Why Does My Spa Cover Stink?!

At RnR Hot Tubs, we believe that sinking into your spa is one of the greatest pleasures known to humans. Unfortunately, nothing ruins that moment quite like a foul funk wafting off your spa cover. So what’s happening and how do you fix it?

 

Mould and Mildew love water. A warm, moist climate is perfect for many moulds. If chemicals aren’t well balanced, bacteria can also move in and begin to colonize your spa. These microbes stink — literally and figuratively. But it’s important to know that while you aren’t alone dealing with this challenge, a mildewy spa cover isn’t inevitable. As long as you keep the chemical balanced correctly, choose a high quality hot tub cover, and ensure it stays in good condition, you will be able to enjoy your spa without the stink.

 

What’s Going Wrong?

A high quality, hot tub cover will be made with a waterproof shell that effectively prevents moulds and smells from entering the insulation. A cheap spa cover, on the other hand, will often have weaker seams or a lower quality shell. Steam and water will seep in and soak the inside of the cover, creating the perfect paradise for mildew. If you tried to save money by choosing a low quality cover, then this is likely the problem. 

 

On the other hand, if you made the smart choice of investing in a quality cover, here are a few other things that may be going wrong. 

 

 

• It’s Old and Damaged. Even the best hot tub covers don’t last forever. If yours is several years old, age may have weakened the seams or worn out the shell. You can try to repair your hot tub cover, but it’s probably time to replace it.
• It’s Just Dirty. If your hot tub is outdoors, you’ll need to clean the cover. Fallen leaves and branches, bird droppings, snow, and general dirt and grime need to be scrubbed away. The waterproofing of the shell can be vulnerable to different cleaning chemicals, so be sure to check your owner’s manual or ask one of our hot tub experts for advice on the best cleaner. When in doubt, just use water or  a mild dish soap. Allow the freshly cleaned cover to dry completely.
• It Never Gets to Air Out. Hot tub covers are built with the assumption that you’re using your hot tub regularly. To increase your spa cover’s longevity, it should really be removed from the hot tub and allowed to air out and dry about once a week.
• Your Chemistry is Off. As we mentioned earlier, stinky bacteria can begin colonizing your spa if your chemistry is off. Correctly balancing your hot tub chemicals (as well as investing in tools like clean zone I and clean zone II!) are integral for keeping your spa clean and the water pure. If your pH is off or the water is dirty, it’s going to start smelling and your hot tub cover will inevitably absorb some of that stink.

 

 

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How to Fix it.

The only potentially challenging step is figuring out what’s causing the problem. But even that’s fairly straight forward. If the problem is your hot tub cover is low quality and cheap, you know who you are. Alternatively, if you purchase a quality cover, but it’s quite old and has degraded and looks worn out, then it needs to be replaced. We recommend a Covana cover.

 

Moving down the list, if the cover looks fine, but your hot tub is outdoors, and you haven’t cleaned it in the last month, that’s the place to start. Similarly, if you haven’t used your spa in a while, try airing out the cover. 

 

Finally, if you think your chemistry is off, you can have one of our hot tub experts test a sample of your spa’s water. Alternatively, if you know your chemistry is off, you can sign up for our monthly maintenance package and never worry about balancing pH, measuring alkalinity, buying chemicals, cleaning filters, or any other spa related maintenance ever again.

 

Whether you’re dealing with a stinky spa cover or any other hot tub related issue, our pros are here to help! Give us a call or come to talk to us in store today.