Washing your rope...

[Alan_Howard]

just wondering what kind of advice would be given here on this topic... i've heard to use woolite and then i've heard to just wash it in water. i've also heard to just buy a new rope. what say y'all?

[Dirtyleaf]

Bath tub with warm water. Drain rinse a couple times. Don't want to get crazy aggressive with it. They also make something that you plug into a hose and pull through. Never used it though. My ropes got shiny when I gave them baths.

[keenwesh]

tie the rope into a bunch of slipknots, then it won't get as tangled.

[billcoe]

Just follow the Mfg directions. Water or a little woolite in a washing machine, both are fine. Air dry. I'd use cold water in either case, there is some natural shrinkage and you want to minimize it. I've heard of people putting them into a pillowcase to eliminate the tangling, but I've never bothered.

 

I use steel for toproping (steel carabiners and belay device like a DMM V-twin or gri gri) to minimize the black you get off of aluminum and thus have to wash less. Did the person who recommended that you get a new one once the old one became dirty, did they suggest they could take that old dirty one off your hands?

[LostCamKenny]

Did the person who recommended that you get a new one once the old one became dirty, did they suggest they could take that old dirty one off your hands?

[Off_White]

Its best not to whisper to them while you're washing, "Ooooh, you've been a dirty, dirty rope," it tends to make them stiff.

 

 

 

 

I've wanted to check out the hook it up to the hose widget, but have always wound up with Bill Coe's "just toss it in the washer" method, seems to work fine. Last time around I think I didn't rinse the woolite out enough, made for an unpleasant feel for awhile.

[EricMPeterson]

Local Climbing stores usually sell a rope cleaner that you put in your washer. I used it with my rope and it came out nice and clean. It has some chemical in it so it does not leave any residue. At least thats what the sales man told me.

[ivan]

thinking you need to wash your ropes is a sub-conscious admission that you aren't climbing nearly as much as you should

 

just go climbig in the pouring rain - rapping on thoroughly soaked ropes sure ships a shit-ton of dirt too

 

i seem to chop most of my ropes long before their filthiness becomes a factor

[LostCamKenny]

i seem to chop most of my ropes long before their filthiness becomes a factor

this is true... one mine and one of his own!!!

[Alan_Howard]

Thanks dirtyleaf, billcoe, and Eric for your suggestions! Kenny, you shouldn't let ivan borrow your rope.

[ivan]

i seem to chop most of my ropes long before their filthiness becomes a factor

this is true... one mine and one of his own!!!

kyle n' geoff recently got in on the action w/ me too

 

and kenny's just happy it happened to his rope while I was on it, not him!

[ThorDog]

If there is a factory "Dry Treatment" on the rope, I would put off washing it as long as possible! Once you wash it with detergent, your "Dry Treatment is gone! But anyway, luke warm water in the bath tub, some really mild detergent (I think BITD it was Ivory Snow)thoroughly rinse it and hang it up out of the sun to dry!

 

But like Ivan said, climb more wash less!!!!!!