Rope cleaning in laundry detergent ??

[Rory hynes]

Alright lads!

 

My climbing line was getting manky so I heard that I could be cleaned in a big tub of lukewarm water and a small handful of non bio laundry detergent?

 

I didn’t leave the line in the tub for anymore than 5 mins (water was filthy). 
 

managed to get a lot of the water out of the line and left it to fully dry..

 

take it this is still ok to use ???

 

cheers 

[Rich Rule]

Yes it will be fine.

 

I would have left it for a lot longer.

 

In fact, I usually put it through a washing machine cycle.  Put the rope in a pillow case first though.

[Mark Bolam]

As above.

Non bio on a wool cycle, 30 degrees.

 

Safety first, so best done when the wife is out.

[jimug]

I wash a lot of caving ropes (9 or 10mm semi static), so no sap or oil etc to worry about, just loads of grit and mud. I mainly use a length of soil pipe with a hose adaptor teed into it, and a length of folded plastic 'astroturf' doormat folded round the rope and stuffed into the soil pipe, turn on water and pull the rope through a few times.

For washing, it's worth 'chaining' the rope before putting into a pillow case or net stuffsack so it doesn't come out in a massive tangle. Longest rope is 100m though so probably a lot more tangle potential than a tree rope.

[Mark Bolam]

Aye, electricians braid on rope before it goes in, good point.