Sail laundry

[PabloPicasso]

How do you launder a sail. My furling jib is looking a bit green (that's not meant to be double entendre!).

Can It be done on the marina pontoon easily enough? Or is it best to let the sail loft do the cleaning?

 

[samfieldhouse]

Depends on the size.
A large industrial/launderette sized washing machine can be effective.
I chuck my spray hood in the marina washing machine every year.

 

[VicS]

How do you launder a sail. My furling jib is looking a bit green (that's not meant to be double entendre!).

Can It be done on the marina pontoon easily enough? Or is it best to let the sail loft do the cleaning?

Take it to a sail maker who will send it to TipTop sail laundry

See Sail Cleaning | Tiptop Sail Laundry | Portsmouth for Names of "trade partners"

Some chandlers will also send sails to Tip Top

 

[William_H]

I would just spread the sail out on some convenient flat space and hose it down. Perhaps some localised cleaning with scrubbing brush and bleach etc. But then I am a cheap skate. ol'will

 

[VicS]

I would just spread the sail out on some convenient flat space and hose it down. Perhaps some localised cleaning with scrubbing brush and bleach etc. But then I am a cheap skate. ol'will

Dont use a chlorine bleach on polyester sail cloth. It sometimes irreversibly turns it yellow.

If the sail does not other wise need cleaning Patio Magic or similar benzalkonium chloride based mould and algae treatment will remove the green colour.

 

[jwilson]

Diluted bleach is normally OK for polyester, it's nylon (eg spinnakers) that it will turn yellow. Patio Magic is safe for anything. Not a fan of small washing machines. I send my sails off for professional washing most years, but they are too big for any launderette or domestic machine.

 

[DanTribe]

When I sent my fairly new sail off for laundering it seemed to knock the stuffing out of it and came back feeling like an old sail, clean but floppy.
I guess it takes the filler out.

 

[Major Tom]

Bought some white vinegar spray, which was a recommended method.

 

[The Q]

Diluted bleach is normally OK for polyester, it's nylon (eg spinnakers) that it will turn yellow. Patio Magic is safe for anything. Not a fan of small washing machines. I send my sails off for professional washing most years, but they are too big for any launderette or domestic machine.

Except for water life, observe the safety instructions on the container.

 

[Slowboat35]

I spread the sail out on a clean patio and soaked the green UV strip with 4:1 patio magic. Left it for 2 days to dry and then rolled it up and soaked it overnight in a 200l blue polythene barrel full of hot water with a tub of Oxy bleach in it. (Vanish/Astonish etc)
Next day suspended it between two trees, tied the clew to a garden roller and hosed it down as hard as the spray nozzle would let me. I then left it for 6 hrs with the lawn sprinkler rinsing it off.
Quite a lot of effort but it came out snowy white and crisp as when it started and saved me £300 or more over 2 sails.
I've previously heard several people react with horror at the idea of a washing machine as it knocks the stiffness out of the cloth.
The sailmaker I contcted for a professional cleaning quote said all they do is a chemical treatment to kill the green algae (similar to patio magic) and then merely use a vigourous water jet to shift dirt - but not as strong as a pressure washer. They warned not to expect the sail to come back sparkling white and looking new and not to expect all dirt to be removed! Stains not shiftable by water alone will remain which decided me to try the diy approach.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

When I sent my fairly new sail off for laundering it seemed to knock the stuffing out of it and came back feeling like an old sail, clean but floppy.
I guess it takes the filler out.

That was my experience too.
Recomendation.
Pick a when it's hammering down and go sailing .

 

[PabloPicasso]

All very interesting responses. A spray with diluted patio magic before a sail on a nice day.

Wash with fresh water several hours later, and another sail to dry it all out.

Or. Is there a problem with that plan?

 

[Seashoreman]

Soaked in bath of Vanish Gold for 3 days. Rinsed 3 times in warm water. Transported to rotary clothes drier in large plastic sack. Came up a treat. (I will add that I rarely bathe, shower preferred and I am not married, no comment).

 

[srm]

Living and sailing hundreds of miles from yacht services have learnt to improvise. Current practice is a calm day on the marina. Lower sail (if headsail) then raise a couple of metres and clean both sides with pressure washer, raise another couple of metres . . . repeat until fully hoisted and leave to dry. Before anyone throws up their arms in horror use some sense and do not use pressure washer jet so close to sail that it starts to damage stitching or cloth . . just watch what you are doing.

Alternative method, spread sail out on convenient clean hard surface (in front of our marina office) and use hose plus stiff deck brush, (and detergent if you can get away with it but may be frowned on if draining into sea). Turn over and repeat. Drying may be a problem.

At same time check for frayed stitching or other damage.