Washing Sails

L

Laundryman

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17 Dec 2007
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Live in Hemel Hempstead, Boat is in Haslar.
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As my user name suggests, I spend my days when not sailing running a commercial laundry business and recent posts regarding the washing of sails has had me thinking. Shall i chance washing my sails in one of my big washing machines. Is it necessary? Do i tumble dry them after?. Ive no doubt some learned person is going to ask me what my sails are made of, and the answer is, i havent a clue, but they are not new! Is the washing of Sails a specialist job or should i give it a go? thanks alan
 
It will really depend on what your sails are made of. Modern sails can have 'filler' between the fibres, and rough washing and tumble drying can remove the filler. Older sails probably won't mind at all. Best is to soak them in a large kids paddling pool or similar, though I'm no expert on this, just repeating some very long informed threads on the subject that have been posted here previously! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Common method is to fill bath and soak in that .... with non-bio washing powder.

One Sailmaker I know uses local car wash to hang sails in and they power-wash them ! (As I said to him - NOT mine thankyou !)

If I was as original poster - I would be very happy ! Big machine .... Heaven ! I would have no reservation in putting mine in there with non-bio at 30 - 40C wash ... no spin ... hang to drip dry.
 
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then iron the creases out

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Thats why I hang to drip-dry - NOT spin it out ...

Funny that a well known Sail-makers on South Coast took my sails a few years back and washed in large industrial machine ... sails came back to me folded and bagged in pristine condition. I am sure they did NOT iron out creases /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
then iron the creases out

[/ QUOTE ] If you are tempted to do that for goodness sake, and for the sake of you sails, only with a cool iron (unless they are cotton)
 
Hello Alan, I have washed my sails and also others regularly in my largest machine,don't think you need be too gentle on them I use the strongest detergent with no ill effects.A few customers from the yacht club come back every year.
Bill
 
Alan,I forgot to say that I wash them only when I can dry them naturally,either on the boat or maybe in conservatory or over bannister-depends on size of sail.
Bill
 
[ QUOTE ]
Alan,I forgot to say that I wash them only when I can dry them naturally,either on the boat or maybe in conservatory or over bannister-depends on size of sail.
Bill

[/ QUOTE ]
Surely a gentleman only ever dries sails in the stables?
 
For about the past 30 years, on and off, when I think the sails look dirty I have washed them at home. These are terylene cruising sails generally the sort made by Arun or Crusader. Cold water in an inflatable as a bath with a a little detergent usually washing up stuff. Generally trample them with bare feet and use nail brush or similar on any dirty spots. A good rinse in cold water (in the inflatable) then hang between upper window in house to apple tree in garden (hanging from luff); hose down in this position and then leave to dry. It seems to work and the sails do not seem to loose their shape or texture. A friend of mine who is a sailmaker informs me that most sail makers these days just act as collecting agents for a central sail wahing outfit who use large industrial type washing machines! Personally I prefer my method.
 
A sailmaker I knew some years back used to have sails washed at a local hospital. He told me that their washing machines were very large: how they compare with what you have only you can say.

I have always understood that washing them in a machine is the absolutely last resort as nothing ruins them more quickly. I would definitely not machine dry them in any case.
 
I spoke to a sail repairer and he told me that a lot of the 'professional' sail cleaners lay the sail out on a flat surface and 'gently' powerhose the sails with a light bleaching chemical. No washing machine involved...
 
Hands up who has a large flat surface to lay their sails out on to powerhose ? I have a large party-room ~7.5m x 5m .... ut would not do it there ! Wooden floor etc.
Bathroom is 5m x 5m with sealed heated floor ... mmmmmm wouldn't do it there either !

Seems back to washing machine ...
 
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Think outdoors... Driveway or car park.

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Ermmmmmm .............. you aint seen outside my house !!

Seriously - any outside is a no-no in my opinion, due to dust, crud and general cr** that would ruin / abrade a sail. Ok so you rinse off while hung up ... but .... it wouldn't take much to drive rubbish into the material.

All IMHO
 
I wouldnt lay the sail; straight on the ground.

We have a monster size cheap plastic tarpaulin.Put that down first then lay sail on top wash with soap and water using a soft brush.Hose off and hang up from trees to dry.

Needs to be a fairly windless day.

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