Solar Pool Cover Cleaning and Maintenance Guide

Solar pool covers can also be referred to as solar pool blankets. Their function is to ensure your pool water maintains a certain temperature level by preserving the heat in the pool water and heating the water if its temperature is lower than it should be. Solar pool covers are usually used for both inground and above-ground pools. They heat the pool water through the Sun’s rays. Like other equipment, if you intend to use the solar pool cover for an extended period, you should know how to maintain it to keep it in good condition and enhance its durability.

You should know some maintenance tips to make your job easier and the materials needed to clean your pool cover. Then, the cleaning process follows suit. What are these tips?

Pre-Cleaning Tips for Your Solar Pool Cover

• For easier cleaning, go for lighter pool covers instead of darker and heavier ones.
• Avoid using hard brushes and harsh soaps to clean the solar pool cover. Instead, use mild soaps, a soft brush, and water.
• Ensure the chlorine concentration of your pool isn’t over three ppm. If it is, it can ruin your pool cover.

How Frequently Should the Pool Cover Be Cleaned?

You should know that when used on your pool, your solar pool cover comes in constant contact with the chemicals in the pool, and this can reduce its longevity if not cleaned as when due. For best efficiency, we recommend cleaning your solar pool cover 2-4 times a year. This means nothing less than once in 6 months, but you can clean it more frequently than that. Cleaning the solar pool cover less than twice a year will result in wear and tear, which may require you to replace the existing pool cover with a new one, an additional expense. On the other hand, cleaning it at least once every six months will reduce the damaging effects of chlorine on your pool cover.

Things You Need For Your Solar Pool Cover

• Rubber gloves
• A garden hose
• A soft brush
• Mild soap
• Bucket

The Cleaning Process

1. Switch on your garden hose and direct the flow to your pool cover to hose it down. This will remove the debris and even chlorine on the pool cover. The stubborn dirt or debris will be left.
2. Prepare a soapy solution by mixing mild soap with clean water in a bucket. We recommend using dish soap because it’s chemically safe. While mixing the soapy water, ensure you use a minimal amount of mild soap so that the lather won’t be excessive. If it is, it can make the cleaning process easier.
3. Wear your rubber gloves, go to your solar cover with the bucket, and get down on all fours (both hands and knees).
4. Get your soft brush and dip it into the soapy water, then use it to scrub off the stains and algae that the hose can’t get rid of. You may need to apply a generous amount of elbow grease for better results because this mild cleanser is ideal for cleaning smooth or non-scratch areas.
5. While cleaning, ensure that the corners of the solar pool cover aren’t left out.
6. Get your garden hose and generously pour water on your pool cover to clean off what you scrubbed.
7. If the pool cover still has some algae or debris left, you need to repeat the cleaning process. Repeat it as many times as you need to ensure the pool cover is flawlessly cleaned.
8. By now, you should be done with the cleaning process. You can put it back on the pool, but if you want to store it somewhere, lay out the pool cover to dry before storage. Drying the pool cover before storage will inhibit mildew and mold buildup.

Now you know how to clean your solar pool cover, but this isn’t enough because there are other maintenance activities and tips that you should be familiar with.

What’s the Expected Lifespan of your Solar Pool Cover?

There’s no straight answer for this; the longevity of your pool cover is hinged on some factors such as:

• The quality of the pool cover you’re using
• How long will the pool cover material take to show signs of deterioration?
• How well do you maintain the pool cover?

There are cheap pool covers, and they’re usually manufactured with thin and low-quality materials, which will take a shorter period to wear and tear. On the other hand, high-quality pool covers are made with materials more resistant to wear and tear. Also, poor maintenance will deteriorate the pool cover faster than it should. If we are to consider that the pool owner purchased a durable pool cover and frequently maintains it, the minimum lifespan should be five years. However, if you notice that the plastic material of your pool cover is peeling off, you can replace it sooner.

Post-Cleaning Tips

• Please avoid using the pool cover on the pool when the atmospheric temperature is above 37°C so that it will last longer.
• When it is in storage, wrap the pool cover with a plastic sheet to protect it from excessive heat.
• We strongly advise against storing the solar pool cover where it will have direct exposure to sunlight. Doing so can trigger the pool cover to burn.
• After cleaning the pool cover, leave it under the Sun to completely dry. Please don’t leave it out under the Sun once it’s dry.
• When packing it, ensure you fold the pool cover on its edges and roll it from end to end.
• During the winter, avoid leaving your pool cover on your pool water.

What’s The Recommended Period for Leaving Your Pool Covered?

This depends on you. The temperature you want your pool water to have should determine the period you intend to keep the solar pool cover on the pool. The longer your pool cover is on, the higher the pool water temperature. If you want to preserve the pool temperature, you can leave it on all night. On the flip side, if you want to heat the water, leave it on during the day till you get your desired temperature.