Wash your rope, you filthy animal
Dirty ropes are a pain to deal with. They turn your hands black, make it hard to see middle marks, pre-maturely wear your gear, and even decrease the life of the rope itself! Learn my preferred way to quickly and easily clean a climbing rope.
My soiled hand caused by daisy chaining the pictured rope
Step 1: Hand wash or machine wash?
I have a front-loading washing machine, so I’m able to let a robot do the hard work for me. If you have a top-loader with an agitator, you’ll need to go to a laundry mat, friend’s house, or wash your rope by hand. If washing by hand, the bathtub is the logical choice. just understand you’ll make the tub absolutely disgusting.
Step 2: The soap
I prefer Beal Rope Cleaner because it comes in a large, 1L bottle
Do not use your laundry detergent. It may cause undetectable harm to your sole life-line on the cliff. Instead, purchase a commercially made rope-wash from a climbing company. I use one from Beal. Follow the instructions on the package in regards to the correct amount to use. I suggest mixing the rope-wash with water before adding the rope; pouring the wash directly on the rope can cause splotching as some areas get concentrated amounts of soap.
Step 3: Coiling
The daisy chain shines for this application. Starting at the middle, create a loose girth hitch. Continually pass bights through the previous bight, eventually passing the tails through the final bight. This process will keep your rope from becoming a complete rat’s nest while still allowing the soap to reach every part of the rope.
Step 4: Washing
Me doing the hard work of washing the rope
It’s a good idea to run an empty cycle or two on your washing machine to flush out any residual bleach or detergent that could damage your rope. As for settings, I go for a gentle cycle with no spin but an extra rinse. Spinning a heavy object like your rope could damage your washing machine and the rinse makes sure there’s no soap left on the rope. Place the rope-wash in the detergent dispenser so it gets diluted before touching your rope. Hot water (~130°) won’t damage your rope (nylon starts having issues around 500°), but it may remove your dry treatment, so I recommend warm at most if that’s a concern.
For hand-washing, fill the tub partially with warm water and toss your rope in (no rope-wash yet). Swishing the rope around will remove some dirt, but a rope brush will really help you get it clean. Rinse as best you can, then start again this time with the rope-wash. Finish with a final rinse.
Step 5: Drying
Wet rope drying in my laundry room
The most important aspect of drying your rope is keeping it out of the sun. We want to avoid UV damage. I have a fan and high ceilings in my laundry room, so I’ve placed shower rods to air-dry delicate clothing; they work great for ropes as well! Loosely drape your rope over a shower rod, bannister, or some chairs so that each section is exposed to air. Your rope will take a day or two to fully dry.
Conclusion:
Overall, this process takes about the same amount of time as doing your normal laundry. I wash my ropes about once a year or when I notice they’re leaving excessive marks on my hands (it’s usually about the same). Be sure to re-mark the middle if necessary. Enjoy your fresh rope and get back out there!
