The quick answer
- Drain it the right way first. Let sanitizer levels drop, then send the water to a lawn or the sewer cleanout where local rules allow, never to a storm drain.
- Split it into parts. The vinyl or PVC shell, the pump and heater unit, the cover, the filters and any leftover chemicals each go to a different place.
- The shell is trash. Once it is dry, deflated and folded or cut down, a spa liner usually goes in the trash or to a transfer station. Curbside recycling programs rarely take it.
- The pump unit is electrical. Take the control box, heater and blower to an electronics or small appliance drop-off, or ask a scrap yard.
- Chemicals go to household hazardous waste. Unused chlorine, bromine and pH products should not go in the trash.
Can it be patched, sold or reused?
Before you throw an inflatable spa away, check whether the problem is small. Many leaks are a pinhole or a seam you can find with soapy water and close with the patch kit that came in the box. A pump that won’t heat may only need a cleaned filter or a reset of its safety plug. If the tub still works, a local resale or free listing often finds a taker fast, especially in spring.
A tub that is beyond saving can still give a little more. The thick liner material makes a decent ground sheet, a drop cloth or a cover for a woodpile, and the foam floor mat or thermal ground cloth can be reused under a new tub or in a garage.
Draining the water
- Stop adding sanitizer a few days before you drain, and leave the cover off so chlorine can dissipate. Test the water; many local rules want sanitizer close to zero before you drain anywhere outdoors.
- Know where it can go. Many cities allow a slow drain onto your own lawn, where the water can soak in, or into the house sewer cleanout. Most do not allow spa water into the street, a gutter or a storm drain, because storm drains often lead straight to creeks without treatment. Bromine treated water and salt water systems may need extra care, so ask your local water or public works office.
- Drain slowly. Use the built-in drain valve and a garden hose, and spread the outlet around the yard so water doesn’t run onto a neighbor’s lot or the sidewalk.
- Dry it. Wipe out the last puddles and let the shell air-dry fully before folding, or it will mildew and smell in the bag.
Leftover chemicals and filters
- Chlorine, bromine and shock. Keep them in their original containers with the lids tight, and never mix products. Take them to a household hazardous waste program; our page on turning in leftover pool chemicals explains how these drop-offs usually work.
- pH and alkalinity products, test strips and clarifiers. If they are still good, give them to a neighbor with a spa. Otherwise, ask your HHW program which ones they want.
- Filter cartridges. Used paper or fabric cartridges generally go in the trash. Let them dry first so the bag isn’t heavy and wet.
Break it into parts
- Unplug the unit and disconnect the pump and heater from the tub’s ports.
- Separate the pieces: the shell, the pump and control unit, the cover, the ground mat, the filters, the hose and any bags of chemicals.
- Pull off small hardware such as metal valves or clips if your scrap yard or recycling program takes them.
- Cut the shell down if it won’t fold small enough. A sharp utility knife or heavy shears will slice through the walls; cut away from your body and work on the ground.
Where each part goes
- Vinyl or PVC shell: household trash if it fits in your cart and your hauler allows it, or a transfer station or landfill as bulky household waste. Some hauler programs set a weight or size limit per bag, so cut it into smaller pieces if needed.
- Pump, heater and control box: an electronics recycling drop-off or a small appliance collection. Some scrap yards accept them for the motor and wiring. Our guide to small appliance disposal covers how these sites sort electrical items, and where to dump electronics lists the usual options.
- Cover: soft inflatable spa covers are usually trash. A rigid foam cover from a hard-shell tub is a different job; see disposing of a hot tub cover.
- Chemicals: household hazardous waste.
- Filters, hose and small plastic parts: trash, unless your program lists them.
Use Dumpmapper to find a transfer station, landfill or drop-off near you, then check what the site accepts before you load up.
Bagging and hauling
- Fold or roll the dry shell tightly and tie it, or cut it into pieces that fit in heavy contractor bags.
- Carry the pump unit upright so leftover water doesn’t drip out, and tape over any open ports.
- Keep chemical containers in a separate box, upright, away from the passenger area.
- Tie down the load so a light, loose liner can’t blow out of a truck bed.
What not to do
- Do not drain spa water into a storm drain, street or creek.
- Do not burn the liner or cover; PVC smoke is harmful.
- Do not put pool chemicals in the trash or pour them down a drain.
- Do not toss the pump in the trash cart without checking; some states and cities ban electronics and appliances from household trash.
- Do not put the shell in the recycling cart unless your program clearly says it takes it.
Inflatable hot tub FAQ
Can I throw an inflatable hot tub in the trash?
The dry vinyl or PVC shell usually can go in the trash or to a transfer station once it is folded or cut down. Take the pump and heater unit to an electronics or appliance drop-off instead.
Are inflatable hot tubs recyclable?
The liner rarely is, because it is a coated plastic that curbside programs do not take. Metal parts and the pump unit have a better chance at a scrap yard or electronics recycler.
Where can I drain an inflatable hot tub?
Let the sanitizer fade first, then drain slowly onto your lawn or into the sewer cleanout where local rules allow. Do not drain it into a street, gutter or storm drain.
What do I do with the hot tub pump?
Unplug it, let it drain, and take it to an electronics or small appliance recycling site. Some scrap yards accept it for the motor and wiring.
How do I get rid of leftover hot tub chemicals?
Keep them sealed in their original containers and take them to a household hazardous waste program. Never mix them or pour them down a drain.
Can I fix a leaking inflatable hot tub instead?
Often, yes. Find the leak with soapy water and use the patch kit that came with the tub. Seam leaks and pump faults are the usual reasons a tub is retired.
The bottom line
Try a patch or a resale first. If the tub is done, let the sanitizer fade, drain the water to the lawn or sewer as local rules allow, and let it dry. Then split it up: the shell and filters to the trash or a transfer station, the pump and heater to an electronics or appliance drop-off, and any leftover chemicals to household hazardous waste.