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krosbakken
Sep 17, 2007, 12:22 AM
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The title explains everything. How often do you wash your rope?
Edit: How many times a year?
(This post was edited by krosbakken on Sep 17, 2007, 1:09 AM)
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coastal_climber
Sep 17, 2007, 12:43 AM
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Whenever it gets dusty/dirty: a.k.a. limestone cragging.
>Cam
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boku
Sep 17, 2007, 1:15 AM
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Twice, maybe three times a year.
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xtremst80
Sep 17, 2007, 2:17 AM
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Twice a year. Unless it gets really mucked up one day!
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rl23455
Sep 17, 2007, 2:46 AM
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Mine seems to get dirty from aluminum oxide. I'm ready to wash it again for the 2nd time this year. I wish I could buy anodized biners.
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dalguard
Sep 17, 2007, 3:05 AM
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My first rope got washed a lot. Extrapolate from there.
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ajkclay
Sep 17, 2007, 4:25 AM
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No general rule... when it's dirty.
Lucky the same rule does not apply to my mouth or mind.
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overlord
Sep 17, 2007, 7:33 AM
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when it gets really dirty, usually no more than once a year.
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norm1057
Sep 17, 2007, 3:36 PM
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Once a year or when really nasty.
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primus
Sep 18, 2007, 8:12 PM
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rl23455 wrote: Mine seems to get dirty from aluminum oxide. I'm ready to wash it again for the 2nd time this year. I wish I could buy anodized biners.
Anodized biners don't help with aluminum oxide much at all because after only a couple of times the anodizing wears off where the rope rubs. Anodized biners look cooler though! And we all know that rule numero uno in climbing is to look cool!
And to answer the OP, probably 2 times per year; it just depends on where I'm climbing and how dirty it gets.
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adklimber
Sep 18, 2007, 8:15 PM
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Do you use regular detergent?
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primus
Sep 18, 2007, 10:16 PM
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adklimber wrote: Do you use regular detergent?
No. I run a full-sized load of cold water with half a cap-full of Woolite in it. I fold the rope in half, then daisy-chain it loosely. Once the washer is full, put the rope in, set the washer to the delicate setting, and let it do its thing. Rinse with cold water too. Although the delicate cycle on my washing machine only lasts about 5 minutes, I still give it a lookey-look to make sure it's not wrapping up around the agitator and binding. (To help avoid this, I loop the chain back and forth instead of simply wrapping it around and around the agitator.) Other people have their own way and there is always considerable debate over which detergent to use (if any), whether you should use a washing machine at all, and if so, can it be top-loading (side is preferable, although I don't have one), should you use hot or cold water, etc. etc. I've never had any problems with my rope breaking (obviously) and this is what I'm comfortable with, but do your research. **One more thing, this topic has been covered before, so to avoid being labeled as a troll or a noob by some of the more a-holeish rc.com contributors, you may want to do a search. Just my $0.02.
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climbinginchico
Sep 19, 2007, 4:33 AM
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Every time.
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dan2see
Sep 19, 2007, 6:55 AM
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Same as Primus, but I'm brave: I use a full cap-full of Woolite.
Then I hang it on a clothesline to dry.
I don't have a schedule, but when my hands look and feel disgustingly dirty, washing the rope is a big relief.
This year, I keep my new rope in a tarp-bag. This helps a lot. It still picks up rock dust, lichens, and pine resin, and my wife says it smells nice.
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jt512
Sep 19, 2007, 8:44 AM
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Never.
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pornstarr
Sep 19, 2007, 1:05 PM
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werd
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markc
Sep 19, 2007, 1:15 PM
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I wash my ropes when my partners guilt me into it. I don't have a set schedule; I just clean them when they get really dirty. I've tried a couple methods, and always come back to washing in the tub with cool water and a bit of Woolite. Then I daisy chain it and hang it in a dark space for a few days.
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sterlingjim
Sep 19, 2007, 1:34 PM
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Never. I just make a new one.
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lodi5onu
Sep 19, 2007, 2:40 PM
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just whenever the bugs have been bad and it gets sticky from having DEET all over it...i can't stand that smell
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norushnomore
Sep 20, 2007, 9:45 AM
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Never. It's just migrates from prime lead to top rope to fixed project line to trash
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skinner
Sep 20, 2007, 12:13 PM
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primus wrote: rl23455 wrote: Mine seems to get dirty from aluminum oxide. I'm ready to wash it again for the 2nd time this year. I wish I could buy anodized biners. Anodized biners don't help with aluminum oxide much at all because after only a couple of times the anodizing wears off where the rope rubs. Anodized biners look cooler though! And we all know that rule numero uno in climbing is to look cool! And to answer the OP, probably 2 times per year; it just depends on where I'm climbing and how dirty it gets.
I have to disagree on the Anodized biners as I have a pile of older non-anodized biners that turn your hands filthy black, which in turn is transfered to the rope (slings, etc.) through handling.
sterlingjim wrote: Never. I just make a new one.
OK, but for the rest of us peasants that actually have to wash our ropes, what is Sterlings recommendation as far as what soap to use? And has there ever been any testing done on washed (with whatever soap) vs not washed that you know about?
I have Rope Care booklet (somewhere) that came with a rope I bought a long time ago which recommended Woolite for normal dirt, and Dawn for tree sap and hardware residue. I know that it doesn't matter what you use, washing seems to severely degrade any dry properties.
(This post was edited by skinner on Sep 20, 2007, 12:21 PM)
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robbovius
Sep 20, 2007, 1:43 PM
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primus wrote: so to avoid being labeled as a troll or a noob by some of the more a-holeish rc.com contributors, you may want to do a search. Just my $0.02.
you TROLLING N00b!
I washed my first rope abunch of times. my second rope, nope, haven't ever washed it. washing ropes is a pain in the ass.
(This post was edited by robbovius on Sep 20, 2007, 1:45 PM)
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azrockclimber
Sep 20, 2007, 2:15 PM
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never...
I have run a wet towel over the surface a couple of times but nothing that took more than 5 minutes. I do my best to keep it out of nasty shit....
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sterlingjim
Sep 20, 2007, 2:40 PM
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skinner wrote: sterlingjim wrote: Never. I just make a new one. OK, but for the rest of us peasants that actually have to wash our ropes, what is Sterlings recommendation as far as what soap to use? And has there ever been any testing done on washed (with whatever soap) vs not washed that you know about? I have Rope Care booklet (somewhere) that came with a rope I bought a long time ago which recommended Woolite for normal dirt, and Dawn for tree sap and hardware residue. I know that it doesn't matter what you use, washing seems to severely degrade any dry properties.
Sorry, no new information here. I've never done any tests myself but I'm sure someone has, somewhere.
Before I ever worked for Sterling I never washed my ropes that I can remember.
What I recommend most of the time is to just rinse the rope with water to see if that removes most or enough of the dirt. Follow up with something like Woolite if more grime needs to come off. Temperature of the water is not important but hot water will actually restore some elasticity to the nylon. A domestic water heater can not make water hot enough to damage the nylon. It may remove dry treatments, however, so be cautious.
I assure you I am still very much a peasant when it comes to anything but rope.
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jaybro
Sep 23, 2007, 3:01 AM
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I'm with JT on this one, almost. I've owned many ropes and washed, one of them, once; tub, tepid water, feet, hand agitation, no soap. In the right situation I would do it again.
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