Winter spa care: cover, filter and water
Keep the safety cover locked when the tub is not in use[16], and brush snow off the cover so the foam core is not carrying the load[22]. Clean the cartridge on the shorter schedule if the tub is busy: Pleatco says after a party and every two weeks with heavy use[3], and Jacuzzi says not to run the spa with the filter out[10]. We do not publish a drain-and-shut-down procedure. The manuals we cite do not give one recipe for every brand.
One product this answer points to
Listing title: hot tub cover lift, gray, rectangular, 96 inches.
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The cover is the winter part
- Lock it. CPSC says to use a locked safety cover whenever the spa is not in use, and to keep children away unless an adult is right there[16]. A solar blanket is not that cover. CPSC warns a child can slip through while a solar cover still looks like it is in place[17].
- Get the snow off. Hot Spring’s manual says to remove snow buildup to protect the foam core[22].
- Do not walk on it, sit on it, or cap it with a plastic tarp. The same manual says not to drag the cover by the flaps or lock straps, and not to put metal or heat-holding objects or a plastic tarp on it[22].
- Wind. Hot Spring says its cover and retractable systems are not recommended in winds above 25 mph (40 km/h). Extra cover-lock straps are the remedy it names where wind is the problem[22].
- Clean it monthly. Hose it, then a very mild soap solution on vinyl (Hot Spring’s quick-start figure is 1 teaspoon of dish soap in 2 gallons of water) with a soft brush, and rinse so the soap does not dry on the cover. The underside is water only, then wiped dry[21][22]. Conditioner that is for vinyl should not go on polyester[21].
Lifter clearance, if you are adding one before the cover gets heavier, is in cover lifters and cover care. Hot Spring’s lifters need 24, 14 or 7 inches behind the spa[20].
The filter, when the holidays fill the tub
Cold weather does not change the fitting. It changes how often people get in. Pleatco says a monthly clean is the usual maker recommendation, every two weeks with heavy use, and after a party[3]. Jacuzzi’s baseline is a weekly rinse and a deep clean every 4–6 weeks, shortened when use is heavy[10]. Hot Spring’s owner page says clean the cartridge monthly, and soak or replace it when you drain[7][8].
Keep the spare set Unicel, Pleatco and Jacuzzi describe, so the tub is not running bare while a cartridge soaks[4][1][10]. A clogged filter is not only a clarity problem: Hot Spring warns it can trip the high-limit and shut the spa off[9]. Look up the spare from the end cap: Hot Spring C-6430, Caldera C-7375, Sundance C-8326, Bullfrog 10-00282, or the homepage search. Replacement intervals, which are not the same number for every brand, are in how often to replace a filter.
Water and chemicals
CPSC says to keep spa water at 104°F or below[16]. Test before you add anything. CDC’s rash page says to check disinfectant and pH, with free chlorine at least 3 ppm, bromine 4–8 ppm, and pH 7.0–7.8[13]. Hot Spring’s own ranges are free chlorine 1–5 ppm, pH 7.2–7.8, total alkalinity 40–120 ppm and calcium hardness 75–150 ppm[18]. When those bands differ, the manual for that spa wins. The sequence is pH and alkalinity first, then sanitizer (bromine, chlorine or mineral) and shock.
Store the bottles the way CDC describes for pool chemicals, which it applies to hot tubs too: below 95°F, low humidity, out of sunlight, dry, each product in its own original labeled container, away from children[15]. A bin that gets rained or snowed on fails the “protect from getting wet” line. Never mix chlorine and acid[4][15]. Full notes: chemical safety and storage.
CDC treats cartridge replacement on the manufacturer’s schedule as part of controlling Legionella, and it says to scrub surfaces when the tub is drained[14]. Hot Spring’s fix for water that will not come right is often to drain, clean and refill[19]. That is a maintenance drain, not a set of winter shutdown steps.
What we will not invent
We do not publish a temperature to “set and leave,” an antifreeze dose, or a valve map for winterizing. Those steps belong to the manual for that spa. If the manual says the tub is built to run through the winter, follow that. If it says to drain, follow the drain procedure it prints, including where the lines have to be emptied. Our cited pages do not add a shortcut.
Buying the spare and the care products ahead of the guest weekends is the Black Friday filters and spa-care page, with the USPS and UPS dates on it. Giving the same things to someone else is gifts for hot tub owners 2026.
Cover, cleaner and test strips
Listings we checked
The note under each name is the listing title, not a sale price. Snow removal and the lock are still the manual’s job, not the bottle’s.
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Cover Valet Cover Rock-It Cover Lift (96 in) Listing title: hot tub cover lift, gray, rectangular, 96 inches.
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Leisure Time O Filter Clean Cartridge Cleaner Listing title: cartridge cleaner, 32 fl oz.
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AquaChek SPA 6-in-1 Test Strips Listing title: reads total bromine, total chlorine, free chlorine, pH, total alkalinity and total hardness.
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SpaGuard Enhanced Shock Listing title: Enhanced Shock, 2 lb.
Searches, because the right one depends on your cover or cartridge
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Hot tub cover wind straps Hot Spring says extra lock straps where wind is a problem. Match the clip and the length to your cover.
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Vinyl cover cleaner Hot Spring’s vinyl conditioner is not for polyester. Read the label for your cover.
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Your cartridge, by part number Better: search the number from the end cap on the homepage, then use the button on that cartridge page.
Questions
Should I remove snow from a hot tub cover?
Yes. Hot Spring’s manual says to remove snow buildup to protect the foam core. It also says not to walk or sit on the cover and not to put a plastic tarp over it.
Can I close the tub for the winter with these steps?
Not from this page. We do not publish a universal drain-and-winterize procedure. Follow the shutdown steps in your own spa’s manual.
How often do I clean the filter if people are in the tub all weekend?
Pleatco says to clean monthly, every two weeks with heavy use, and after a party. Jacuzzi shortens its weekly rinse when use is heavy. Keep a second cartridge so you are not running the spa with the filter out.
Where do the chemicals go in cold weather?
CDC says below 95°F, dry, out of direct sunlight, each chemical separate and in its original labeled container. A wet shed fails the “keep them dry” rule. Do not mix products together.
Sources
- Pleatco Catalog & Cross Reference Guide: filter care FAQ
- Pleatco FilterWash information sheet
- Unicel: Maintenance & FAQ
- Hot Spring Spas: Maintenance Tips
- Hot Spring Spas: How Do Hot Tub Filters Work?
- Hot Spring Hot Spot Collection Owner’s Manual (2026)
- Jacuzzi: Hot Tub Filter Cleaning Made Easy
- CDC: Preventing Hot Tub Rash
- CDC: Controlling Legionella in Hot Tubs
- CDC: Pool Chemical Safety (applies to pools, hot tubs and spas)
- CPSC: Warning for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs (safety tips)
- CPSC: Prevent Child In-Home Drowning Deaths (Pub. 5013)
- Hot Spring: How do I choose the right spa chemicals for my hot tub?
- Hot Spring: Hot Tub Water Care & Troubleshooting
- Hot Spring: Hot Tub Cover Lifters
- Hot Spring: Hot Spot Collection Quick Start Guide (2024)
- Hot Spring Hot Spot Collection Owner’s Manual, 50 Hz (2024): cover care
This guide summarizes published manufacturer and public-health guidance; always follow your own spa’s owner’s manual. See our disclaimer.