Washed rope doesn't handle smoothly anymore

So I washed my rope and now its pretty clean but the sheath doesn't feel smooth anymore and it doesn't feed through devices like it did before. Does anybody know of a coating or rope soap to get that "new rope smooth handling" feel back ?

Use fabric softener when you wash the rope.

all ropes will fuzz up the more you use it ... which is why i never bother getting those slick dry treatments for climbing normal rock ... and why i get a beater rope saving my better ropes for where it matters ...

Perin Blanchard wrote:Use fabric softener when you wash the rope.

Don't know if that's a good idea.

google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q…(P%26G).pdf&ei=PvBQUOahLIOo8gSpq4D4AQ&usg=AFQjCNFHQgntD64Gj4nZl9wzAWkMwUsLLw&sig2=ndDqDfxQjKJCA97UdIHFow&cad=rja

Downy seems to have a pH of ~3. In other words, it's fairly acidic.

Not sure about other softeners, though.

Joe Virtanen wrote: Don't know if that's a good idea.

New England Ropes thinks it's a good idea.

Google "climbing ropes fabric softener" (sans quotes) and you'll find sufficient information to make up your mind one way or the other.

Joe Virtanen wrote:Downy seems to have a pH of ~3. In other words, it's fairly acidic.

Yeah, don't use it full strength. A capful in a washer full of water isn't gonna change the wash water pH much.

The roughness will probably ease up once you start using it again.

If you are washing your rope you are not falling enough.

Lesson learned, don't wash your rope.

Jake Jones wrote:I don't know of any products that will un-fuzz your sheath. Sorry.

Blahaha

Seriously though. Don't wash your rope. Take up ice climbing, that'll clean it just fine.

You can treat the rope with an aftermarket waterproofing agent. Nikwax makes such a product. That would decrease the surface friction of the rope and allow it to regain part of its original smooth handling, but the stuff is kind of expensive, I would just save the money and apply it towards a new rope when the time comes.

I prefer going to happy hour over washing ropes.

I've never washed a rope and aside from unseen circumstances I don't plan to

Thanks for link Perin, seems I'm wrong to assume that it would damage the thread.

How does getting a rope wet make it fuzzy?

I washed a rope last week, no fuzz. Just put it in a queen sized sheet, tie the corners, and toss it in the machine. A small amount of detergent and it is clean.

I washed a sterling evolution velocity 9.8 and I actually think it handles a little better than it did while it was dirty. I daisy chained the rope, put it in a large mesh bag, used a little bit of woolite in a front loader washer, washed it in cold water, and let it dry flaked out inside for about five days.

I have heard the sheath on sterling ropes are tough so I'm not sure if that had an effect on my results.

Wash a rope by hand in the tub and cringe in horror at the color of the water when you're done. Spin cycle only in a machine for me.

I don't have time is a shit excuse.

John Husky wrote:Wash a rope by hand in the tub and cringe in horror at the color of the water when you're done. Spin cycle only in a machine for me. I don't have time is a shit excuse.

I did that once. I spent 20 minutes washing the rope and 40 minutes washing the tub. Total PITA.

you could get an over the counter dry treatment and wash it in. That will enhance "handling" properties