SPA-MART Spa Cover Care Instructions
Proper care helps your spa cover last longer, maintain its appearance, protect its foam cores, and continue insulating your spa effectively. Most spa cover problems can be reduced or prevented with regular cleaning, balanced water chemistry, careful handling, and protection from unnecessary weight and heat.
These instructions apply to both SPA-MART SpaLux marine-grade vinyl and WeatherGuardian 600-denier outdoor polyester fabric covers unless otherwise noted.
Quick Care: Do & Don’t
Do
- Clean your cover every 1–3 months, depending on sun exposure and environmental conditions.
- Clean both the top and underside of the cover.
- Use 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner or mild detergent and water.
- Apply the appropriate exterior protectant after every regular cleaning.
- Remove the cover completely at least once per week and stand it vertically on edge until trapped water has drained.
- Maintain properly balanced spa water.
- Leave the cover open for at least 15 minutes after most chemical additions and at least 30 minutes after shocking the spa.
- Remove snow, standing water, leaves, and other weight promptly.
- Secure all tie-down straps and locking hardware whenever the spa is not in use.
- Inspect the cover regularly and address damage promptly.
Don’t
- Do not sit, stand, walk, or jump on the cover.
- Do not lift or carry the cover primarily by the handles, skirts, tie-down straps, or hinge.
- Do not place heavy objects, chemical containers, tools, planters, toys, or décor on top of the cover.
- Do not use abrasive cleaners or cleaning tools.
- Do not use petroleum-based cleaners, solvents, or chlorine bleach.
- Do not pressure wash the cover.
- Do not use sharp-edged tools to remove snow or debris.
- Do not expose the cover to excessive heat.
- Do not force, twist, drag, or improperly fold the cover.
Recommended Maintenance Schedule
Every 1–3 Months
- Clean the exterior and underside.
- Allow cleaned surfaces to air dry.
- Reapply the appropriate exterior protectant.
- Inspect the cover for wear or damage.
Covers receiving greater sun exposure should generally be maintained closer to the one-month end of this range.
At Least Once Per Week
Remove the cover completely from the spa and stand it vertically on edge, perpendicular to its normal position on the spa, until trapped water has finished draining.
Because a spa cover is a sewn product, some moisture can enter through seams on the top and through weep holes on the underside. Regular drainage helps prevent unnecessary moisture accumulation.
At Least Twice Per Year
Unzip the outer covering and clean the area just inside the zipper. This area can collect moisture and may develop mildew.
As Needed
- Remove snow, standing water, leaves, bird droppings, tree sap, pollen buildup, and other debris.
- Rinse away chemical spills immediately.
- Repair damaged vapor barriers.
- Flip a bowed foam core if water begins pooling on the cover.
- Address damaged straps, stitching, exterior material, or internal components.
How to Clean Your SPA-MART Spa Cover
Use 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner or a mild detergent mixed with water.
A soft cloth, sponge, or soft-bristle brush may be used. Avoid abrasive pads, stiff brushes, or other materials that can scratch or wear the surface.
Clean both the exterior and underside as part of the normal 1–3 month maintenance schedule. Allow the underside to air dry after cleaning.
Pressure washing is not recommended.
For SpaLux Marine-Grade Vinyl
After the exterior has been cleaned and is dry, apply 303 Aerospace Protectant.
For WeatherGuardian Outdoor Polyester Fabric
After the exterior has been cleaned and is dry, apply 303 Fabric Guard.
Protectant should be reapplied at every regular maintenance interval. Think of it much like sunscreen: exposure gradually reduces its protection, so regular reapplication helps protect the material over time.
Customers may use other mild, material-safe products instead of 303 products. Avoid harsh chemicals, petroleum-based products, solvents, bleach, and abrasives.
Mold and Mildew Cleaning
If mold or mildew requires stronger cleaning, a weak ammonia solution may be used. A mixture of approximately 20 parts water to 1 part ammonia is appropriate.
After treatment:
- Rinse the area thoroughly with clean water.
- Allow it to air dry.
- Do not use chlorine bleach, solvents, or abrasive cleaners.
Protect the Cover From Spa Chemicals
Proper water chemistry is one of the most important parts of spa cover care.
Maintain properly balanced spa water according to your spa and chemical manufacturers’ recommendations.
After adding most spa chemicals, leave the cover open for at least 15 minutes to allow concentrated chemical vapors to dissipate.
After shocking the spa, leave the cover open for at least 30 minutes.
If the underside of the cover begins to look unusually aged or porous, review your chemical routine and consider leaving the cover open longer after chemical applications.
Chemical containers, tablets, dispensers, and wet chemical tools should never be placed on top of the cover.
If chemicals are accidentally spilled or splashed onto the cover, rinse the affected area promptly with clean water.
Remove Snow, Water, and Excess Weight
Standing water, snow, and other accumulated weight should be removed as soon as practical. Excess weight can damage or break the foam cores.
For snow removal, a broom is the preferred tool.
Never use a shovel, scraper, or other sharp-edged tool that could puncture or tear the cover.
Never sit, stand, walk, or jump on a spa cover. A spa cover is not designed to support the weight of an adult, and doing so can break the foam cores.
Never Place Objects on the Cover
Avoid placing heavy objects, planters, décor, tools, toys, chemical containers, or other items on top of the spa cover.
In addition to adding weight, objects can act as heat sinks, trapping or concentrating heat in a localized area. This can permanently damage the cover and may even melt or deform the foam core.
Keep pets and wildlife off the cover whenever possible. Claws, teeth, and animal weight can puncture the exterior or damage the internal structure.
Handle the Cover by Its Structure
Spa cover handles, skirts, and tie-down straps are not intended to carry the full weight of the cover.
Covers may become heavier as they age, and repeatedly lifting them by these components can cause stitching or attachment points to tear.
Whenever possible, grip the cover around the structural foam core inside the outer covering and apply lifting or moving force there.
Also:
- Do not drag the cover across abrasive surfaces.
- Do not lift or pull the cover by the center hinge.
- Avoid twisting or over-folding the hinge.
- Do not force the cover when it resists normal movement.
- Use cover lifters carefully, as they can place additional stress on the cover.
Store the Cover Carefully
When the cover is removed from the spa for an extended period:
- Keep it off the ground.
- Keep it away from abrasive surfaces.
- Avoid unnecessary prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
- Position it so the foam cores are not bent, crushed, or deformed.
Tie-Down Straps and Hardware
Tie-down straps and locking hardware should be properly installed and secured whenever the spa is not in use.
Periodically inspect:
- Tie-down straps
- Buckles
- Locks
- Mounting hardware
Replace or repair damaged components promptly.
These features should never be considered a substitute for responsible adult supervision around a spa.
In locations that regularly experience high winds, consider using an aftermarket wind-strap system for additional protection.
Foam Core and Vapor Barrier Care
The foam cores inside a spa cover are enclosed in plastic vapor barriers designed to limit moisture absorption.
If you discover a tear in the plastic vapor barrier, repair it promptly using an acrylic adhesive tape.
A small amount of visible condensation inside the vapor wrap does not necessarily indicate a problem. SPA-MART’s sealing process can be tight enough that a small amount of moisture present during manufacturing remains trapped and later appears as condensation inside the wrap.
What to Do if a Foam Core Bows
If a foam core develops a downward bow and water begins pooling on top of the cover, the core can be removed and flipped over.
Reinstalling the foam core with the bow facing upward can help restore proper drainage.
There is no need to routinely flip foam cores if bowing is not present.
Signs It May Be Time to Replace Your Spa Cover
A new spa cover generally weighs approximately 40–80 pounds, depending on its size, exterior material, foam density, and other construction options.
WeatherGuardian fabric is lighter than vinyl, and lower-density foam cores weigh less than higher-density cores.
Over time, moisture may gradually enter the foam cores. It is not uncommon for an older cover to eventually weigh twice as much as it did when new.
Signs that replacement may be appropriate include:
- Significant increases in weight
- Sagging or badly bowed foam cores
- Broken foam cores
- Cracked, torn, or badly deteriorated exterior material
- Failed or badly damaged vapor barriers
- A deteriorated or porous underside
- Reduced insulation performance
- Extensive structural wear
Waterlogged foam cores can sometimes be dried rather than replaced. However, the drying process can take a month or longer, and new vapor barriers must then be installed. Contact SPA-MART Customer Service if you would like more information about this process.
Spa Cover & Hot Tub Cover FAQs
Everything you need to know about choosing, measuring, and caring for your spa cover.
Clean the exterior and underside every 1–3 months. Covers receiving strong sun exposure or harsh environmental exposure should generally be maintained more frequently.
SPA-MART recommends 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner or a mild detergent mixed with water. Use a soft cloth, sponge, or soft-bristle brush.
Avoid abrasives, petroleum-based cleaners, solvents, chlorine bleach, and pressure washers.
For SpaLux marine-grade vinyl, SPA-MART recommends 303 Aerospace Protectant.
For WeatherGuardian 600-denier polyester fabric, SPA-MART recommends 303 Fabric Guard.
Apply the appropriate protectant after each regular cleaning once the exterior surface is dry.
Exterior protection wears away gradually through exposure to sunlight and weather. Much like sunscreen, it must be reapplied regularly to continue providing effective protection.
Yes. Clean the underside as part of the same 1–3 month maintenance schedule and allow it to air dry afterward.
A spa cover is a sewn product. Moisture can naturally enter through seams and other openings.
Removing the cover and standing it vertically on edge gives trapped water an opportunity to drain from the cover.
Leave it in that position until the water has finished draining.
Leave the cover open for at least 15 minutes after most chemical additions.
After shocking the spa, leave it open for at least 30 minutes.
This allows concentrated chemical vapors to escape rather than remaining trapped against the underside of the cover.
Yes. Improper water chemistry and repeated exposure to concentrated chemical vapors can prematurely age the underside and other cover components.
Maintain properly balanced spa water and allow adequate ventilation after chemical treatments.
Rinse the affected area promptly with clean water.
Do not leave chemical containers, tablets, dispensers, or wet chemical tools sitting on the cover.
No. Chlorine bleach is not recommended.
If needed, use a weak ammonia solution of approximately 20 parts water to 1 part ammonia, then rinse thoroughly with clean water and allow the area to air dry.
No. Pressure washing is not recommended because concentrated water pressure can damage the exterior material, stitching, seams, and other components.
Use a broom rather than a shovel whenever possible.
Sharp-edged tools can puncture, tear, or otherwise damage the cover. Remove snow promptly because excessive weight can damage the foam cores.
No. Never sit, stand, walk, or jump on a spa cover.
The cover is not designed to support the weight of an adult, and doing so can break the foam cores.
Objects can add damaging weight and may also act as heat sinks. Localized heat buildup can permanently deform or even melt the foam cores.
Keep planters, décor, tools, toys, chemical containers, and other objects off the cover.
The handles are useful for positioning the cover, but they should not be used as the primary means of lifting or carrying its full weight.
Whenever possible, grip around the structural foam core inside the cover and lift from there.
The same caution applies to skirts, tie-down straps, and the center hinge.
Yes. Some cover lifters can place additional stress on the cover, hinge, or attachment areas. Use any lifter carefully and avoid configurations that bend, pull, or distort the cover.
Yes. Moisture and condensation on the underside of a spa cover are normal because the cover sits directly above warm spa water.
Not necessarily.
A small amount of moisture can be trapped inside the vapor barrier during manufacturing. Because SPA-MART’s vapor-barrier sealing is very effective, that moisture may later condense and become visible inside the wrap.
A small amount of visible condensation by itself does not mean the foam core has failed.
Repair the tear promptly with acrylic adhesive tape. Keeping the vapor barrier intact helps reduce moisture infiltration into the foam.
If the foam core bows downward and begins allowing water to pool, remove the core, flip it over, and reinstall it so the bow faces upward.
There is no need to flip the foam cores as routine annual maintenance.
Foam cores can gradually absorb moisture over time.
New spa covers typically weigh approximately 40–80 pounds, depending on their construction. An aging cover can sometimes weigh twice as much as it did when new due to moisture absorption.
Sometimes.
Drying a foam core can take a month or longer. Once dry, it will also require a new vapor barrier before being returned to service.
Contact SPA-MART Customer Service for more information about foam-core drying and vapor-barrier replacement.
Consider replacement when you notice substantial weight gain, broken or sagging foam cores, extensive exterior deterioration, damaged vapor barriers, a badly aged underside, or reduced insulation performance.
The condition of the cover is a better replacement indicator than a fixed number of years.
Need Help?
If you have questions about cleaning, maintenance, vapor-barrier repair, waterlogged foam cores, or another spa cover care issue, contact SPA-MART Customer Service. We’ll be happy to help you determine the best next step.