Cleaning an auto cover

[DorsalSpine]

Having a service do this is getting expensive and I'm fully retired now so I have time on my hands. The Google consensus seems to be that Dawn works well for cleaning the cover. Any thoughts on an UV protectant? What I see at pool stores seems very over priced for what you get.

 

[ajw22]

Have you seen any pool cover manual recommend using a UV protectant?

 

[DorsalSpine]

Yes, cleaning the cover and adding a UV protectant is one of the services that Coverstar offers. I just have the time to do it myself now. I can purchase the cleaner and protectant from them but it's expensive for what you get. My guess is they are taking a bulk chemical and repackaging it. I can always buy it from them and try to source it once I see the label. I'll do that if I have to but it seems a waste. It feels like buying "shock" at a pool store instead of just buying bleach if you know what I mean.

 

[DorsalSpine]

Any thoughts? I'll bump this once and just leave it alone. I realize that an auto cover is not that common.

 

[JamesW]

You can clean it with just plain water.

There is usually no need to use any type of soap.

If you want to use a cleaner, I would suggest do as much with clean water as possible and then use a tiny amount of Pool Perfect as a cleaner to scrub the cover.

Note: Regular Plain Pool Perfect, not a combo product.

Pool Perfect - Natural Chemistry

naturalchemistry.com

 

[Jmen]

Auto cover here for past 18 years - never used any chemicals on it as they will end up in the pool. Toward end of swim season a squeegee (large one on a pole) is used for pushing leaves to far end as cover is retracted. Pressure washer is used once a year prior to closing. Dead crow doll from Amazon is tossed on cover in spring if Grackles decide the pool cover looks like a toilet.

Joe M in WV

 

[DorsalSpine]

Thanks for the input. I'm up to speed on cleaning the cover. I didn't know if a UV protectant would help with the fabric life.

 

[Jmen]

Our covers have averaged around eight years before needing replacement. Each failure was related to edge rope/binding failure rather than any degradation of the cover material. Binding failure on the first couple of covers was likely acellerated by user error (not power washing tracks in spring or monitoring plastic guides where cover enters track for wear).

Part of the original 18 year old cover still functions as a tarp over firewood storage structure. Other than being a bit dirty, the cover material remain functional without benefit of added U/V protection. Other portions of prior covers were used as weed barrier below on-ground decking and those pieces have remaind intact.

U/V protection may help if cover lasts more than a decade, but my experience is limited to a shorter use period. When we had a hot tub, Aerospace 303 was recommended to protect the vinyl cover. The hot tub cover remained fine with annual application of Aerospace 303 for the eight years we had it but I don’t believe the material on the hot tub cover was remotely similar to the heavy material used for the Aquamatic cover.

Joe M in WV