How to Pack Away an Inflatable Hot Tub For Storage

You might need to pack away and store your inflatable hot tub for a number of reasons and this flexibility is one of their great advantages over fixed hard shell hot tubs. You can simply pack up an inflatable hot tub and move it, store it or set it up in another location.

However, one of the disadvantages of inflatable hot tubs is that they are rather prone to damage if they are not looked after carefully. If you pack an inflatable hot tub away without thinking about a few important issues then you could find that it’s unusable when you next want to set it up – not a situation that you really want to be in!So, how do you pack away and store an inflatable hot tub properly?

So, how do you pack away and store an inflatable hot tub properly? First, disconnect the electricity and then the motor/pump and drain and dry thoroughly. Drain the water from the hot tub. Clean and dry the hot tub liner very thoroughly. Deflate and sprinkle with talcum powder. Carefully fold and put in an airtight bag. Store in a dry place off the floor.

The main problems that you are likely to encounter when storing your inflatable hot tub are to do with low temperatures and damp.  If the hot tub is still damp when put into storage it’s highly likely that mold and mildew will start to grow and when you come to unpack it you might well find that you have a problem. Similarly, if there’s any water left in the pump/ motor housing and it’s allowed to freeze whilst in storage it’s possible that frost damage might occur.  Even frost damage to the liner could be possible as when it gets cold it goes very brittle and can deteriorate.

If you follow the detailed instructions below then you can be confident that when you unpack your hot tub it will be as good as new and ready to go. Depending upon the make of your hot tub you might find that some of the details are slightly different but the principle of the instructions below will be the same for all inflatable hot tubs.

When is the best time to pack up an inflatable hot tub?

If at all possible choose a warm and sunny day to take down the hot tub and pack it away.  This will make the job significantly easier and will help to ensure that there’s no water or dampness left in the liner when you put it into storage.  It’s almost impossible to successfully dry an inflatable hot tub properly on a damp or cold day so if you can, look at the weather forecast and choose a warm day with sunshine where you will be at home and have plenty of time to allow the inflatable hot tub to dry outside.

If it’s absolutely impossible to find a sunny day then you can do your best outside to dry the hot tub before bringing it inside to dry completely. Think carefully about where you will be able to lay the hot tub out and bear in mind that wherever you put it could end up getting rather damp.  It will need to be a warm room with good ventilation and you might need to lay out the hot tub for quite a while before it completely dries. The important thing is that you have space to regularly move and turn over the hot tub liner as it dries to keep the air circulating around it to prevent any risk of mold or mildew forming.

Don’t try to dry the hot tub in a cool garage or shed.  it will be extremely difficult to get rid of all the moisture in this type of atmosphere. Also, bear in mind that the hot tub liner will be quite heavy, particularly if it’s still wet, and you might need help to maneuver it around. At the very least make sure that it isn’t going to get torn or damaged on any sharp objects whilst it’s laid out to dry.

Disconnect the power

The first job is to disconnect the hot tub from the mains electricity.  Unplug the mains cable from the motor housing as well and put it away somewhere safe.  It’s a good idea not to just leave it around where you are packing up the hot tub as it could easily get wet, particularly during the draining process.

Disconnect the motor unit and filter housing

This next stage will vary slightly according to the make and model of your inflatable hot tub.  However, the aim with all models is to remove the filter housing and also to remove the motor unit from the hot tub body.  You will probably need to use the plugs that were supplied with your hot tub once you have removed the pipes. Once you have everything removed then wash out the pipes using a hosepipe and put them to one side to dry. Make sure that any other fitments are clean and washed out as well and put them safely with the pipes to dry. You might want to give them a wipe down with some old towels or something similar to speed up the drying process but if it is a really warm day putting the components out in the sunshine for an hour or so will do the job.

Flush out the motor and filter housing.

Use the hose pipe to flush water through the inlet valve of the motor unit. Leave the water running through the units for a few minutes. You might find that dirt and debris flows out and you should wait until the water is clear before switching it off.  Once the water has cleared, switch off the hose, pick up the motor unit and give it a little shake around to dislodge any loose particles of debris inside. Give the unit a final flush through to make sure that you have got rid of everything.

Once the hose is off again rotate the unit round to slosh out any remaining water from inside.  It’s really important that all the water is removed because if it happens to freeze whilst in storage it will seriously damage the motor unit. When you are sure that all of the water has drained out from inside the motor unit then take an old towel and dry it off as thoroughly as possible.  Again leaving it in warm sunshine will help the process.

You now need to do exactly the same with the filter housing.  Undo it and take the filter out. You will probably want to discard the old filter and start with a fresh one when you set up the hot tub again so take the filter out and throw it away.  

There’s a good selection of replacement filters on Amazon here.

Next, use the hose again and thoroughly flush out the filter housing making sure that you remove any dirt and debris. Once you are sure that the filter housing is clear, switch off the hose and give it a good shake round to remove the water and let it all drain out.  Again, use the old towel to dry off the filter housing as much as possible and then leave it out in the sunshine to fully dry out.

Drain the hot tub

We are now ready to actually drain all of the water out of the hot tub. Find the drainage valve on the hot tub and attach the hose to it so that you can direct the water to where you want it to go as it flows out of the hot tub.  If you haven’t got an attachment to allow you to use a hose, they are readily available on Amazon and from inflatable hot tub manufacturers. Once the hose is in place then allow the hot tub to drain. If you want to speed the process up you can use a sump pump either instead of using the hot tub drain plug and hose or in combination.  Depending on where the drain plug is on your hot tub you might find that a sump pump makes it easier to get the last bit of water out of those difficult corners.

Bear in mind that the water from your hot tub will probably be fairly heavily infused with chemicals. Chlorine or bromine aren’t particularly good for your plants or lawn so, if you have recently added more sanitizer or shocked the water in your hot tub it could be damaging to your plants. If you have pets also remember not to allow the water to create pools that they could potentially drink from as again this will not be good for them at all.  It’s also possible that your local area may not allow you to pour hot tub water down public drains so you will need to check out this as well.

Give your Inflatable hot tub a thorough clean

Once the water is drained this is a great opportunity to give your hot tub a really good clean.  You will need a soft cloth and also a water sprayer or squirter containing some warm water. You should find that with water and a cloth 99% of stains and dirt will be easily removed.  Pay particular attention to the area around the waterline which will probably be the most stained and also look for areas underneath the water level where dirt might have accumulated and you haven’t noticed.

For really stubborn marks or stains you can add a very mild detergent. Washing up liquid is fine and liquid hand soap works well too. Don’t use anything stronger than this as it could potentially damage the hot tub walls. It’s also really important not to use anything that is even mildly abrasive as this will cause damage too. Once you have washed everything down and you are sure that the hot tub is really clean then rinse it thoroughly with clear water.  It’s important that all traces of detergent are completely removed as, if they are left on the hot tub liner even during storage it could potentially cause problems with water chemistry when the hot tub is put back up again.

If using washing up liquid or hand soap with water won’t remove really bad stains from your inflatable hot tub then you can purchase special inflatable hot tub cleaning solutions.  Don’t use anything that isn’t specifically designed for use on an inflatable hot tub has this could potentially damage it.

If you have hot tub pillows or any other accessories then this is also a good time to clean them.  Again a mild detergent like washing up liquid or liquid hand soap and water works well with a soft cloth.  Just as you did before make sure that you wash off all traces of detergent with clear fresh water before drying  off with the old towel and then allowing to completely dry in the sunshine.

It’s also really important that you give your hot tub cover a good clean at this point as well.  Pay particular attention to the underside. When the hot tub cover is on the underneath of it traps the hot air and steam inside the hot tub.  As the steam rises it brings with it oils and dirt from the hot tub and deposits them on the underside of the cover. If this isn’t cleaned off it can create an oily film and when the steam condenses this oily film drips back into the hot tub water. Again, washing up liquid or liquid hand soap and a soft cloth should be enough to remove any problems and dirt from the cover.  If you find that the underside of the cover won’t come clean then a special spa cleaner will do the job.

Thoroughly dry the hot tub.

It’s best to do this step once the hot tub is completely empty and clean but still inflated as it will help you too see in all of the nooks and crannies and to make sure that the hot tub is completely dry.  It’s very hard to get an inflatable hot tub completely dry once it is deflated and starts crinkling up.

Start by getting rid of any accumulation of water that is left in the bottom of the hot tub.  You might need a helper to help you lift the hot tub body and angle the last bits of water towards the drain plug.  You could also use a sump pump to suck up the last bit of water as well. Once all of the water has drained you need to take time to thoroughly dry the hot tub using old towels.  Get into all of the folds and creases and really take your time over this. Any moisture that is left in the hot tub when it’s put into storage could easily lead to mould or mildew building up.

Once you have dried the hot tub as thoroughly as possible you can re connect the motor and briefly put the blower on.  This will evacuate any remaining water out of the jets. Again once you have done this dry up again with the towels.

Once the hot tub body is as dry as you can get it, leave it out in the sunshine for as long as possible to ensure that every last bit of moisture evaporates. Before moving onto the next stage, thoroughly check every single fold crease and nook and cranny to ensure that no moisture remains.

Deflate the hot tub

If you are lucky, you will be able to attach the inflation hose from the motor unit to the hot tub body and simply press deflate on the control panel. This should suck out all of the air from the hot tub and deflate the hot tub quickly and efficiently. If you don’t have this facility on your hot tub then you will need to pull out the inflation plug and gently press down on the hot tub to help the air escape – a bit like deflating a giant air bed.

Once it’s completely deflated you can then turn it over on a clean dry surface and make sure that the bottom of the hot tub is clean and dry as well. Choose where you do this very carefully and avoid standing on the hot tub as any sharp objects beneath could damage the liner. Once you are happy that the underneath of the hot tub is clean, dry it off with the old towel and allow to thoroughly dry in the sunshine.

This is a good point to check that you have all of the components and connectors together.  Look at every component of the hot tub and make sure that it is as clean as you can get it and completely dry.  For the smaller components make sure that they are collected together in a bag or box in a logical order ready for reassembly.

How to fold up an inflatable hot tub

Lay out the completely dry hot tub liner on a flat level surface and sprinkle it very lightly with talcum powder. This might sound like a slightly crazy thing to do but the talcum powder will soak up any tiny last bits of remaining moisture and will prevent hot tub liner material from sticking to itself whilst in storage.

You can now start folding up.  It’s a good idea to start from the side opposite the inflation valve so that as you fold any remaining air will be expelled.  If you are folding on the ground take care to avoid catching the hot tub liner on any stones or sharp objects and also avoid kneeling or treading on the liner.  You will probably not be able to fold the liner up as tightly as when it was new so you won’t be able to get it back in its box. This is fine and it’s a better idea to loosely fold the liner to avoid damaging it.

Once you have finished folding you will need an airtight bag or a tarpaulin to wrap around the liner so that it can be kept in an airtight environment during storage.  It’s really important that any damp air or moisture can’t get to the hot tub liner as this could cause mold or mildew problems.

Store the hot tub off the ground in a dry environment. A garage or outbuilding is ideal with the hot tub standing on a pallet or shelf above the ground where the air can circulate. Make sure that any mice or other vermin can’t get to the hot tub to either nibble it or make a nest in it.

If you carefully follow the advice above then, when you are ready to re inflate the hot tub and set it up again you shouldn’t have any problems. Remember to give it a good hose down with clean water to wash away any remaining talcum powder before refilling.

Can I use an inflatable hot tub over winter?

There’s no doubt about it – using a hot tub in winter is one of life’s great pleasures.  There really is nothing quite like sitting in lovely warm bubbly water with your body toasty warm and relaxed with your head out in the frosty air!  The combination of fresh winter weather and warm hot tub is fantastic. It also seems like the best idea, to get the best value out of your hot tub, that you keep it open and running all year round.

If where you live has relatively mild winters then keeping your inflatable hot tub going throughout the winter months won’t be a problem at all. However, once the temperature starts plunging towards freezing then things become a little bit more problematic.  In fact, inflatable hot tub manufacturers make it very clear that their inflatable hot tubs are not intended to be used in temperatures below 4 degrees Celsius as there is a significant risk of the water freezing inside the motor unit and causing irreparable damage.

Why is this?

Well, unlike more traditional hard shell hot tubs, inflatable hot tubs tend to have one power unit which is responsible for heating the water, circulating it and also blowing air into the hot tub.  The problem is that the unit can only do one of these things at a time. A traditional hard shell hot tub has a separate pump, heater and blower and so can do all of these things simultaneously. In cold weather,  if the inflatable hot tub can only do one at a time, there’s a significant risk of the water temperature decreasing quickly or the water remaining static rather than moving around which prevents it from freezing.  This makes the inflatable hot tub much more prone to freezing up than a traditional hard shell hot tub. Add to this the fact that an inflatable hot tub has very little insulation and you can see how the freezing issue  can arise.

So, the answer to the question about using an inflatable hot tub over winter is that you can use it without any modifications so long as the temperature does not drop too close to freezing and there is no risk of frost damage.  You cannot use an unmodified inflatable hot tub in sub-zero conditions.

However, there are some unofficial modifications that can be made to an inflatable hot tub to allow it to be used in sub-zero temperatures.  These modifications address the problem of not being able to pump the water round and heat it simultaneously. Usually, an additional heater is added to the hot tub so that the water can be kept at a constant temperature and can be kept moving by the hot tub pump.  If additional insulation is incorporated as well then using the inflatable hot tub in sub-zero winter temperatures becomes much more possible.

Bear in mind though that these modifications are not approved by manufacturers and that if you do modify your inflatable hot tub and use it during freezing temperatures then you are at risk of damaging it. You could also invalidate your warranty making it impossible to make a claim if anything goes wrong.

Summary

• Choose a nice warm sunny day to pack up your inflatable hot tub.
• Start by disconnecting the filter housing and the motor unit and flush these out and dry them thoroughly.
• Give the hot tub liner a thorough clean using warm water and washing or liquid or liquid hand sop before deflating it.
• Rinse the hot tub with clear water and then dry it thoroughly with old towels and in the sun until you are sure it is completely dry.
• Deflate the hot tub.
• Sprinkle the hot tub with talcum powder and fold towards the inflation plug
• Store in a dry place with good ventilation in an air tight bag.