Minnesota's Pool & Spa Experts · 763-542-9000 · Plymouth, MN

Spring Pool Care

How to Remove and Store Your Pool Cover the Right Way

📅 March 30, 2026 · ⏱ 4 min read · ✍️ Dolphin Pool & Spa Team

Two people carefully removing and folding a pool cover in a Minnesota backyard in spring

Images are AI generated and do not depict an actual pool or Dolphin Pool & Spa location.

Your pool cover just spent five or six months protecting your investment through a Minnesota winter. It kept out debris, blocked sunlight, and held up through freeze-thaw cycles, heavy snow, and everything else the season threw at it. Now it's time to take it off — and how you do that matters just as much as how you put it on. A cover that's removed and stored carelessly can be torn, molded, or permanently damaged before next fall ever arrives. Here's how to do it right.

Pro Tip from Dolphin Pool & Spa

Pick a dry, sunny day to remove your cover whenever possible. A cover that comes off dry is far easier to clean and store than one that's been soaked by recent rain. If your cover has a lot of standing water on it, run a cover pump the day before so you're not wrestling with hundreds of pounds of water on opening day.

1 Remove standing water first

Never attempt to pull off a cover that has water pooled on top of it. Even a few inches of standing water across a full-size pool cover can weigh several hundred pounds — and when you try to lift it, that water dumps directly into your freshly opened pool, bringing along every bit of algae, debris, and contamination that's been sitting on the cover all winter.

Use a submersible cover pump or an electric transfer pump to remove all standing water before you touch the cover. A wet/dry shop vac works well for smaller amounts. Take your time here — it's worth it.

2 Clear debris from the top

Once the water is gone, clear off any remaining leaves, twigs, pine needles, and debris before lifting the cover. A leaf blower works great for this — it's fast and keeps the mess on the cover rather than scattering it around your deck. A soft broom works too.

The goal is to get the top surface as clean as possible before you start folding. Anything left on the cover will end up pressed into the folds during storage and can cause staining and mildew over the summer.

3 Release all anchors and attachments

Before lifting anything, fully release every attachment point:

Safety covers: Use a hex wrench to unscrew and loosen every anchor bolt around the perimeter — don't skip any
Water bags or tubes: Carefully empty and remove each one before lifting the cover

Clips and straps: Unhook all edge clips or winch straps fully before pulling
Air pillow: Remove and deflate the winter air pillow from under the cover if you used one

Heads up: Never yank or force a cover that still has anchor points engaged. Yanking a tethered safety cover tears the straps, bends the anchors, and can crack the deck around anchor points. Release everything fully before you lift a single edge.

4 Fold it — don't drag it

This is where most pool owners cause unnecessary damage. Dragging a pool cover across concrete or a rough deck surface is the fastest way to create tears, abrasions, and holes that will let in light and debris next winter. Once that damage starts, it doesn't stop.

Instead, fold the cover with two people — one on each side — using this method:

Start at one end and accordion-fold toward the other end in 3–4 foot sections
Keep the dirty side facing outward as you fold so the clean underside stays protected
Work slowly and keep the cover lifted — never let it scrape the deck

Once folded lengthwise, roll or fold again toward one end for a manageable bundle
Two people makes this dramatically easier — don't try to do a large cover alone
Set the folded cover on a clean patch of lawn, not on gravel or rough surfaces

5 Clean the cover thoroughly

Before you put the cover away for the summer, clean it properly. A cover stored dirty will develop mold, mildew, and permanent staining over the next six months that shortens its lifespan significantly.

Lay it out flat on a clean section of lawn or driveway and wash it down with a garden hose. For algae, mildew stains, or mineral deposits, use a dedicated pool cover cleaner or a mild soap solution — avoid bleach or harsh chemicals that can degrade the cover material. Scrub gently with a soft brush if needed, then rinse completely.

Dolphin Pool & Spa Reminder

Stop in to see us at 3405 Hwy 169 N in Plymouth for pool cover cleaner and conditioner. A quality cover treatment applied before storage helps prevent the vinyl from drying out and cracking over the summer months — a small investment that adds years to your cover's life.

6 Dry it completely before storing

This step cannot be skipped. Storing a damp cover — even slightly damp — is the single biggest cause of mold and mildew that permanently stains and weakens cover material. Let the cover dry completely in the sun on both sides before folding it for storage. On a warm spring day this usually takes a few hours.

If you don't have time to let it dry fully on opening day, leave it spread out on the lawn and come back to it the next morning rather than rolling it up wet.

7 Store it correctly

Where and how you store your cover matters for both its condition and its longevity:

Store in a breathable bag or container — not sealed airtight, which traps moisture
Keep it off the ground to prevent moisture wicking and rodent damage
A garage shelf or storage bench is ideal

Store away from pool chemicals — chlorine fumes degrade cover material over time
Avoid direct sunlight storage — UV breaks down vinyl even when not in use
Don't pack it too tightly — loose folds prevent permanent crease damage

8 Inspect before you store — not next fall

Spring is the best time to assess your cover's condition because any damage from last winter is visible right now. Check for:

Tears, holes, or fraying edges
Broken or missing straps and buckles
Damaged or corroded anchor hardware

Sections where the fabric has thinned or become brittle
Permanent staining or mildew that didn't wash out
Center sag indicating the cover's structure has broken down

Small tears can often be repaired with a waterproof patch kit, which is worth doing if the rest of the cover is in good shape. But if your cover is showing widespread wear, brittleness, or multiple failures — it's better to plan for a replacement this fall rather than discover the problem at closing time when everyone else is also shopping for covers.

A quality safety cover treated well should last 10 to 15 years in Minnesota. A few extra minutes of care each spring is all it takes to protect that investment — and to make sure your pool is just as well protected next winter as it was this one.

Dolphin Pool & Spa Reminder

Need a new cover this fall? Stop in and see us at 3405 Hwy 169 N in Plymouth — we carry a full selection of mesh and solid safety covers for every pool size and shape. Buying early means you get the right cover, not just whatever's left in September.

Let us handle your opening this spring.

Dolphin Pool & Spa offers professional pool openings starting at $259.99. We handle everything — cover removal and storage, equipment startup, water testing, and a full safety check. Serving Plymouth and the greater Twin Cities area.

Schedule Your Opening →

Your Happy Dolphin Pool & Spa Team
Serving Minnesota pool owners since 1988 · 3405 Hwy 169 N, Plymouth, MN · 763-542-9000