How to or Do you clean an automatic pool cover?

[skrichard]

Need some advice for one of my new homeowners who has an inground pool with automatic cover installed. The pool was closed and winterized by the sellers as part of the sale to my clients. First time pool owners and although I have a pool, I don't know the answer to their question, as my pool has a loop loc mesh cover. They want to know about maintenance and or cleaning the pool cover during the fall / winter months. Is it necessary , other than blowing the leaves off it? Should it be hosed periodically? Suggestions? Advice? The property is located in central IN and our pool season is generally late April/early May through early October.

 

[jjslinger]

My Aquamatic manual (http://www.aquamatic.com/New_homeowners_manual.pdf) says to clean with mild dishwashing soap bi-annually. One way to do that is to wet down the cover while closed, add some dishwashing liquid, use a nylon pool brush to gently scrub, then use the cover pump to get all the soap off before opening. Probably rinse a couple times and repeat to get all the soap off. Where I live, we don't close for the winter, so I'm not sure how to handle that. If you know the manufacturer, you could call them and ask for advice.

Don

 

[skrichard]

My Aquamatic manual (http://www.aquamatic.com/New_homeowners_manual.pdf) says to clean with mild dishwashing soap bi-annually. One way to do that is to wet down the cover while closed, add some dishwashing liquid, use a nylon pool brush to gently scrub, then use the cover pump to get all the soap off before opening. Probably rinse a couple times and repeat to get all the soap off. Where I live, we don't close for the winter, so I'm not sure how to handle that. If you know the manufacturer, you could call them and ask for advice.

Don

Thanks! I called my clients and asked them to look in the box of papers and manuals the previous owner left for them also.

 

[swimcmp]

Do not powerwash the cover. Natural chemistry has a cover cleaner that you can use also. Make sure to keep water off the cover

 

[JamesW]

I find that rinsing down with fresh water to be adequate as long as it is done frequently enough so that dirt, mold, algae, oil etc don't have a chance to become embedded and bonded to the vinyl. The cover should be kept clean and excess water should not be allowed to accumulate.

Cleaning
Rinse: Regularly rinse the cover off with a pump in place to remove water and contaminants. Even if the cover does not appear dirty, harmful chemical deposits can accumulate on top of the fabric and can cause premature fabric failure if the fabric is not rinsed regularly.

Stains: For stains, use a soft bristle brush and scrub the cover with fresh, clean water.
Oils and Stubborn Stains: For oils, such as suntan lotion, or stubborn stains that cannot be removed by scrubbing, use a small amount of non-detergent cleanser. Never use detergents on the vinyl. One of the most available non-detergent cleaners is Ivory® bar soap (not dish-washing liquid). Use the bar soap on a wet cloth and scrub the soiled area. Rinse well with fresh water.

Algae: For algae stains, especially black algae, use a mixture of water and Clorox® bleach. Use one (1) part Clorox to nine (9) parts water. Make sure you use Clorox, not the pool’s chlorine. You can apply this solution directly on the algae. Some algicides contain detergent and may damage the cover.

http://www.coverpools.com/files/docs/80 ... MANUAL.pdf

Note that anything left on top of the cover (such as soap etc.) can be transferred to the underside of the cover when the cover is rolled up on the reel. Then what is on the bottom of the cover can be transferred to the pool water when the pool cover is closed. Therefore, the cover should be as clean as possible when opening.