cleaning ropes sheets halards
- Thread starter b crites
- Start date
i soak my lines in fabric softener to keep limber. (lots of calcium in my local waters). adding some gentle soap to the tub would prolly help.
I like to lay them out on a non-oily deck or driveway and clean with the power washer. I hold them down and roll them with my foot as I blast away at a safe angle and control the distance from the nozzle to avoid damage.
Or bag them in a mesh bag and wash in your washing machine. Add Oxy Clean, or any other mildew cleaning solution, but I’d avoid using household bleach on lines unless you are sure about compatibility.
Or bag them in a mesh bag and wash in your washing machine. Add Oxy Clean, or any other mildew cleaning solution, but I’d avoid using household bleach on lines unless you are sure about compatibility.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,771
Lines are nylon or polyester or UHMwPE or HMPE and they collect dirt and other nasties.
These contaminants work against the strands and break down the fibers. The trick is to release the contaminants with out breaking the fibers. A mild Surfactant - soap - can help reduce the surface tension between the fibers and a liquid - tub of water - to reduce and wash away the contamination leaving your lines (once rinsed and dry) ready for next year.
A pressure spray appears to be cleaning the lines but may just be driving the contaminants into the fibers of the lines.
Lines are not a forever item on a boat. Fresh lines can real dress up your boat in spring.
These contaminants work against the strands and break down the fibers. The trick is to release the contaminants with out breaking the fibers. A mild Surfactant - soap - can help reduce the surface tension between the fibers and a liquid - tub of water - to reduce and wash away the contamination leaving your lines (once rinsed and dry) ready for next year.
A pressure spray appears to be cleaning the lines but may just be driving the contaminants into the fibers of the lines.
Lines are not a forever item on a boat. Fresh lines can real dress up your boat in spring.
I toss mine in my front loading washing machine with a full measure of regular detergent and fabric softener that are dispensed in the correct cycle. I don't have a lot of green mildew on them; I just want to wash the salt and dirt out. I run on a regular cycle that lets me choose hot water to wash and a gentle spin cycle. They come out nicely. Some claim that this practice will damage the fibers but I have been doing this for 20+ years on the same lines with no apparent harm.
Years ago when I had a top-loading washer I would soak the lines overnight in hot soapy water. Then in the morning I would run a regular wash cycle. Finally I would soak again overnight with a softener solution. Then spin and dry. I have always thought using a top-loader with its soak capability was superior to a front-loader for this job.
Of course, YMMV.
Years ago when I had a top-loading washer I would soak the lines overnight in hot soapy water. Then in the morning I would run a regular wash cycle. Finally I would soak again overnight with a softener solution. Then spin and dry. I have always thought using a top-loader with its soak capability was superior to a front-loader for this job.
Of course, YMMV.
with JS. If you have mildew, Oxi-Clean works wonders with an over- night soak.Everyone here has been so kind not raz you over your use of the term "rope". Rope is what it is made out of, line is what it is used for. If it has a job, it's a line. It still works, the way you used it, just making sure.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Hydrogen peroxide two quarts, one quart of white vinager, five gallons warm water, and an once of fabric softener let sit for a day. Rinse off then let soak in a gallon on water. Let totally dry before packing away
The hydrogen peroxide and vinager kills mildew and mold spores, and the fabric softener releases the fibers and allows the dirt to release.
The hydrogen peroxide and vinager kills mildew and mold spores, and the fabric softener releases the fibers and allows the dirt to release.
I learned the washing machine trick, just like clothes and adding fabric softener, from this forum and used it for years annually. No damage, and the lines are as flexible as new. For lines that you can’t remove, hand wash in a tub with laundry detergent, rinse in water adding softener, then finally fresh water. You may have to do both ends of a halyard separately.
I’d worry about hitting them with a power washer as I’ve seen them frayed on other boats, but perhaps the lines were already damaged.
I’d worry about hitting them with a power washer as I’ve seen them frayed on other boats, but perhaps the lines were already damaged.
What you do NOT want to do is machine wash ropes in the first 2 years. They still contain spinning lubes, which keep them limber, and detergent will wash these out. Second, some lines will herniate if washed when the lubes are still present. The below is NOT some image I clipped from the internet, It is one I took while working on a rope-washing project with New England ropes ~ 5 years ago. One entire batch of test samples was ruined in this way. As you can see, the herniations were frequent and ran the length of the rope. Different coiling methods altered the pattern, bu the rope was always ruined.
After the first two years, have at it. Hot water and detergent are fine--the fibers are no different from clothing. Bleach is bad, Oxiclean is fine.
After the first two years, have at it. Hot water and detergent are fine--the fibers are no different from clothing. Bleach is bad, Oxiclean is fine.
Herniate? That is very interesting. I've seen that a few times over the years and never knew what the cause was. Last year, even though the line was several years old, there was something rather similar on one of the 5/8" three-strand dock lines. Obviously looked different because it wasn't braided, but a real pain because it wasn't that far from the eye, but just far enough that I didn't want to cut the eye section off and re-splice an eye in because then it'd be kinda short. An eye splice takes up quite a bit of line so, for now, I'll just live with it. Just put it on the boat about three days ago, all nice an clean (for now at least).
Great post!
Great post!
Other things to watch out for are:
- Attached shackles (put a sock over them if going into a machine).
- Splices. They MUST have lock stitching and throat seizings before going int o a machine; I've seen factory splices work loose.
- Seize ends. A few strands around the wringer or water pump can tear them apart. washing machines aren't built for strong fibers.