Cleaning Ropes

[damianham]

I have some ropes that have been left exposed to the elements for quite some time. What is the best way to clean them ?

MTIA

[belizesailor]

UV damaged or just some funk on them?

If UV damaged, then best just to replace.

If just a little funky then drop in a bucket of mild bleach solution and let soak. Then drop in a bucket of water and fabric softner and leave to soak...this wont bring old lines back from the dead, but it will loosen them up a bit. Rinse & layout to dry.

[savoir]

Put anything with no snap shackle spliced on into a washing machine with soap. Clip those with a shackle onto the transom. Toss the lines overboard and sail around all day. Haul them in and hose the salt off.

If you have halyard tails stiff with salt and want to leave them in the mast then tie a light line through all the snap shackles. Haul each halyard all the way up. Put the tails in a bucket of water, maybe one at a time. Add a big slurp of a pint or so of muriatic acid to the water and soak for an hour. Remove and rinse with a hose.

[Cheechako]

A bucket and Woolite works well. Let them soak then agitate them for a while. Amazing how much dirt comes out of them.
I have washed in a washing machine of gentle also. Some people say not to use detergent, so not sure about that.

[onestepcsy37]

Washing machine. With soap and softener. But put them loosely inside sail bags so the ropes don't get caught up in the mechanism. Rare, but it happens.

[brownoarsman]

What gets diesel/oil out of them? I found the boat's old mooring lines in a compartment right next to the oil pan.
Of course the bilge has been clean the whole time I've owned it, but previous owners ...


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[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

What gets diesel/oil out of them? ?..

Dawn dishwashing liquid is a great grease cutter. Havent tried it on dock lines, but sure works great on other stuff.

[brownoarsman]

Good suggestion Belize. I've tried soaking them in laundry detergent and Dawn, but maybe rubbing straight dawn into them is the better idea.
Also, here is a great article from practical sailor I read while searching for an answer a few months ago

http://www.practical-sailor.com/issu...e_10509-1.html


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