The short answer
Every pedicure foot spa used on clients has three cleaning cadences. Each one is a separate requirement with its own box on the official cleaning record:
| Cadence | When | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| After each client | Between every client | Drain, remove and clean the screen/filter, scrub surfaces, disinfect. |
| End of day | Close of each day the spa was used | Multi-step chemical flush and breakdown of the removable parts. |
| Every two weeks | Once per 14 days | A long overnight high-level disinfectant soak (commonly 6–10 hours). |
After each client
The most frequent cleaning happens between clients, all day long. You drain the spa, take out and clean the screen or filter, scrub the surfaces the water touched, and disinfect. It is quick, but it is the one inspectors expect to see logged the most, because it happens the most.
End of day
At closing, on any spa that saw clients that day, you run a deeper, multi-step chemical flush — circulating disinfectant through the whole system and breaking down the removable parts. This is in addition to the after-client cleanings, not a replacement for them. The final cleaning entry of the day should show both the routine cleaning and the end-of-day flush.
Every two weeks
On a fixed two-week schedule, each spa gets a deeper disinfection: a long overnight high-level soak, commonly 6–10 hours. On the night you run it, this replacesthe standard end-of-day routine — you do not check both the end-of-day and the bi-weekly box on the same row, because they are two separate, mutually exclusive procedures.
What about days a spa is not used?
If a spa had no clients on a given day, there is nothing to clean — but the record should still show it. You mark the spa Not Usedfor that period so the log reads as complete rather than as a skipped cleaning. To an inspector, an unexplained blank row looks the same as a missed cleaning, so “Not Used” is how you account for a quiet day honestly.
Where you record it: the BAC-FI-004-E form
All three cadences are logged on the official Texas TDLR Whirlpool Foot Spa Cleaning Record (form BAC-FI-004-E)— one record per spa. For a full walkthrough of the form, its five columns, and exactly which boxes to check for each situation, see our guide to the Texas Whirlpool Foot Spa Cleaning Record.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to clean a foot spa that was not used?
If a spa truly had no clients, there is no cleaning to perform — but you still record it as Not Used for that period so the log has no unexplained gaps.
How often is bi-weekly?
Every two weeks — once per 14 days. It is a separate deep disinfection, not the same as the daily end-of-day cleaning.
Does the end-of-day cleaning replace the after-client cleaning?
No. They are separate. The after-client cleaning happens between every client throughout the day; the end-of-day cleaning is an additional, deeper chemical flush performed once at closing.
Is the schedule different for portable or pipeless foot spas?
The same clean-and-disinfect discipline applies to any foot spa used on clients. Follow the manufacturer's instructions together with the state's cleaning and recordkeeping rules, and log every cleaning.
Where do I record all these cleanings?
On the Texas TDLR Whirlpool Foot Spa Cleaning Record (form BAC-FI-004-E) — one record per spa, with a dated entry each time it is cleaned.
This guide explains foot-spa cleaning schedules in plain language and is not legal advice. TDLR’s rules are the authority on Texas foot-spa cleaning and recordkeeping requirements.