Discussion: Rope and wasching machine

Rope and wasching machine

What are your thoughts on putting a dirty rope in the washing machine?

(cent 1:) long story short: only, if necessary, better keep it clean in first place

(cent 2:) long story (which is the essence of what you also find elsewhere on the net):

• better to take care of your ropes that you never get to the point of this decision, of course
• there's already 'studies' that proof that ropes age and break faster, when being dirty
• maybe still prefer handwash (e.g. in a bathing tube) over machine wash (you should only use the handwash-program anyway)
• if you do that more often, get a rope brush, makes it easier/faster
• let a washing program run (with only some old clothes or shreds in it) without adding any detergent--so that the washing turn cleans out rests of settled detergents in the machine (there is still a lot of! you'll still have foam in the machine without adding detergent!)
• use a soft program, without skidding in the end
• only use very mild detergent, in best case one for similar textiles, you can even get rope cleaners
• crucial part: drying. not in the sun, not hanging, on a clean, shady, well vented surface, for days(!), maybe revert from time to time that there are no hidden wet spots
• back into it's rope bag and back to step one: take care of it! ;-)

Thanks Mel!