How do you wash a dirty rope?

vincent L. wrote:James is there any anecdotal evidence or proof that a rope being excessively dirty led to it failing ? Or any studies that show the working lifespan of a rope was reduced because it was dirty? If dirt and tiny micro rocks are a threat to rope life and safety , shouldn't it be washed after every climbing day ?

Failing? Not that I've ever heard of.

Reducing the lifespan? Definitely. Take a rope down to the RRG for a weekend without a rope bag and test it out. I've been through a lot of ropes over the years, and have noticed that dirty locations more readily produce an abundance of rope fuzz and general loss of structural rigidity in the rope. This is just my experience, and I have no studies to back it up, so take it with a grain of salt.

More food for thought:

From the ITRS:

"Prusik-style lengths of 8mm cord were soaked in dirty, gritty water, allowed to dry, and then put through five, 1,000-pound slow pulls to mimic realistic cord usage during rescue operations. The study found that after one soiling/pulling event, the cord had lost approximately 20 percent of its strength. After eight cycles, it lost 40 percent of its strength."

climbing.com/skill/dirty-li…

From NE Ropes:

"Dirt can penetrate a rope resulting in abrasion. To clean your rope, wash it with fresh water and air-dry out of direct sunlight. For a more thorough cleaning, soak your ropes in warm water with a rope cleaning agent. When possible, use a front-loading washer; otherwise, wash your rope in a mesh bag or pillowcase to avoid tangling. Rinse thoroughly and then hang up to dry out of direct sunlight.

ropeinc.com/pdf/climbing-ro…

A rope´s handling and knotability will also deteriorate if you don´t wash it.

Nick,
Thank you for contacting us. The garden hose method is terrific for more frequent cleaning maybe once a month. The full deep cleaning with the washing machine is great like once a year. Either way you chose remember to air dry them fully (over the shower curtain rod) before you use them again.

I've attached some further information for your reference.

I hope that helps.

Matt Andrews
Climbing & Outdoor Market Manager
Sterling Rope Co., Inc.
1-800-788-7673 ext 3106


Straight from the horses mouth. hot water, in the washer, once a year. Soap isn't absolutely necessary, but non-bleach detergent is ok.


how to wash a rope

The ITRS "study" doesn't prove much, IMO.

I am curious if washing a rope substantially removes the dirt/grit that has made its way under the sheath. I can see the surface dirt being washed away, but does that really affect the rope's strength? The handling, maybe. I am something of a clean freak and based on my experiences washing other materials in life, I just don't see a casual wash in a bath tub or machine washer making much of a difference in that regard. Especially if the thing is wrapped inside a pillow case.

I don't bother washing my ropes because they seem to get just as dirty within a few more uses, and I'm not convinced there is any reason to worry about reduced strength. Are there any reports, anecdotal or otherwise, of a rope failure where this was thought to be a contributing cause?

Can I wash a climbing rope in "hard water"?

Russ Peterson wrote:Can I wash a climbing rope in "hard water"?

Yes, just don't wash it in sharp water.

I don't know about the hard water question (I don't see why not though) but this page has a good explanation of the daisy chain method mentioned earlier in the thread: basicrockclimbing.com/how-t….

Thanks for the feedback...I just know that hard water can really be rough on clothes, so I didn't know what it would do to a rope. I contacted BlueWater and they also said that it won't damage it.

FrankPS wrote:Personally, I think washing a rope is a waste of time and water! I don't think it extends the rope's life, but it will keep your hands cleaner, if that's important to you.

or you could just wear belay gloves.

FrankPS wrote:Personally, I think washing a rope is a waste of time and water! I don't think it extends the rope's life, but it will keep your hands cleaner, if that's important to you.

I'd tend to agree. However sap on the rope just gums up stuff and is icky when you're belaying a rope with it on. The other thing cleaning a rope does is allow you to inspect it more easily. However you should inspect it regardless of cleanliness.

vincent L. wrote:After 4 years , still waiting for someone to state a compelling reason to wash a rope . Unless your cat peed on it and it smells terrible , I see no need to wash a rope . If something got on it that was serious enough for you to try to wash it out , would you trust the washing process to make the rope safe again ?

Thread revival....
My roommate's cat actually pissed on one of my ropes, can I use baking soda to wash my rope?