozzles, and a Stiff Intensity Control Dial. Nothing comes out of a foot jet until the tub is filled above the highest hydro jets, because the foot jets share one pump with the back jets on a standard hydro package, so test the refitted jet at the full fill level described in Foot Massage Jets Not Working? Fill Level and Shared-Pump Foot Jets Explained.

Cleaning the Parts You Removed

• Wipe the chrome trim and the inner portion with a damp microfiber cloth and a drop of dish soap, working in small circles, then rinse and dry with a clean cloth.
• If spots remain on the chrome, apply a chrome polish made for plated fixtures with a soft cloth, buff until the haze clears, and wipe away the residue. For a stubborn stain on the metal, support has also recommended a metal cleaner such as Brasso or Bar Keepers Friend.
• Keep polish and metal cleaner on the chrome only. Check which cleaners are safe for the tub before anything touches the acrylic.
• Never use abrasive pads, scouring powders or harsh solvents on the acrylic around the jet openings. They scratch and dull the finish, and scrubbing pads leave fine scratches in the plated trim that trap more residue over time.
• Thread the inner portion back in by hand. Rinse the whole area, dry the trim, and make a quick wipe after each bath a habit. A rinse after an Epsom salt bath matters because salts can spot or discolor chrome.

Orange or brown marks on the chrome are usually heavier water stains rather than rust, and the same routine takes care of them.

Cleaning Behind the Jets: The Flush

What collects behind the jets is body oils, soap film and bath product residue inside the pump lines, and no brush reaches it. The published flush is: combine 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups of water, fill the tub with water to one inch above the highest jets, add the mixture, run the tub for 10 minutes, then drain. Run it once a month, and any time the jets feel weak or debris appears. Clean the pump inlet cover of hair and debris at the same time and wipe it with a non-abrasive towel. Skip bath bombs, which clog the jets. The hydro pump must never run dry: fill 1 to 2 inches above the highest hydro jet before starting it, because running a pump dry causes permanent damage that is not covered by warranty. The ozone generator and the in-line heater run automatically with the hydro pump, so a monthly flush also sanitizes the lines. The jets, pump and intensity dial are explained in What Are Hydro Massage Jets on a Walk-In Tub?.

When to Open a Ticket

If a foot jet nozzle stays seized after the butterfly handles are loosened, or a mark on the trim does not change after cleaning and polish, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850. Include your serial number, your therapy package name, which jets are affected and a photo of the jet in question so the team can confirm the cause.

Watch: How to Adjust to Hydro Jets in Your Walk-In Tub? | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Damaged Hydro Jet Hoses, PVC Lines and Jet Fittings: What Can Be Replaced
• A Jet Nozzle Broke Off: Why Some Jets Are Directional and Others Fixed, and How to Get the Right Replacement
• Why Are the Caps on My Jets Falling Off and Can I Replace Them?

Common Questions