Cleaning Sails At Home

[Old Bumbulum]

I've just had a quote for laundering my sails and wonder how hard it can be to do it at home.

I have a 1st floor balcony and garage the right distance apart to stretch my sails between without them catching too many worm-casts so why shouldn't I string them up, spray them with a mild detergent solution and rinse down vigorously with a pressure washer?
(Yes, I understand about overdoing the pressure thanks)

How do sail lofts clean sails?

What sort of cleaning agent might be used?

 

[ctva]

We hang ours between two trees and do the same with mild detergent. Light scrub of any marks but have never used a pressure washer, the hose with mains pressure is plenty good enough. We once got our sails valeted ‘professionally’ and wouldn’t waste the money again.

 

[pandos]

We hang ours between two trees and do the same with mild detergent. Light scrub of any marks but have never used a pressure washer, the hose with mains pressure is plenty good enough. We once got our sails valeted ‘professionally’ and wouldn’t waste the money again.

Me too.

Once soaked very dirty sail in the wheely bin with some ordinary detergent... Hung them from two trees and then aired hanging over the landing for a week in the house folded and packed came out like new...

 

[greeny]

I'm going to put mine in the garden pool this week before I empty it, then dry them off before storage for the winter. I've checked the water and very little chemical in now, and i'm sure a very mild bleach solution would not hurt anyway as long as i rinse them off afterwards.

 

[webcraft]

Me too.

Once soaked very dirty sail in the wheely bin with some ordinary detergent... Hung them from two trees and then aired hanging over the landing for a week in the house folded and packed came out like new...

What detergent did you use?


- W

 

[Bav32]

Patio cleaner

 

[VicS]

I'm going to put mine in the garden pool this week before I empty it, then dry them off before storage for the winter. I've checked the water and very little chemical in now, and i'm sure a very mild bleach solution would not hurt anyway as long as i rinse them off afterwards.

Be a bit careful with bleach and polyester sail cloth. It can sometimes turn the sail cloth irreversibly yellow.

Very dilute bleach may be Ok but I have no knowledge or information as to what dilution would be safe. In most cases there is no problem at all

 

[VicS]

What detergent did you use?


- W

A non bio washing detergent is usually suggested ... I would use ( have used ) Persil non bio because that is what I have for normal domestic laundry purposes.

Patio cleaner

But not the acid based cleaner that you use for descaling the engine or the lavatory.

A 10X diluted solution of a benzalkonium chloride based cleaner such as Patio Magic, or the much cheaper equivalent from Lidl or Aldi, will kill, and prevent regrowth of, mould, mildew and algae.

 

[Seajet]

Avoid bleach at all costs !

Warm soapy water in a bathtub then hang the sails up and hose them down is the best one can do.

You can't get rid of rust stains on old sails, trying to is likely to destroy them - think of such marks as ' character '

 

[pandos]

What detergent did you use?


- W

I just used some Aldi green stuff.. same as swmbo uses on my jocks....

 

[Seajet]

I just used some Aldi green stuff.. same as swmbo uses on my jocks....

Nuclear ? :ambivalence:

 

[thinwater]

The professional detergents for sails are based on percarbonate. It is safe for polyester and laminates according to sailcloth makers. Expect to soak for 4-6 hours.

A common US brand is Oxiclean.

 

[VicS]

The professional detergents for sails are based on percarbonate. It is safe for polyester and laminates according to sailcloth makers. Expect to soak for 4-6 hours.

A common US brand is Oxiclean.

"Vanish" is a common UK brand but the supermarkets do their "own brands" too