Caring for your furniture covers.

Why bother covering it at all?

Your furniture is built to live outdoors, so a cover isn’t there to keep the rain off — the furniture handles rain fine. What a cover really does is keep everything else off: the leaves, the pollen, the tree sap, the bird mess, the winter grime that turns a set grey and streaky by March. Cover a set between uses and it stays clean; leave it open all season and you’ll spend a Saturday in spring scrubbing it back.

Nova covers are made from a tough, water-repellent fabric that breathes, so air can move underneath while water stays out. That breathability is the whole trick — and it’s why the one rule below matters so much.

Never cover wet furniture

This is the mistake that catches people out. Throw a cover over a damp set and you trap that moisture underneath with nowhere to go. Instead of protecting the furniture, the cover now holds the water against it — and that’s exactly the condition mould, mildew and musty smells need.

Fitting & securing the cover

A cover only works if it stays put and isn’t left flapping loose. A few seconds getting it right saves you chasing it across the garden after a windy night.

1. Check it's the right cover

   It should fit fairly snugly — not skin-tight, but not swimming either. A cover that's far too big billows and lets wind and rain in; one that's too small won't reach the legs. If yours came with the set, it's already sized to fit.

2. Pull it fully down

   Get the cover right down over the legs, not just draped over the top. The more of the furniture it wraps, the less the weather can get at.

3. Fasten the straps and drawcords

   Most covers have straps, clips or a drawcord at the bottom. Use them. A cover cinched in at the base holds firm in wind; a loose one acts like a sail and blows off.

4. Leave a little airflow

   Don't seal it to the ground all the way round. A gap of air at the base lets the fabric breathe and stops condensation building up underneath.

Cleaning the cover itself

The cover takes the grime so your furniture doesn’t, which means it’ll get dirty — that’s it working. Give it a clean a couple of times a year and it’ll keep repelling water for far longer.

Putting the cover away

When the cover comes off for the summer, or you’re packing up at the end of the season, dry it fully first — same rule as the furniture. Folding a damp cover into a cupboard is how it comes out mouldy next year. Once it’s bone-dry, fold it loosely and keep it somewhere dry. Most covers come with a small storage bag, which keeps it together and stops it gathering dust.

The short version

A few things people ask

• There's condensation inside the cover — is that normal? A little is, especially in mild, damp weather when temperatures swing. It's why the fabric breathes and why you leave a gap of air at the base. If you're getting a lot of it, the furniture probably went under damp, or the cover is sealed too tight at the bottom.
• Do I really need to cover it in summer too? It helps. A cover between uses keeps off pollen, sap and bird mess through the season, so there's far less to clean. You don't have to, but the sets that still look new after a few years are the ones that got covered.
• The cover has a green film on it. That's surface mould from sitting damp, not a fault. Sponge it off with warm soapy water and a soft brush, rinse, and dry it fully. Then check it's not being put away or fitted while wet.
• Can I leave the cover on all winter? Yes — that's when it earns its keep. Just fasten it down well against winter winds, and check on it after storms to make sure it's still secure.