With winter already here, many homes are starting to warm up their spas, only to find out that over the summer, a level of neglect has led to the spa being a little bit of an unusable state! Don’t think that you’re alone, this has happened to a lot of Australian homeowners, I mean, who would want to go hot tubbing during the summer right?

Don’t worry too much though, we have a couple of tips and tricks up our sleeves that will take your spa back up to amazing condition to warm you up during those cold winter nights in under 24 hours!

Unlike swimming pools, it is perfectly safe to completely drain your spa if you want to have it in top condition in no time. Depending on the actual condition of your spa, you can save water by shocking your spa water and rebalancing it, but for the purposes of this post, let’s just assume that the spa stood there neglected and it’s beyond shocking and rebalancing, and that draining is the only way to go about it. So go ahead, drain your spa, wipe down and dry all of the surfaces with a soft and lint-free cloth.

Now, the first thing you should do is take out your filter and make sure that it’s ready to tackle the spa use over the winter without needing a replacement. Physically check the filter for any damage and if there isn’t any then you’re in luck. All you need to do is to give the spa cartridge filter a good soaking in some filter cleaning solution overnight and it should be as good as new the next day! If you do spot some damage then you may want to think about getting a new spa cartridge filter element to enjoy uninterrupted use of your spa over the winter.

Want an affordable spa filter element replacement but don't know where to start? Click here to see our guide to see how to measure your cartridge filter element and determine the proper replacement.

One thing that many spa owners forget is to clean the pipes in their spa. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t think about this as well, since the pipes are out of sight, it’s really easy to forget that they’re there and they need your attention. Lucky for us, there’s a product from Lo-chlor called the pipe klenz that can melt away algae, bacteria colonies, and other gunk from your spa’s pipes without the need to manually get in there and use some sort of tool to clean out the pipes.

Simply fill up the spa according to the instructions on the bottle (don’t add other spa chemicals yet!), add the required amount of Pipe Klenz, leave it running for 2 hours and then drain the spa. For good measure add some more water after draining then drain again to flush for good measure. Now your spa should be pristine inside and outside!

Now that the spa is clean, it’s time to refill the spa and balance the chemicals. Now before you go ahead and add your regular spa chemicals, have you ever thought about converting your spa into a chlorine-free and bromine-free spa? Since you’re already starting from scratch (remember our assumption earlier?) Anyway, we have a really interesting post on chlorine-free and bromine-free spas that you can check out here. But in a nutshell, it’s easier to maintain than a spa that uses traditional chemicals, it’s much milder on the skin, and it has none of the fumes and downsides that come with traditionally chlorinated spas!

Once you’ve started up your spa for the winter season, it’s a pretty straightforward thing to keep it in shape.

• Circulate your spa water once a day, turn on the spa for at least an hour (if you have a timer, then even better) this will ensure that your spa chemicals are properly circulated and that nothing grows and thrives in your spa while not being used.
• Test and balance your spa’s water once a week to ensure that the water stays clean and has enough power to sanitise your spa. If you have a non-chlorine spa that’s maintained with the Lo-chlor system then simply dose the spa with the recommended amount, no more calculations!
• Don’t forget to clean your spa covers on a regular basis as well! Unknown to many, a lot of contaminants grow on spa covers, and if it’s placed on top of your clean spa? Well, that’s a good source of contaminants right there!

• Rinse down or give your spa filter a good cleaning once a month, this should ensure maximum filtration power to catch the oils, dirt, and other contaminants in your spa. We recommend using the Lo-Chlor Filter cleaning spray for this task. Not only does it melt away any gunk on your filter almost instantly, but it’s very economical as well! No need to use a whole bottle to soak your filter, all you need is a few spritzes and the gunk goes the way of the dodo bird!

• Use a spa disc or an anti-foaming chemical regularly on your spa to prevent scum lines and get rid of annoying and icky foam in your spa. Remember, due to the spa’s size, even two or three people using the spa at the same time can deposit enough body oils, lotions to cause foaming and scum lines to develop!

• Make sure that you have a nice drink ready whenever you use the spa. Although not essential in any spakeeping manual, a nice refreshing drink while enjoying the spa will make the whole experience more enjoyable!

While it may sound like a lot of work, getting your spa ready in time for the winter is a rewarding task in itself! Not only will you be warm yourself during the chilly night, but it can be an excellent thing for mental health, especially now with the pandemic still raging in many parts of the world!

Thinking of having a pool built? Check out Mr Pool Man's blog for expert tips on building your dream pool.

• Questions to ask your Builder
• How to get your swimming pool ready for summer
• The Final Touches – Getting Everything Else Ready for Summer