How To Winterize A Hot Tub

Caution – Always Firstly Turn Off Your Hot Tub By The Mains Before Following Any Of The Steps Below!

Add Plumbing Line Treatment Before Emptying Your Tub:

The internal plumbing system on the inside of your tub will more than likely have a build up of grime deposits on the inside walls of the plumbing lines.

The only way to get rid of this is to use a hot tub pipe cleaner which you can add to the existing water whilst running the tub for at least 30-mins to ensure good circulation of the cleaning solution before draining the tub which is your next step.

Empty Your Hot Tub Of Water:

For best results completely empty your tub of water whilst turning off all power supply to the hot tub, Set out a good place to disperse of the water, a drain would be most suitable, “Just be careful not to flood your home or garden”

All hot tubs have a drain plug that you can remove to start draining it but it’s not always a suitable method depending on where you tub is placed and where the water is going to run to when you release the drain plug, there is also some water left in the bottom using this method to drain your tub.

Other effective and easy ways to remove the water are to use a wet vac if you have one, or a submersible pump attached to a hose, by dropping the pump into the water and having the attached hose pointing into the nearest drain for best results.

Or go the old fashioned way and drop a hose that is full of water in the remaining water and the other end of the hose lower down to the ground to siphon the remaining water and let gravity take it’s course to drain the rest of the water from the bottom of your tub. 

“There is a video further down this page demonstrating this scenario”

Clean The Interior Acrylic Shell:

Use a spa-chem hot tub cleaner or a good antibacterial cleaner such as diluted bleach or white vinegar to thoroughly clean the inside of your tub using a microfiber cloth,

Remove the headrests by prising them out carefully to clean and dry behind them before placing them back to prevent mould growth from any remaining water trapped behind the headrests.

Clean The Jet Openings:

Use a wet vac to either blow or suck the water from the jet pipes, Run a damp clean microfiber cloth around the jet openings to remove any build up of grime using a hot tub cleaner or a friendly cleaning detergent such as an all purpose cleaner,

Make sure to use a dry cloth afterwards to dry the surfaces and bring your jets to a shiny finish.

Remove All Filters and Clean:

Thoroughly clean your filters using a cartridge cleaner wand for best results, Keep your filters in a clean dry place until you next plan to use your hot tub,

Storing them will save your filters from rotting in the icy elements, “just don’t forget to put them back in your tub when you fire it up again”

Remove Water From All Drain Pipes and Jet Hoses:

Be sure to completely remove all water from all drain pipes, you should use a wet and dry vac to completely dry them to avoid biofilm bacteria and mould growth,

For the jet hoses it’s recommended to use a wet air vacuum to completely remove all the water left inside for best results as water can either freeze or go stagnant and cause mould inside the pipes.

Loosen Off Plumbing Pipes To Pump/s And Heater To Drain Any Remaining Water:

You can access the pump and heater via the access panel to the side of your tub, Loosen the plumbing fixtures off to allow remaining water inside the water pipes to drain off both your pump and heater,

Use a wet vac to blow any remaining water out of the plumbing pipes, The use your wet vac to suck any water left inside the pump before re-connecting the pipes up, some tubs come with a drain plug which you would also want to remove to drain any excess water left inside followed by using a wet vac to suck any remaining water out. “Video below demonstrating the process”

Remove Water From The Spa Blower – (If your hot tub has one fitted):

The spa blower can be located via the access panel, it is a component used to blow air through your hot tub jets,

Once your tub is completely empty it’s best to check there is no water left in the spa blower as this can cause the unit to fail after it has been left standing with water inside it that may freeze up resulting in damaged parts,

It’s best to turn of all the electrics to your tub, locate the spa blower and check for remaining water and remove it by turning your tub back on, shutting off the heater and running the spa blower for at least 30-40 seconds or so to ensure it’s dry inside.

Cover Up the Hot Tub Tightly With A Perfectly Clean Cover:

Clean your hot tub cover thoroughly with a spa cover cleaner, or use a soapy detergent and rinse & dry thoroughly before placing the cover back on as you don’t want to put the cover back on damp or wet as this will eventually cause mould and mildew to build up over time.

Then use your cover lid to cover up the tub whilst considering using a nice smelling fragrance to place inside for freshness.

Remove your lid from time to time on a nice dry day to give the tub fresh air to prevent stale air, mould and mildew building up causing bad smells.