BioGuard Stow-Away 1 Qt. | Pool Cover Cleaner

SKU: 23650BIO
$19.99

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Description

BioGuard Stow-Away cleans and deodorizes pool covers before storage, and it solves a problem most pool owners only discover the hard way: a cover put away dirty can be ruined by the time it comes back out.

The failure mode is folded-together vinyl. A cover stored with organic film, oils, and moisture still on it will bond to itself along the folds over a long off-season. When you unfold it months later, the layers separate unevenly — or don't separate at all — and what comes out is a cover with permanent creases, weakened seams, or torn material. The smell that comes with it is the other half: mildew and decomposing organic matter concentrated inside a tightly folded package for months.

Stow-Away addresses both. It cleans the cover, deodorizes it, and — critically — prevents the material from sticking together when folded, which is why the directions call for squirting it between each fold rather than just washing the surface. It also aids in stain and soil removal and extends the life of most covers.

The feature that saves the most time: covers can be stored wet. Anyone who has tried to fully dry a large solar or winter cover on a fall afternoon knows this is the difference between a one-hour job and waiting for weather. Stow-Away is formulated so a damp cover can go into storage without the mildew and sticking that would normally follow.

It's versatile beyond the cover itself, working on solar covers, pool umbrellas, and other poolside items heading into storage.

Pro Tip: A replacement pool cover costs many times what a bottle of cleaner does, and folded-together vinyl is the most common way covers die. The temptation at closing is to pull the cover, fold it, and get it out of the way — but a cover put away with body oils, leaf tannins, and pollen still on it spends five or six months bonding to itself in the dark. The twenty minutes spent cleaning it before storage is the cheapest insurance available in pool ownership. If you do nothing else, at least squirt product between the folds as you go.

Brand

BioGuard®

What's in the Box
  • 1 x BioGuard Stow-Away, 1 quart (32 fl oz) bottle
  • Full manufacturer label with application directions and safety information

One quart covers a typical residential pool cover, with product left over for a solar cover or poolside items. Very large covers, or a full set including solar cover and umbrellas, may need a second bottle.

Key Features

Prevents Covers From Sticking Together

The most important function. Vinyl stored folded against itself for months can bond permanently, and separating it afterward is what tears seams and creases material beyond recovery.

Allows Covers to Be Stored Wet

No waiting for a fully dry afternoon or spreading a soaked cover across the lawn for hours. Clean it, fold it, and store it damp without the mildew and sticking that normally follow.

Eliminates Odors

Deodorizes rather than masking, so the cover doesn't come out of storage smelling of mildew and decomposed organic matter.

Aids in Stain and Soil Removal

Lifts the accumulated grime, leaf tannins, algae film, and body oils that build up on a cover across a full season.

Extends the Life of Most Covers

A cover cleaned before storage comes out intact and usable. One that wasn't often doesn't — and replacement is a substantial expense.

Works on Solar Covers and Poolside Items

Also suitable for solar covers, pool umbrellas, and other poolside gear going into storage for the season.

Simple Spray-and-Brush Application

Squirt, brush, rinse, fold. No mixing, no dilution, no dwell time to manage.

How It Works

Stow-Away does two jobs, and the second one is the one people underestimate.

The first is straightforward cleaning. Over a season a pool cover accumulates a considerable load: body oils and sunscreen transferred from the water, airborne dust and pollen, leaf tannins, algae film on the underside, and general grime. Much of that is organic, and organic material left in place is what feeds mildew and produces the smell that develops in storage. The cleaning agents lift that material so it rinses away rather than going into the fold with the cover.

The second is preventing adhesion between folded layers, and this is where the product earns its keep. Vinyl and similar cover materials are plasticized — they contain compounds that keep the material flexible. Under sustained pressure, in warm storage conditions, over months, those plasticizers can migrate and cause pressed-together surfaces to bond. Add residual organic film and moisture and the effect accelerates. Stow-Away leaves a treatment on the surface that keeps the layers from fusing.

That's precisely why the directions specify applying product between each fold rather than only washing the surface beforehand. The fold lines are where layers press hardest against each other, and they're where a cover fails. Cleaning alone doesn't protect them.

The same mechanism is what makes wet storage viable. Moisture trapped between folded layers is normally the perfect environment for mildew and adhesion at once. Treating the surfaces means a damp cover can be folded and stored without either problem developing.

Pro Tip: Use a nylon-bristle pool brush on a telescopic pole — BioGuard names this specifically, and it's worth following. A pole-mounted brush lets you work a large cover spread on the lawn or driveway without crawling across it on your knees, and nylon bristles are firm enough to lift embedded grime without scoring vinyl the way a stiff or wire brush would. Work in sections and overlap them, paying extra attention to the underside where algae film accumulates. Most people already own the brush and pole for the pool itself, so the right tool is usually already in the shed.

Directions for Use

Application

  1. While the cover is still on the pool, remove all debris and water from the cover.
  2. Remove the cover from the pool and spread it on a lawn, pool deck, or driveway.
  3. Squirt this product over the entire cover and brush clean. A nylon-bristle pool brush and telescopic pole are excellent for this purpose.
  4. Rinse off loosened soils with water.
  5. Fold the pool cover, squirting this product full strength between each fold.
  6. Store the folded cover in a safe place.

Why Step 1 Comes First

Removing debris and standing water while the cover is still on the pool is the step people skip, and it makes the rest far easier. A cover pulled with leaves and water still on it dumps all of that into the pool — which means vacuuming and filtering out material you were about to remove entirely. Clear the top first, then pull.

Why Step 5 Matters Most

Applying product between each fold is what actually prevents the cover from bonding to itself in storage. Cleaning the surface and skipping this step gets you a clean cover that may still fuse along the fold lines. If you're short on time, this is the step to protect.

Storage Best Practices

  • Store in a dry, ventilated location out of direct sunlight
  • Keep the cover off bare concrete, which wicks moisture
  • Store in a container or bag that keeps rodents out — chewed covers are a common spring discovery
  • Avoid stacking heavy items on top of a folded cover
  • Covers may be stored wet with this product, but a ventilated space is still better than a sealed one

When to Use It

  • At the end of the season, when the summer or solar cover comes off for storage
  • When putting a solar blanket away for the winter
  • When storing pool umbrellas and other poolside items
  • Any time a cover is coming out of use for an extended period

Storage and Handling

  • Store the product in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, out of direct sunlight and protected from freezing
  • Keep the container tightly closed and clearly labeled
  • Store separately from sanitizers, acids, and oxidizers
  • Keep out of reach of children and pets
  • Read and follow all label precautions, first aid, and disposal directions before use

Pro Tip: Fold on a warm, sunny day if you can, even though wet storage is allowed. Warm vinyl is dramatically more flexible than cold vinyl, so it folds along cleaner lines and resists the sharp permanent creases that develop when a stiff cover is forced into shape. That matters more in a climate with real winters, where a cover folded on a cold October morning holds those crease lines all season and comes out with weak points along every one of them. Fold loosely rather than tightly, vary the fold lines slightly from year to year if you can remember to, and the same cover will last noticeably longer.

Specifications
  • Brand: BioGuard
  • Product Type: Pool cover cleaner and storage conditioner
  • Form: Liquid
  • Volume: 1 quart (32 fl oz)
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 23650BIO
  • Functions: Cleans, deodorizes, prevents folded covers from sticking, aids stain and soil removal
  • Wet Storage: Covers may be stored wet
  • Application: Full strength — no dilution required
  • Recommended Tool: Nylon-bristle pool brush on a telescopic pole
  • Key Step: Apply full strength between each fold as the cover is folded
  • Suitable For: Pool covers, solar covers, pool umbrellas, and other poolside items
  • Pool Types: In-ground and above-ground
  • Sanitizer Compatibility: All programs — no interaction with water chemistry
  • Not A Water Treatment: Used on the cover, not added to the pool
  • Shipping Classification: DOT-regulated — ground shipping only
Compatibility

Cover Types

  • Winter and safety pool covers
  • Solar covers and solar blankets
  • Most standard vinyl and mesh pool cover materials

Other Poolside Items

  • Pool umbrellas
  • Other poolside items being cleaned and stored for the season

Pool Types

  • In-ground and above-ground pools
  • All sanitizer programs — this is a cover cleaner and doesn't interact with water chemistry

Where It Fits in Closing

  • Water balance, cleaning, and brushing come first
  • Winterizing shock, then a winterizing algaecide, then a closing treatment go into the water
  • Lower the water level and winterize equipment and plumbing
  • Stow-Away is used on the cover coming off, at the end of the season, before it goes into storage

Worth noting: the cover you clean and store with Stow-Away is your summer or solar cover coming off, not the winter cover going on. Both need cleaning — just at opposite ends of the season.

What It Does Not Do

  • Not a water treatment. It's used on the cover, not added to the pool.
  • Not a repair product. It won't restore a cover already damaged by improper storage.
  • Not a substitute for removing debris. Leaves and standing water have to come off the cover first.

Important Handling Cautions

  • Check your cover manufacturer's care guidance before cleaning specialty or coated materials.
  • Use a nylon-bristle brush — avoid stiff or wire brushes that can score vinyl.
  • Keep rinse water and product out of the pool.
  • Never mix with other chemicals.

Most products purchased from our online shop within the last 30 days are eligible for return. Please review our return policy to see the list of items that cannot be returned.

Some major items that are non-returnable:

  • Gift cards
  • Electronics
  • Pumps / Motors
  • Hot Tubs
  • Closeouts
  • Fireplaces
  • Electric Fireplaces
  • Massage Chairs
  • See return policy below for full list of non-returnables.

BioGuard® Brand FAQs

What is the BioGuard 3-Step Care System?

It's the brand's core program for traditional chlorine pools, and it reduces routine care to three jobs.Step 1, sanitize— SilkGuard Complete® tabs or sticks maintain a continuous chlorine residual that kills bacteria and controls algae between applications.Step 2, shock— Smart Shock® is applied weekly to oxidize the organic waste bathers leave behind, break apart chloramines, and restore clarity.Step 3, prevent— Algae Complete® stops algae before it establishes rather than fighting it after it blooms. The system works in pools of any size and surface type that circulate 10 to 24 hours per day.

What's the difference between BioGuard and SpaGuard?

They're sister brands from the same water-care company.BioGuard is the swimming pool line. SpaGuard is the spa and hot tub line.The split isn't marketing — pool dosing is calculated for tens of thousands of gallons at ambient temperature, while spa dosing is calculated for a few hundred gallons at 100°F. Pool packaging makes accurate spa measurement nearly impossible, and a pool-sized dose in a hot tub is a serious overdose. Match the product line to the vessel.

Which BioGuard program is right for my pool?

Equipment usually decides it. Pools running a standard chlorinator, feeder, or skimmer application belong on the3-Step Care System. Pools with a salt chlorine generator should be on thesalt pool programs— Mineral Springs® or SaltScapes® — which are formulated around the specific scale, balance, and cell-care demands of a generator. Owners who want no chlorine or bromine in the water at all use BioGuard'snon-chlorine biguanide program, which is a fully separate chemistry with its own sanitizer, oxidizer, and algaecide.

Can I mix BioGuard products with chemicals from other brands?

Basic balancers are chemically generic and generally interchangeable — alkalinity increaser is sodium bicarbonate no matter whose label is on the bucket. The real risk sits withsanitizer programs and specialty additives. Never introduce chlorine or bromine into a biguanide pool; the two chemistries destroy each other and produce cloudy water, gummy filter fouling, and a collapsed sanitizer residual. Also avoid stacking algaecides and clarifiers from different brands, since overlapping actives can cause foaming or staining. And regardless of brand, never combine two products in the same bucket, scoop, or feeder — always add them separately with circulation running between.

What is SilkGuard Technology?

SilkGuard® is a conditioning technology built into BioGuard's chlorinating tabs and sticks. It softens the feel of the water against skin and helps protect pool surfaces and equipment from scale formation, so the sanitizer is doing two jobs at once. SilkGuard Complete® products also carrySunShield® Technology, which shields free chlorine from ultraviolet breakdown. UV loss is the largest single drain on chlorine in an outdoor pool during summer, so protecting the residual directly reduces how much sanitizer you consume over a season.

Do BioGuard products work with salt chlorine generators?

Yes. A salt pool is still a chlorine pool — the generator simply produces the chlorine on site instead of you adding it from a bucket. Salt pools still need balancing, weekly oxidation, algae prevention, and scale protection, and they have one extra demand a standard pool doesn't: the generator cell itself accumulates scale and needs periodic cleaning. BioGuard's salt-specific programs are built around exactly those requirements.Do not skip testing on a salt pool— the automation controls chlorine production, not water balance.

About BioGuard®

BioGuard is a professional swimming pool care line built on a simple premise: pool chemicals work better as a program than as a shelf of unrelated purchases. Most water problems homeowners fight through the summer aren't caused by a bad product. They're caused by good products working against each other, applied out of sequence, in water whose balance was never corrected in the first place. BioGuard's entire approach is organized around fixing that — matched products, a defined order of operations, and a diagnostic process behind the recommendation.

The brand sits under the KIK Consumer Products umbrella alongside its spa counterpart, SpaGuard, and it covers the full range of pool water care: sanitizers, shocks, algaecides, balancers, water enhancers, surface cleaners and problem solvers, salt pool products, and off-season closing chemistry.

Three Programs, One Philosophy

  • Traditional Chlorine — the 3-Step Care System — Sanitize, shock, prevent. SilkGuard Complete® tabs and sticks handle daily sanitation, Smart Shock® handles weekly oxidation and clarity, and Algae Complete® handles algae prevention. Suitable for pools of any size and surface type running 10 to 24 hours of circulation per day.
  • Salt Pools — Purpose-built chemistry for pools with a chlorine generator, including the Mineral Springs® and SaltScapes® programs. Salt pools still generate chlorine, and they still need balancing, scale protection, and cell care — these products are formulated for that specific equipment set.
  • Non-Chlorine Pools — A complete biguanide-based program for owners who want no chlorine and no bromine in the water at all, with its own dedicated sanitizer, oxidizer, and algaecide.

Formulation Technologies

Two proprietary technologies show up across the chlorine line and explain a lot of the brand's reputation. SilkGuard® Technology conditions the water so it feels noticeably softer against skin while also helping protect pool surfaces and equipment from scale. SunShield® Technology protects free chlorine from ultraviolet breakdown, which is the single largest source of chlorine loss in an outdoor pool during summer — sanitizer that survives the afternoon is sanitizer you don't have to replace.

Diagnosis, Not Guesswork

BioGuard is sold through trained specialty dealers rather than mass-market channels, and the brand backs that network with the ALEX® water analysis system. ALEX reads a full water sample — sanitizer, pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, metals, and more — and returns a sequenced correction plan rather than a generic product suggestion. That distinction matters more than it sounds. Cloudy water has at least six common causes, and the fix for a filtration problem is nothing like the fix for a high-pH problem or a phosphate problem. Testing tells you which one you actually have.