Your hot tub is equipped with a cover for several reasons. Not only does it help to keep the dirt and debris from falling into the water, but it helps to maintain the temperature of the water and prevent accidental drownings from occurring as well. You do need to take care of the cover to keep it in good shape—here's how.

Routine Cover Cleaning

Every few weeks or so, give the vinyl cover a good cleaning.

1. Spray it off with the garden hose.
2. Pour a little bit of non-foaming cleaner into a bucket of water. You want to use a very gentle cleaner that won't make bubbles if it is introduced into the hot-tub water. Harsh cleaners can remove the topcoat on the vinyl, so read the product label to be sure that it's safe for use on vinyl prior to using it.
3. Use vegetable oil to remove tree-sap spots.
4. Once clean, rinse the cover with your garden hose to remove any residue before it runs off into the hot-tub water.

Apply Sealer

Just about once a month, the vinyl will need a coat of protectant sealer. Simply spray the sealer onto a microfiber cloth and coat the vinyl. Don't forget to do this to the underside of the cover as well as the top. Failure to coat the underside could result in rapid mold and mildew growth, as the steam builds on the underside when it's covered.

Manage Mildew Problems

If you have mildew growing on the cover, you need to manage it quickly. The longer you allow it to continue to grow, the harder it will be to get it off and the more likely the water is to become contaminated.

1. Unzip the cover's outer jacket and remove the foam inserts inside.
2. Use specially formulated cleaners designed for killing mold and mildew on vinyl covers.
3. Scrub with a scrub brush.
4. Clean the foam inserts with water and a bit of the cleaning solution.
5. Towel dry everything as best you can.
6. Lay the jacket and foam inserts in the sun to dry.
7. Once everything has dried, check for any mildew or mold that you've missed and touch it up.
8. Put everything back together and place the cover on the hot tub.

If you take the time to properly care for the vinyl cover for your hot tub, it will last many years before you even have to think about replacing it.