Best soaps to use to clean a climbing rope

What about Dawn Ultra dishwashing liquid?

Has anybody tried it? Seems like a good option that can take grease stains out of everything..
"It's a super versatile detergent that is perfect not only for washing dishes but also for sterilizing baby bottles, refreshing clothing, as well as washing a car, leaving no all those itchy stains."

John Wilder wrote:

Cotton and wool shrink. Nylon does not. The nylon in your rope is fixed and will not shrink further from the hot water in the washing machine. 

Random bit of trivia:

In caving circles some suggest soaking new nylon ropes in water, as it causes them to apparently shrink and yields a tighter sheath .

Random reference to verify I'm not misremembering: http://www.beal-services.info/anglais/normes.php 

Unsure the magnitude of effect with dynamic ropes.

Justin Barrett wrote: I've used just Dawn soap for my rope. Personally I think dawn is the better choice out of most options due to price. If Dawn can be used to clean an oil spill and penguins, then it can clean a rope. Just be gentle with scrubbing it if you have to use a brush (from your description, a good hand rubbing will do the trick). Also take your time on drying. I live in a humid state, it takes about 4 days to fully dry here.

“if it’s ok to put on your skin, it’s probably not going to damage nylons and other textiles.”

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/qc-lab-acid-harness.html

Patrick Sherry wrote:

“if it’s ok to put on your skin, it’s probably not going to damage nylons and other textiles.”

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/qc-lab-acid-harness.html

That is pretty bad advice.  As a general rule our skin is far more sensitive to alkalies than acids.  Yet Nylon is the opposite  Case in point is vinegar.  No issue for my skin or even my food.  But test results show issues.

A better rule is to avoid any acids.  Use simple non acidic soaps or detergents none at all.  (The use of soap is overrated.  Soap is most useful to get rid of oils.  Rope is normally just dirt and a good agitated wash will do the job well.)

(Woolite has acids added to it!)

Patrick Sherry wrote:

“if it’s ok to put on your skin, it’s probably not going to damage nylons and other textiles.”

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/qc-lab-acid-harness.html

The same article also says that Woolite contains sulfuric acid which is well known to be quite devastating to nylon. Pretty sure Woolite is okay to put on your skin briefly. 

Tons of advice in this thread but I just daisy chain mine throw it in the frontloader with sterlings on delicate and it comes out looking like new.  The biggest takeaway is don't rush the drying time.  It takes days, usually within 3 days mine is dry. 

From sterlingrope.com/2000/climb…
It is okay to use the hot water setting on your clothes washer to wash a rope. During the manufacture of the rope it is exposed to 180 degree steam. Damage to nylon does not occur until it has been exposed to 300 degrees for over 5 hours. Even if your washing machine brings the water to full boil it is not possible to reach 300 degrees. It is okay to use a non-bleach detergent.

Last, LOL, from MSR circa 1969:
(referencing their sale of perlon ropes, which could be purchased as:) Unprocessed Rope
You can also process your own rope by boiling it for 40 minutes, using Rit dyes in your own color combination. Unprocessed white rope, 0.11/ft. Allow for 15% shrinkage. The processing is very simple, and is standard practice in the nylon industry. Ref: Handbook of Textile Fibers, Part 2, P. 268 and 294, by Cook (Merrow Publishing Co., England).
MSR also gave advice re: reboiling to regain dynamic properties lost in a long fall!

Woolite has been tested many times with zero damage to nylon rope; that manufacturers group must be trying to sell more rope.
Just pay the $3 for the actual rope wash concentrate, wash however you want, and if in a machine run two rinse cycles. Air dry. Duh.

Anyone try washing a rope in one of the newer top load washers without an agitator? Seems like it could be even better than a front load.

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote: Anyone try washing a rope in one of the newer top load washers without an agitator? Seems like it could be even better than a front load.

Best, Helen

It should be fine. I have washed my ropes for years in machines with agitators with no problem. You just have to daisy chain it so it doesn't get tangled up. No soap needed just warm water on the gentle cycle.

Tom Powell wrote:

It should be fine. I have washed my ropes for years in machines with agitators with no problem. You just have to daisy chain it so it doesn't get tangled up. No soap needed just warm water on the gentle cycle.

Thanks! I put an order in with my local gear shop for rope wash and a brush, if I do decide to hand wash. Should be good to go as soon as that arrives.

Best, Helen

20 kN wrote:

The same article [https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/qc-lab-acid-harness.html] also says that Woolite contains sulfuric acid which is well known to be quite devastating to nylon. 

Not any more. The only Woolite products listed in the US Gov't Health & Human Services database as containing sulfuric acid were discontinued some years ago. Current Woolite products don't contain sulfuric acid.

Here's the complete HHS list of all household products containing sulfuric acid. https://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/search?tbl=TblChemicals&queryx=7664-93-9

I ordered rope soap from the same company as my rope because 1) they probably know what they're doing 2) I heard it works great and 3) it's an opportunity to support my little local gear shop. Yeah, I understand the drive to go cheap, but I consider good investments a worthwhile bet in the long run.

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote: Anyone try washing a rope in one of the newer top load washers without an agitator? Seems like it could be even better than a front load.

Best, Helen

I just used this type of washer a few days ago for this. Daisy the rope and then also into a mesh bag. Came out clean and untangled.

Old lady H wrote: Anyone try washing a rope in one of the newer top load washers without an agitator? Seems like it could be even better than a front load.

I've never had a problem even with agitators. Daisy-chaining the rope is critical.

Even though some have not had problems with agitators I wouldn’t recommend it.  I was climbing at Cerro Cabrillo and the party next to us suddenly noticed a core shot in their rope when the leader was halfway up a climb.  They said they just washed to rope in their top load washer.  Not sure how the agitator damaged the rope but a front loader would be a better option.
Or if you decide to use a toploader anyway at least do a thorough check of your rope afterwards.  
Ps.  Gentle Woolite works good.  Just make sure you get the right Woolite bottle w the pink cap.  

Will the dawn take the dry treatment off the sheath?

Amanda Edwards wrote: Will the dawn take the dry treatment off the sheath?

Don’t use soap. 

Amanda Edwards wrote: Will the dawn take the dry treatment off the sheath?

Just use warm water soap is not needed.

J W wrote: Sterlings rope wash is my preference. If you don't have any, run it in a front load washer on HOT. That'll get most of the gunk out.

always have used woolite delicate for the past 30 years, on my ropes, and on my skydiving gear (also nylon, canopies and containers) and never had a problem. i never had a problem either with top load agitator machines to wash a rope. flake it out in a large pillowcase, and when you get to the last foot or 2, cinch the pillowcase on to the piece of rope coming out, and wrap the rope around the neck you just made on the rope strand and tie a 1/2 fishermans. drop it in and wash. ive never had the bag open. after the rinse cycle, and the machine empties, i take the rope out of the bag and loosely lay it in the machine, while going around and around the agitator, keeping it to the side wall in the tub. then put it on spin, it will run up the wall and not even touch the agitator. once it spins out, find the end and start pulling it out. flake it over something in a room to dry for a day or 2......