Cleaning ropes

[Mick Dempsey]

Never cleaned a rope.

[gand]

I chain linked mine and stuffed in a pillow case, then washed 30 on a slow spin. It always worked for me.

[Max 201]

Thanks guys I'll have a go at washing them this weekend! 

[Treerover]

Never cleaned a rope.

You swarthy dirtilist [emoji23]

[Treerover]

As Gand, works a treat. Just only do it when you absolutely need to as the weight bias in the drum isn’t preferred by your average washing machine.

The rope comes out like new

 

[Mick Dempsey]

5 minutes ago, Treerover said:

You swarthy dirtilist

I’ve usually cut them with the saw before it becomes necessary. 

[AHPP]

Like Bolam says.

[Dan Maynard]

Sometimes they need a clean - took down a couple of Scots pine in a garden where the lady kept chickens around the base, it rained and that turned the ground into clay and chicken shit soup.

 

I bought some Beal rope cleaner and brush, soaked it in the bath at 30C per instructions. Made it better but never really got rid of the smell from the rope. As I remember the rope manufacturer said not to put in washing machine, that was a Marlow rope.

[mikedrums69]

Once a year, usually Xmas time. Or when there just hanging from all the sap and shit.

 

beal rope cleaner, soak in a tub. Then in the washing machine with no detergent to wash it off. Comes out smart like 👍 

[peds]

Those spiral rope brushes work great when clamped in a vice with the bucket underneath, leaving both hands free to pull it through.

 

Edit

I hardly ever clean my ropes, and should do it more often, as the literature I've seen from manufacturers (during training courses with mountain rescue) make it clear that clean, dry ropes are significantly stronger than wet ropes with ingrained dirt particles, with breaking point much easier to reach. Even then, though, that breaking point should still be well outside your safe working load, but all it doesn't take much for things to snowball into a catastrophe. 

Edited February 13, 2022 by peds