I'm having the bathroom gutted. It isn't very large, the current tub
is five feet by 30". I'm getting a bit older and fairly physically
active (tennis, swimming, biking) with assorted aches and pains and
figured that a whirlpool tub might be a good idea. I just read the
previous few years messages on the subject but I'm not clear on a few
things.

The new tub will be 5 feet by 32", not much of a difference. It will
double as a shower. Will that contribute to cleaning woes? Is it a bad
idea to use a whirlpool tub as a shower? I understand that dishwashing
powder is the recommended cleaner. Someone I know of who has a tub
says that keeping the jets clean is a royal pain. They may not know
about dishwashing powder though. I'll inform them of my finding.

As for electric, there is a line added to the house (I can see it
going up the back wall) that feeds an air conditioner in the adjacent
bedroom and I've read that the tub would need a GFCI line. Could it
share the A/C line? Is that a code issue? I'm in New York City.

I have fuses and all the slots are taken. The house has 200 amps,
according to the two big fuses so there is plenty of power. But an
estimate of running another line is around $700 and I can do without
that.

I've read a few comments about folks not using these after they've
been installed, but nothing from folks who do use them. Is anyone
actually using them? They seem to sell a lot.