Cleaning and softening lines

[Seevee]

Is there a recommended technique for cleaning and softening lines?


Last time I cleaned them up, I put them in my jacuzzi before I was ready to change the water, added dish soap and let them soak overnight. Did a fare job.


Would beach be a no no? How above fabric softeners? Ideas?

 

[ranger58sb]

We've always used an annual soak in fresh water with a dose of fabric softener; don't notice any damage.

-Chris

 

[Russell Clifton]

Fabric softener works well to soften them up. Probably a good soak in Dawn dish washing soap would clean them up.

 

[Cigatoo]

Wait until your wife leaves. Fabric softener / gentle cycle in washing machine

Note that some lines will be past the point of no return if severely stretched and or UV damage.

 

[Dougcole]

I replaced my dock lines recently as the old ones were pretty nasty. I tried soaking the old ones in a bleach and dawn solution, since I was replacing them anyway there wasn't much to lose. It worked pretty well, they definitely look better. Maybe it compromised their strength, but it didn't fell that way.


Fabric softener helps too.

 

[JohnEasley]

We pull ours, run them through the washer on gentle cycle with a healthy dose of fabric softener and then lay them in the sun to dry for a few hours. Keeps them soft, pliable, and generally squeak free.

 

[Stabi]

An article from Practical Sailor
https://www.practical-sailor.com/bo...axing/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-marine-rope

 

[syjos]

I soak all the lines in a large 20 gallon tub with water, bleach, Simple Green.

Then a good soak in fresh water.

Hang dry.

Clean lines are more important to us then soft.

Our lines are now 20 years old and other than sun fade still in great useable condition.

Purchasing good quality braided line is the key to long term softness and longevity.

 

[Shrew]

We don't use fabric softener for fear of weakening the material in the line. We do wash them with Woolite and let them air dry. We've soaked and rinsed them. We've also run them through a front-end loader. To protect the lines, we put 1-2 lines in a garment bag meant for delicates and run them that way.

I've run a decent load of line 5-8 in a front end loader and the friction has destroyed the sheath on double braid. When we use garment bags for delicates, no issue with friction and fraying.

 

[kchace]

The Practical Sailor article covers it.

 

[jleonard]

Laundry detergent by hand. Rinse well, then soak in Downy for a day.
Then rinse again.