Your hot tub care should start with your spa cover as it’s exposed to elements all year round. Rain, snow, ice, and even the sun’s rays can affect the quality of your hot tub cover. Covers for hot tubs can last a while if maintained properly, however, abuse, accidents, neglect and normal wear-and-tear are all results of a lack of appropriate spa maintenance.
Here’s what you need to know when looking to get the best possible usage out of your hot tub, along with chemicals in products you should avoid.
The first step in cleaning covers for hot tubs
One of the more common reasons spa covers fade, crack, or deteriorate is because of the use of improper cleaning products. Abrasive cleaners strip clear the top coating of the vinyl resulting in these problems. Try to avoid any products that contain: Alcohol, bleach, detergent, dish soap, and oil due to vinyl being similar to leather.
Start your cleaning process by wetting down the cover with a garden hose to help loosen the dirt. Once the water has run off, apply a non-abrasive cleaner to your sponge or cloth and start wiping. For tough areas, try leaving the cleaner on for 1-3 minutes before wiping away. Tree sap and pitch can be easily removed with a little margarine or olive oil to the affected area.
Cleaning and preventing moss and mildew
After the winter months, you may find moss or mildew starting to grow on your cover, even in the zipper and stitching. Be sure to treat the area after removal with specific products that prevents the fungi from growing back. If the mildew is inside the vinyl jacket there are some things you can do to remove it:
- Clean the inside of the jacket with a non-abrasive and a soft brush
- Clean the core’s plastic vapour barrier
- Spray surfaces with a garden hose
- Towel-dry all surfaces, Give one to two hours of sunlight exposure but keep foam core in shade while drying
Hot tub maintenance done right
When adding chemicals to your hot tub be sure to leave the cover open for at least 30 minutes to allow the chemicals to oxidize, circulate and prevent odour build-up on the underside of the cover. Damage caused by over-chlorination or bromination, excessive ozone contact, and imbalanced water chemistry are all major contributors to cover failure.
Be sure to test and balance your hot tub water weekly, by keeping the alkalinity between 80ppm-120ppm and a pH between 7.2-7.8. Covers for hot tubs should be inspected regularly for tears, cuts, holes or pokes to prevent the foam cover from absorbing water which makes it heavier and harder to lift.
Feel free to come and talk to us about any of your hot tub problems. Niagara Hot Tubs is a family-owned and operated hot tub retailer serving the Niagara region since 2000. We are a full-service dealer that offers water care products, parts, and accessories, as well as a repair service. Our A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau demonstrates our commitment to customer service before, during, and after the sale.
2 Comments
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Great share! thanks for posting. I would like to know how often should tub covers be replaced?
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Hi Nick, hot tub covers should be replaced when the inner foam core becomes completely waterlogged and loses its insulating value.
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