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trialsnclimbing
Jul 16, 2003, 6:19 AM
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I have yet to get a tarp or something to keep my rope from resting in the dirt when paying out or pulling in slack... hence it has gotten a little dirty. I've heard some people say not to wash a rope and I've heard others who said go for it. Any thoughts on this?
Any preference as to how to wash, any tools to buy. How about drying the rope? Any adverse effects? How long should I hold off before washing?
Thanks
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benpullin
Jul 16, 2003, 6:31 AM
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First off, a tarp or rope bag is a must, especially for sport climbing crags.
If you must wash your rope, there are commercially available products you can buy. I've had great luck, though, with a small amount of Woolite in the water.
I usually half the rope, then tie it into a long daisy chain so ends don't get caught in the washing machine agitator. I run it through the wash once with Woolite and once without for a full rinse.
Realize though, that if your rope has a dry coating, washing will probably remove it. Also, it seems as though once you wash a rope, and it will clean up, it becomes dirty easier for the life of the rope. That's just my experience. Hang dry the rope out of direct sunlight ( I hang mine over a pull-up bar).
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pico23
Jul 16, 2003, 8:07 AM
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YES, wash the rope. It makes your rope and your gear last longer.
Use woolite and wash it in a bath tub. I soak mine for about an hour while agitating it every now and then and then rinse about 5 times, in between I rinse the tub because it gets grity from the rope.
I've used a washing machine as well but not in a while. If using a washing machine use a comercial front loader (or you might be lucky enough to own a front loader) and put the rope in a pillow case and seal it. wash away.
I haven't found my ropes to get dirtier faster. It might have to do with rinsing them to excess to remove all the residue. If your rope was dry before you might need to retreat it.
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tarzan420
Jul 16, 2003, 8:26 AM
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when my fiancee and I washed her rope, we just used a large laundry room sink (bathtub would work) and warm water. Let it soak, then wring the entire thing out into another sink, bucket, etc. Repeat until you are satisfied or your arms fall off from squeezing out 50+m of rope multiple times. Her rope, after 1 summer of climbing, we wrung it out/soaked it 6 times I think.
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trialsnclimbing
Jul 16, 2003, 8:51 AM
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Thanks for the replies. They are definitely helpful.
I've also heard about an attachment you put on a hose and then run your rope through that?
Also, how do I know at what point my rope needs to be washed?
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mike
Jul 16, 2003, 9:23 AM
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Some rope washing tips from "Knots and Ropes for Climbers" :
uncoil the rope and weave it into an electrician's braid to keep the rope from tangling or getting damaged in the wash;
Run the washing machine through a rinse cycle if you suspect the previous load contained bleach ( always the case at a laundromat);
set the machine to delicate cycle and cold water;
add a gentle soap such as Ivory Snow, don't use detergent which will strip the rope of it's necessary oils;
to restore the original supple feel, add fabric softener to the rinse;
Warning, these are just quotes from a book, I've never tried this. For all I know, fabric softener will dissolve your rope.
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redpoint73
Jul 16, 2003, 11:25 AM
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There is not downside to washing the rope. The people that don't wash are just lazy. Just make sure the rope is completely dry before you use it (lay out to dry for a couple days).
I read somewhere (not sure where) that the breaking strength actually increases after you wash and properly dry a rope.
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redpoint73
Jul 16, 2003, 11:29 AM
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In reply to: Realize though, that if your rope has a dry coating, washing will probably remove it. Also, it seems as though once you wash a rope, and it will clean up, it becomes dirty easier for the life of the rope. That's just my experience.
I know that liquid detergents counteract the effect of DWR on rain jackets. Maybe they have a similar action for dry treatments? Perhaps the detergent is the culprit. I don't see why washing with just water would degrade the dry treatment anymore than abrasion (from the rock and belay device) from normal use.
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cass
Jul 16, 2003, 11:36 AM
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http://www.rockclimbing.com/articles/view.php?ID=60
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euroford
Jul 16, 2003, 7:35 PM
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i have a laundromat less than a block from my house. i do a load of my wifes clothes in one of the large front loaders with woolite (she has a load about once a month that requires the woolite stuff) to get the washer clean (errr... i mean to be nice and do my wifes delicates...) and then dump my rope into the washer.
afterwords i throw it in one of the dryers on tumble (no heat!!) for a couple minutes to get the excess water out then hang it in the garage to dry out.
after its dry i'll get it fully untangled and then do a couple raps on it off my 4 story building to get it untwisted. i drop each end of the rope down about 24" from the ground and tie a heavy cam to the end, then rap a couple times on each strand. you'd be surpised how much twist this can put into the rope.
i actually havn't washed a climbing rope like this, but my bluewater static rapell ropes (for facade access) get filthy and need it more often. seams to be a good method and leaves the ropes supple and in nearly new condition.
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cap'n cook
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Jul 16, 2003, 7:48 PM
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I just put mine in the bathtub with or without cleaner (depending whether it is at hand or not). You should be bathing with your rope anyways to help build trust.
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thrillseeker05
Jul 16, 2003, 8:20 PM
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In reply to: Just make sure the rope is completely dry before you use it (lay out to dry for a couple days).
NEVER ever lay a rope out to dry and NEVER ever have it in the sun to dry. these are the only things that ARE bad for a rope.
hang your rope losely flaked over something in your garage until it dries.
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jt512
Jul 16, 2003, 8:27 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Just make sure the rope is completely dry before you use it (lay out to dry for a couple days). NEVER ever lay a rope out to dry and NEVER ever have it in the sun to dry. these are the only things that ARE bad for a rope. hang your rope losely flaked over something in your garage until it dries.
Why is it bad to lay out your rope to dry if it is not in the sun?
-Jay
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alpnclmbr1
Jul 16, 2003, 8:43 PM
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In reply to: NEVER ever lay a rope out to dry and NEVER ever have it in the sun to dry. these are the only things that ARE bad for a rope. hang your rope losely flaked over something in your garage until it dries.
Actually, Mammut say's not to hang your rope to let it dry.
Sterling say's it is okay to hang your rope, they also say it is all right to use hot water to wash it.
Maxim say’s not to use detergent.
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robmcc
Jul 16, 2003, 10:18 PM
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In reply to: NEVER ever lay a rope out to dry and NEVER ever have it in the sun to dry. these are the only things that ARE bad for a rope. hang your rope losely flaked over something in your garage until it dries.
Well, that settles that! No more daytime climbing for me. AND I"m gonna have to build a garage!
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thrillseeker05
Jul 16, 2003, 10:25 PM
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it's bad to lay it flat because of the way water runs.. ... down. so basically it just sits in water if you lay it on the floor. now lets see what happens to stagnant water? Oh yeah! bacteria grows.. don’t believe me.. wash your clothes and then just lay them out on your garage floor to dry. Dumbash.
Don’t hang it on something sharp. . flake it over something anything.. BBQ grill, railing or something.. the water will run down and off the rope and drip onto the floor. Your dry time will be faster as well and your rope won’t stink from bacteria. Man, I can’t believe I had to explain this.
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ptone
Jul 17, 2003, 6:31 AM
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I don't remember where I got it, but I've got a little tubular scrub brush, I just thread the rope, and run it back and forth til I've pulled the whole thing thru...in a bathtub with cold/cool water and woolite.
Anyhow, reason I wrote this was not to have a kick at that horse myself, but to say why I wash it, 'cause not too many people'd mentioned that...
The accumulated sand/grit can weaken the rope as it works into the core, and also has a noticeable effect on gear.
I happened to buy a new rope and ATC at the same time this year. Both were looking great for quite a bit (climbing through end of winter in the gym, 3-4 days a week, then outdoors 2-3 days for a few more weeks). Generally I use a tarp and try to maintain some management.
One long weekend we climbed where there was alot of sand and debris at the base, and even with a tarp the rope picked up sand et al over 3 days of non stop camp/climbing. In just a couple more weeks the anodized finish was worn off the ATC from rapping and belaying. I even noticed (tho it may be I'm wrong) that the ATC seemed way hotter at the end of a longer rap than before, and the rope did not handle as nicely when belaying lead, where I have to move alot more rope back and forth.
Cleaned the rope, back to better!
My $0.02 (canadian too, so its worth even less to some!)
peace,
-p
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