Cleaning boats ropes

Jodelpilot ... a fairly cost effective method is to soak ropes in a mild solution of 'Milton' (Used for sterilising babies bottles - less than £2 a bottle & goes a long way - available Boots etc.) I normally do all my white ropes overnight in a plastic bath.

Use Milton for cleaner, whiter, brighter ropes ... :)
 
I have always used:

No pillow case - doesn't seem to make any difference to tangling, and most of our lines don't have any metal blocks or shackles permanently on them. The drum does clank a bit for the ones that do have a shackle and I suppose an old sock over the end might make a difference?

40 degrees and Normal Detergent. (Bold three-in-one is the current flavour)

If the lines are bad I use a pre-soak program.

Spin at 1000 and they come out nearly dry.

All our lines (halyards, sheets and warps) are at the time of writing in the bottom of the airing cupboard clean and dry since last September.
 
Jodelpilot ... a fairly cost effective method is to soak ropes in a mild solution of 'Milton' (Used for sterilising babies bottles - less than £2 a bottle & goes a long way - available Boots etc.) I normally do all my white ropes overnight in a plastic bath.

Use Milton for cleaner, whiter, brighter ropes ... :)

Isnt Milton a Bleach :eek:
 
Like others I have used washing machine many times without problems (another load going in in a few minutes). I take care not to overload the machine. I don't use a pillow case, and have never had a problem with unbalanced spinning. I don't have any now, but have previously padded any shackles or blocks that couldn't be removed from ropes.

What I would add to others' suggestions is giving the ropes a good rinse before the wash, either a soak in a bath or, as I do, just put them through the 'rinse only' cycle a couple of times before starting the wash. My thinking is that this will reduce the salt in the ropes that would reduce the effectiveness of the detergent.

I've never been entirely sure whether or not to use fabric softener. Can anyone suggest a good reason one way or the other?
 
Hi,

Anyone have any good tips on cleaning yours boats ropes?

Have heards about people putting them in the washing machine but I might have imagined that!

Thanks.

Just as soon as the weather starts to warm up there will be a large bin at back door with a bit of Domestos in the water and halyards/sheets go in for a day (or few days if green) and are tranferred to WM whenever SWMBO is out. I use a low temp, low spin program (think it is for wool). Mooring warps are well past sell by date, tend to get seriously stiff, so go in a warmer, longer, basic wash program.
 
Try the pressure washer on those badly soiled areas, you know, when the red wine was splashed about on that bumpy sail, before putting your rope in the washing machine.

For your longer pieces, take it to the launderette.

73s de

Johnth
 
Isnt Milton a Bleach :eek:

Milton uses oxygen as a bleach/antibacterial, so is very much milder than Sodium Hypochlorite or Sodium Hydroxide which can both be found in conventional bleaches.

Dilute Milton was used to disinfect and oxygenate my dads very serious burns in WW2. It worked brilliantly. Don't think it will harm ropes therefore if used carefully.

I wash my ropes in Comfort in the WM when SWMBO is not looking.

Tim
 
I put mine in the washing machine this week - an annual event that I try to do when the admiral of the kitchen is out :D

I am off to Turkey tomorrow to visit the villa and boat, unfortunately (for her) SWMBO can not come, she is saving her hols for the warmer weather.
Fortunately for me, free uninterupted access to washing machine for boaty bits.

Also have free access to dish washer, but unfortunately no engine parts to de-grease.

Any one have a good recipe for lobster in a Dish Wash Machine?
 
Lobster should not take too long in the dish washer. The empirical approach is what I suggest oh, I also suggest leaving out the little ball of cleaning stuff or, if you are washing dishes too, wrap your lobster well with cling film !


73s de
Johnth
 
Longer pieces of rope go to the launderette, any hard to shift stains get a blast from the pressure washer first.

Lobster from the dishwasher is something Mikehibb enquired about. All you need to do is get the time sorted out and let the hot water do the cooking.

Avoid soap is my advice on this one.

73s de

Johnth
 
If you are worried about using a domestic washing machine, take a look in Yellow Pages for a local equine supplies and services shop.
Ours has industrial washing machines used for horse blankets which invariably come covered in mud and dung. The blanket go in the machines complete with metal buckles together with lead reins and other ropey bits.
 
I am off to Turkey tomorrow to visit the villa and boat, unfortunately (for her) SWMBO can not come, she is saving her hols for the warmer weather.
Fortunately for me, free uninterupted access to washing machine for boaty bits.

Also have free access to dish washer, but unfortunately no engine parts to de-grease.

Any one have a good recipe for lobster in a Dish Wash Machine?

Sorry, this is the best I could find: http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/dishwasher.html

:-)
 
I've never been entirely sure whether or not to use fabric softener. Can anyone suggest a good reason one way or the other?

I stopped using fabric conditioner years ago on clothing and ropes. It used to damage some 'technical' fabrics such as used by Rohan clothing and M&S said that it was not needed on towels as it ruined them. As I require ropes to have strength I keep then clean (WM and half amount of powder) and leave it at that - so far !!
 
All this dishwasher stuff to cook fish works of course however, a conventional pan works too.

In my opinion, salmon is best cooked in lime juice. Plenty of it and bring it to the boil then just simmer until the fish is cooked to your satisfaction. The juice that is left after cooking can be used for a sauce.

73s de

Johnth
 
Just revived this thread to add my support to the pressure wash method. I tied one end of my kicking strap to to the bottom rung of a twelve foot ladder, ran it tightly up, down, and up again on one side and tied it off on a rung, then laid the ladder down propped by a couple of bits of 4x2 either end, washed one side then turned the ladder over to do the other, worked a treat.
 
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