When I had Rubbermaid containers for my lye baths, I dumped the outdoor baths for the winter. <High risk of cracking during hard freeze>. With my barrels, I left them intact last winter, and will again this winter.
My electro's will be emptied.
For 3 years running, I kept a tank deicer in the electro... was an exercise in futility, as it never got warm enough to operate it.
So,,, this year... will empty both.
I do have a heated 16 gal feed bucket/tub that I have kept plugged in during the winter, in the garage filled with lye. Not sure if I'll set it up this winter.
If I absolutely must clean smalls, then I set up a 5 gal lye bath and the Evaporust in a boot tray in the kitchen, to get me thru the cold winter months. :) :)