Red Mold on Dock Lines

[jviss]

I have some beautiful, double-braid dock lines. One has red stains, which, I am told, are mold.

How can this be cleaned? I just ran it through the washer on the delicate cycle. Now it is clean and smells good, but the red seems even brighter!

Please help.

jv

 

[dlochner]

Try soaking them in a Borax solution (yep, the 20 Mule Team Brand) and do not rinse. Let them line dry.

Borax kills mold and mildew and residual borax prevents future growth.

 

[jviss]

Oh, man, thanks! I don't have any at the moment, but I will get some.

 

[Meriachee]

Oh man. You guys can still buy that south of the border? They never let us play with any of the cool stuff.

 

[dlochner]

Oh man. You guys can still buy that south of the border? They never let us play with any of the cool stuff.

Yeah, but in NY we can't buy real TriSodium Phosphate, something about the phosphate being a fertilizer for aquatic fauna.

Google Formula B mildew prevention. You should end up with some references to Practical Sailor and @Thinwaters website.

 

[rgranger]

Try soaking them in a Borax solution (yep, the 20 Mule Team Brand) and do not rinse. Let them line dry.

Borax kills mold and mildew and residual borax prevents future growth.

It also kills fire ants

 

[jviss]

I went to Lowes and bought Borax and TSP. @dlochner , what strength solution of Borax should I use for the moldy lines?

 

[dlochner]

Try this: https://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2016/12/mildew-treatment-for-pennies.html

 

[jviss]

Thanks Dave.

 

[jviss]

O.K., got the recipe. Will mix a batch big enough to fill a bucket with the dock line in it. I may skip the "scrub vigorously" step and just see what happens.

 

[dlochner]

O.K., got the recipe. Will mix a batch big enough to fill a bucket with the dock line in it. I may skip the "scrub vigorously" step and just see what happens.

Try agitating the line in a 5 gallon bucket. Maybe use a soft brush on the more difficult spots. Don't rinse, the stuff will prevent mold grow, eventually weather will wash it away.

 

[jviss]

Good idea.

I wish I knew how I could do it with the washing machine on the delicate cycle. That worked well on the line, no knots, but if course, didn't remove the mold. Maybe "fed it," per the linked article. But then, I guess the rinse cycle would ruin the process.

 

[jviss]

Scaled-up recipe:

2 gallons hot water
1 cup Borax
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup TSP

 

[jviss]

trying it now....

 

[JRacer]

5 gallon bucket and a toilet plunger for the agitator.

 

[jviss]

I managed to get the entire line submerged in 1 gallon of water in a 2.5 gallon bucket; save on materials. I'm going to soak for a bit, then maybe attack the mold with a soft brush.

 

[rgranger]

I managed to get the entire line submerged in 1 gallon of water in a 2.5 gallon bucket; save on materials. I'm going to soak for a bit, then maybe attack the mold with a soft brush.

You can also put line in a laundry bag and then toss the bag in the washing machine. I do this each season with my lines and it really brings them back to life.

A bag like this one...

 

[jviss]

You can also put line in a laundry bag and then toss the bag in the washing machine. I do this each season with my lines and it really brings them back to life.

A bag like this one...

Can't see the image.

I did this one particular line in the washer, it didn't do anything to remove the mold, though.

 

[Jim26m]

I've used this stuff mixed with bleach per instructions to remove mildew stains on vinyl, concrete, brick, and painted wood. Haven't tried it on rope. If nothing else works you could try it.

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-c...s/jomax/jomax-house-cleaner-and-mildew-killer

 

[Ron20324]

O.K., got the recipe. Will mix a batch big enough to fill a bucket with the dock line in it. I may skip the "scrub vigorously" step and just see what happens.

I think I know this answer, but you folks up yonder don't get the "red tide", do you. Probably just in FLORIDA.