laundering dinghy sails - help!

[scotty123]

I've want to clean up a grubby mainsail - mainly some dirt & mould stains.
What temperature & washing 'powder' is best.

 

[Tranona]

Don't put in the washing machine. Spread it out on a flat surface and scrub with a weak bleach solution.

 

[Bobc]

A cold wash with Dreft works.

 

[rob2]

Assuming the sails are sill in good shape (other than the dirt) spread them out on a hard surface. Sweep the area first to avoid getting grit into the process! slosh soapy water over it from a watering can and work over gently with a soft broom. Be particularly careful throught around stitching - think of the stitched areas as being like cleaning your teeth, this is where much of the dirt collects, but is the most sensitive and you can damage the thread. One both sides have been washed, you can repeat with a dilute bleach if the discolouration didn't wash out. If you can hang the sail on a tall chain link fence (like a tennis court perimeter) then rinsing is easier as you can just hose it over a few times and leave to drip dry. Most importantly, don't pack it away wet.

Rob.

 

[VicS]

If you do not have a suitable clean hard surface dinghy sail are manageable in the bath.

Dreft is suggested but any mild detergent should be fine. You probably have something that you would normally use for hand washing.

Be cautious about using a chlorine bleach .. it can cause discoloration of polyester ( Terylene, Dacron etc). You may not want to end up with permanently yellow sails. It has happened to at least one forumite.
An oxygen bleach, such as Vanish, should be safe.

Warm wash like you would for polyester clothes.

Mould stains are very difficult to remove.

 

[BlueChip]

Get a tub of Oxyclean from the pound shop - tip it into a wheelie bin of warm water and stir to dissolve.
Put sails in and leave to soak for as long as possible days or even weeks, remove, scrub off loose dirt and rinse.
You will be amazed how clean they come out all for little effort

 

[VicS]

Get a tub of Oxyclean from the pound shop - tip it into a wheelie bin of warm water and stir to dissolve.
Put sails in and leave to soak for as long as possible days or even weeks, remove, scrub off loose dirt and rinse.
You will be amazed how clean they come out all for little effort

If the bin men don't empty it on normal collection day.

 

[Lakesailor]

I use one of those cheap woven polytarps for about £7 from a hardware shop.
Lay it on the drive or lawn and use soap powder and a deck brush. Hose it off, do the other side and hoist it from the guttering of the house to drip dry.