How to store a garden hose for winter
Updated: 22 October 2026
A wet 50 m hose feels twice as heavy as the empty coil you wheeled home, and frost turns trapped water into a silent splitter. How to store a garden hose for winter, and how to use it the rest of the year, is mostly about correct tap fit, releasing pressure, draining fully, and rewinding without teaching permanent kinks. Product ranking stays on the [garden hose 50m comparison](/hub/garden-watering/garden-hose-50m). A purchase through our links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
A wet 50 m hose feels twice as heavy as the empty coil you wheeled home, and frost turns trapped water into a silent splitter.
A wet 50 m hose feels twice as heavy as the empty coil you wheeled home, and frost turns trapped water into a silent splitter. How to store a garden hose for winter, and how to use it the rest of the year, is mostly about correct tap fit, releasing pressure, draining fully, and rewinding without teaching permanent kinks. Product ranking stays on the garden hose 50m comparison. A purchase through our links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Hose type | Fittings | Storage habit | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Hozelock Hozelock Cart Plus, 50 m Ultramax | Freestanding cart with 50 m hose | Connector set and nozzle | Drain before rewind and brace the frame before a hard pull | 7.4 | about £92.94 | View offer |
 Flexi Hose Flexi Hose black/blue, 100 ft expandable | Expandable, 100 ft class | Brass connectors; confirm BSP on a UK tap | Drain and bag it empty; do not leave it pressurised | 8.2 | about £29.99 | View offer | |
| Best value |  Faithfull Faithfull reinforced hose, 50 m | Reinforced PVC, 50 m | Hose only; you add the tap connector | Loose doorstep piles pinch the wall; use a reel or large loops | 8.1 | about £34.30 | View offer |
On this page
Fit the tap before you fight the hose
UK outdoor taps are usually ¾ inch BSP. Older houses may still use ½ inch. Measure the thread. Dual connectors cover most garden taps. Seat a fresh washer, hand-tighten, then a light further turn. Over-crushing a washer often leaks more than it seals.
Open the tap briefly with the gun closed, then open the gun away from your feet. Flush a new hose for about 30–40 seconds before you water salad leaves. If the joint drips only under pressure, reseat the washer. New taps and double-check valves belong with a plumber. Length choice is in the 50m garden hose buying guide.
Drain and depressurise every time
Close the tap first, open the spray gun, then disconnect so air can enter as water leaves. Walk the hose to a low point. On a cart, unwind enough length for water to run out before you rewind. A shut-off connector still needs the gun open, or a water slug stays trapped and can freeze.
Ice splits a water-filled hose. Expandables fail faster with a snagged jacket or a frozen core. A shed can still drop below zero. Guns, timers and soft nozzles belong indoors. A standard garden hose is not drinking-water grade. Do not use it for pet bowls, troughs or fish ponds unless the hose is approved for that.
Rewind 50 m without teaching permanent kinks
Walk the hose out straight, then rewind under light tension so layers sit flat. Brace a freestanding cart with your foot or the kickstand before a hard pull. Cart Plus reviews mention tip-over when the hose fights you. Drain before you wind. If the hose springs off the drum, restack rather than forcing a twist under the next turn.
Hang a bare coil in large loops. Tight doorstep piles pinch the wall, which is what Faithfull reviewers describe. An expandable should shrink into its bag. If it stays long, release the pressure and free the jacket from thorns or wire. Never leave it connected and pressurised. The construction fork is on expandable vs reinforced garden hose.
Winter checklist
Close the tap, open the gun, disconnect, and walk water out until the open end runs dry. Replace flattened washers before spring. Store guns, nozzles and timers indoors. Wash mud off the cart. Keep the empty hose off the ground in the driest place you have. A garage beats an open lean-to in a hard frost. An insulated tap cover, where you use one, is separate from disconnecting the hose.
During a temporary use ban, cans and rainwater remain the usual legal options. Check your water company’s notice. You can still drain and store the hose. If the tap freezes or needs a new double-check valve, call a plumber. Cart bracing is on the 50m hose reel cart page.
Common questions
How do I connect to a UK outdoor tap?
Match ½ inch or ¾ inch BSP with the right adapter or a dual outdoor connector, seat a washer, and test for drips under pressure before you walk the beds. Most UK outdoor taps are ¾ inch BSP. Older houses may still be ½ inch. Over-tightening the washer often leaks more than a firm hand-tight joint.
How do I drain 50 m of hose?
Close the tap, open the gun, disconnect, and walk or lift the hose so water runs to an open end. On a cart, drain before you rewind so you are not winding a water column. A shut-off connector still needs the gun open, or a slug of water stays trapped and can freeze later.
Can I leave the hose outside in winter?
Only if it is fully empty and protected from hard frost. Many sheds still freeze in a UK cold snap. Guns, timers and soft nozzles should come indoors. An empty hose on a reel in a garage is a safer place than an open lean-to when a hard frost is forecast.
Why does my expandable not shrink back?
Residual pressure, a blocked nozzle, or a snagged jacket keeps it long. Release pressure, open the gun so the core can contract, free the cover from thorns or fence wire, then store it empty. Do not leave an expandable connected and pressurised overnight.
How do I stop kinks on a reel?
Pull the hose out straight, drain it, then rewind under light even tension so each layer sits flat. Do not force a twisted layer under the next turn. If the hose springs off the drum, stop and restack. A kink left folded becomes a flow stop and a split point.
Why does my hose cart tip over?
Hard pulls on a freestanding frame without bracing tip the cart, especially with a wet hose. Put a foot on the base or use the kickstand, and avoid yanking a full hose sideways. Drain first so you are not hauling a water column off the drum.
Can I still fill a watering can during a hosepipe ban?
Usually yes. Cans and rainwater are the typical legal routes under a temporary use ban, but confirm on your water company’s notice. You can still drain and store the hose while a ban applies. You should not water the garden with the hosepipe until restrictions lift.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources for hosepipe bans, tap threads and hose use. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines captured for this comparison. No laboratory test. Last checked 22 October 2026.
- Ofwat — hosepipe bans and non-essential use bans (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Water Industry Act 1991, section 76 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- BBC Gardeners' World — best garden hoses (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Which? — five tips to care for your garden hose (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Hozelock — measure your tap and choose a connector (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Hozelock — water pressure for hoses (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Hozelock — garden hose guidelines for use (retrieved 22.10.2026)