Using your hot tub during the winter can be extremely relaxing and a great way to escape from the lingering chill. While hot tubbing in the winter can provide a few challenges, follow these tips to make the most out of your relaxing, winter soaks.
- Keep up with your maintenance. You don’t want to be doing a large amount of work on your hot tub during the winter, so make sure to keep up with your chemicals and cleaning to avoid having to do a lot of work at once. For more tips on maintaining your spa in the winter, have a look at our guide here.
- Have an entrance and exit strategy. You probably don’t want to be trekking through a 4 foot pile of snow to get to your hot tub. If you don’t have a covered hot tub area or a gazebo, make sure to keep a clear path to and from your hot tub.
- Dress appropriately. You may be soaking in hot water, but it’s still winter and your poor ears are getting the brunt of that ice cold wind.
- Wear a warm hat or some stylish ear muffs to keep your ears and head nice and toasty warm
- Use sandals to walk from your house to the hot tub and back. The ground is likely quite freezing and you’ll want to protect your toes from frostbite, not to mention the cold ground after soaking in the hot water will give you quite the shock!
- Have a robe to keep you warm on your way to the hot tub and for when you’re getting out of the spa - you’ll find the temperature change, especially after getting out of the hot tub and going into the frigid air, can be a serious shock to the system and you’ll be running for the indoors if you aren’t prepared
- Look at getting a cover lifter. The last thing you want to do is mess with the cover when it’s chilly outside and all you want to do is get soaking in the hot water. A cover lifter will save you time removing your cover as well as provide a safe space away from the cold, wet snow and ice for storage
- Remember to stay hydrated. Even though it feels chilly on the ears, your body is warming up quite substantially and it’s easy to get dehydrated from the heat. Bring a water bottle with you and make sure to keep sipping the water during your relaxing soak to avoid potential dehydration.
- Avoid overheating. It may seem silly, but it’s easy to stay a little too long in the hot tub during the winter and get a bit too hot. Try to limit your hot tubbing to about 20 minutes in the winter, as the shock from hot to severe cold when you get out of the spa can be a serious shock to your body. If at any point you start feeling too warm, dizzy, or just not right, take a break or get out of the spa for the day. Also remember our previous tip for safe hot tubbing - bring a glass of water in the spa with you and make sure to keep hydrated at all times.
Many people prefer hot tubbing the in this wonderfully cool weather and it’s easy to enjoy as long as you follow a few simple steps to keep safe and prepare. Enjoy your spa!