Washing ropes

That was a pretty good read.. If Goop is ok for the rope i wonder how the new Goop i have would work.. When comparing most "orange" hand cleaners to straight up white Goop, I've never been impressed with any of them, at all..! Light shit, yeah.. but ground in oil.. Goop beasts them by a mile. However, with that said.. Goop has this new stuff (new to me anyways), that's called "Goop Natural Citrus Waterless Hand Cleaner".. When i first saw it at the sink, i thought ehh whatev.. it won't be the same.. But.. From what I've seen, it works pretty damn good.. & that's compared to orange cleaners with abrasives.. this stuff has none & doesn't even want water at first.. I haven't exactly had completely dried & caked oil ground into my hands to test it's cleaning ability, but I've come pretty close to that.. you know.. that type of grime that "orange cleaner" just never gets out..? Like working on an oil covered motor without gloves.. Under your nails, in your cuticles, ground into your dried & cracked spots.. yeah, Goops the only thing that's ever worked for me.. & this stuff's power seems very similar, but smells decent & rinses really clean. No oily residue left afterwards you have to wipe away with a towel..

So yeah.. continuing the conversation.. I'm curious if this could be used.
f1cc2eafe5c6c2c4876946895c87635e.jpg
35bf0a2e10f19b8ec1c3b0a98173df0d.jpg


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
You'd be better off with olive oil to get sap off, then wash with dish soap. At least you know it wont hurt the rope. Myself, just soak in tub overnight with a smidgen of Sunlight detergent, works like a charm.
 
So.. i actually just have it a try.. I'm hoping it was ok to use as i didn't have regular Goop to compare active ingredients.. (i kno Google is my friend)

Anyhow.. first two pics are wet sappy dirty TriTech..
eedc6fb5390f4459f537c28c5bb62b91.jpg

f4268b199d9d18efa16483eee5d36cf6.jpg


Second is 5 minutes in the sink with the new to me Orange Goop.. only did about a foot of it..
d23a992a5103fe4fe5b73daa38f6503c.jpg
63278e29d29c010897935c52049c65de.jpg


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
Stephen Moore said:
You'd be better off with olive oil to get sap off, then wash with dish soap. At least you know it wont hurt the rope. Myself, just soak in tub overnight with a smidgen of Sunlight detergent, works like a charm.
Click to expand...
Oh didn't see you there Steve.. What about the Regular Goop? That link seems to have 70 pages supporting it.. (70 on Tapatalk)

They all seemed to think natural oils & such left their ropes all oiled.. obviously that's why you wash with dish soap after.. but that's two steps as opposed to one.. i just tried this on a whim.. it was staring me in the face so i figured I'd try it on sap.. i just put it on, gave a little rub with sponge & sprayed for a few with the sprayer.

Do you know what detergents to look out for? I read something about phospherous once & how sterlings rope wash doesn't have any.. The Orange Goop label didn't list any so i tried it out on the end of my flippy..

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
to be honest, a mild soap or detergent in water and just soaking them is likely the least offensive way to clean a rope. Sap is acidic and grit works its way through the shell and into the core, its this core grit that really damages a rope. That is one reason I say a rope should never be stepped on on the ground, because you grind shit into the fibers and it will eventually get to the core. When you soak a rope overnight in a tub, it acts much like water in a gold pan. Even if you didnt add detergent the fine particles due to gravity and gentle agitation work down and out of the core fibers. If you take your filthy rope and chuck it in the tub overnight you will see that much of the sap has broken down and tons of dirt will be on the bottom of the tub. I guarantee it.
 
Yep, I have gotten good results from the tub soak and hand agitation with a few drops of dr bronners in the mix. Also once daisy chained a 200ft rope and machine washed with no soap, good results.
 
Tom.. that link contains the same thread as posted at the top.. that & one other short thread containing mostly the 2 step oil & detergent method..

I didn't start this thread but i am curious now as to why one would want to use the more labor intensive method over the Goop method.. It literally took longer for my shitty hot water to heat up, than it did to get that rope clean.. the sap just came right off, barley any elbow grease or soaking times involved.

Now i will say, this is all assuming that it's ok to use.. however, theres 70 pages of opinions supporting it within the link everyone keeps posting.. I understand it's been discussed but this its like... Someone asks a question, instead of a yes, no, or idk, a link gets posted, I follow direction from posted link with a newer similar product from same family, i ask if anyone knows about it having phosphates & the same original link gets posted as an answer..

With the exception of Steves & Levi's answer, no one seems to want to talk about it. But then on the flip, the main method Steve is suggesting, is what the original linked thread is suggesting to avoid. In this larger linked thread, there are two reasons not to, it takes way longer & some have reported having an oily rope after. So it seems to me it's a YMMV type of deal. I'm also asking about phosphates as they were mentioned in the links posted with no further explanation as to why not.. just to avoid.. I'm also pretty sure phosphates are very common in allot of cleaning products & detergents.

Aside from the phosphates, I'm also just timid to do anything that could create an oiled rope. I remember the first time i threw on a pair of spikes, it was a hectic day & someone had forgotten the one saw lanyard we happen to have that day. I tied up some sort of contraption with a real short peice if rope that just happen to be previously soaked in bar oil. As soon as i cinched the knots down it must have squeezed oil out of the rope.. on my second cut about 20-30ft up i just dropped the saw to move on.. i felt the jolt of the saw, but then heard a bunch of yelling.. the knots had completely pulled/slid through themselves & the saw was on the ground.. No.. i didn't have stoppers in there but i can't say they wouldn't have done the same. When i came down it was evident the areas i knotted were drenched in oil. Either way I've never forgotten that embarrassing/dangerous experience & can't help but relate the two when I hear about purposly putting oil on a rope.. i can't help but think it's going to soak into the core where you can't agitate it out, nor is it designed in any way to rinse away with water. Your counting on your Dawn or Detergent (which could also be just a bad as a harsh cleaner depending on its makeup) to seep into the ropes core & remove the oils that got in it. The way i see that is, try washing you car without a brush.. pour oil on your hood, cover it with a towel let it seep in. Pour your soap on towel & rinse till you got no more suds coming off towel.. sit back let it all dry. When it is dry, pull towel off & i garantee it's still had oil in it, but further more, that oil spot under the towel is still there..

Yeah that may not be an apples to apples comparison but it was the easiest way i could think of explaining my concern. Now if you could get some swishing & swashing agitation from a washing machine, i think that would be helpful, but personally I'd want multiple rinse cycles.

Lastly, as with most stuff these days, there's an internet forum for everything.. I know that automotive detailers treat their microfiber towels like most here with their lifelines. When they get dirty it's all about not destroying the fibers' absorbing & grabbing capabilities with typical detergents.. & typical detergents will do just that, destroy their integrity. Because of this, there's a gazillion different types of professional microfiber washes. I was just thinking that if they are safe for the precious super sensitive microfiber towels they may be safe for rope.. I know allot of the harsh chemicals we all should have a mental note about, are removed from the dedicated cleaners.. They'll also remove tar, grease, oil, wax, rubbing compounds, etc from the towels pretty well. Couple cap fulls to each load & shit comes in gallons of u want.

Just fyi.. I'm not trying to debate anyone about the oil method. Im only voicing my concern & last experience with oil & rope. & To be honest, I'd really like to know more about the product i used because it worked so damn easy.
 
Jimmycrackcorn said:
Tom.. that link contains the same thread as posted at the top.. that & one other short thread containing mostly the 2 step oil & detergent method..

I didn't start this thread but i am curious now as to why one would want to use the more labor intensive method over the Goop method.. It literally took longer for my shitty hot water to heat up, than it did to get that rope clean.. the sap just came right off, barley any elbow grease or soaking times involved.

Now i will say, this is all assuming that it's ok to use.. however, theres 70 pages of opinions supporting it within the link everyone keeps posting.. I understand it's been discussed but this its like... Someone asks a question, instead of a yes, no, or idk, a link gets posted, I follow direction from posted link with a newer similar product from same family, i ask if anyone knows about it having phosphates & the same original link gets posted as an answer..

With the exception of Steves & Levi's answer, no one seems to want to talk about it. But then on the flip, the main method Steve is suggesting, is what the original linked thread is suggesting to avoid. In this larger linked thread, there are two reasons not to, it takes way longer & some have reported having an oily rope after. So it seems to me it's a YMMV type of deal. I'm also asking about phosphates as they were mentioned in the links posted with no further explanation as to why not.. just to avoid.. I'm also pretty sure phosphates are very common in allot of cleaning products & detergents.

Aside from the phosphates, I'm also just timid to do anything that could create an oiled rope. I remember the first time i threw on a pair of spikes, it was a hectic day & someone had forgotten the one saw lanyard we happen to have that day. I tied up some sort of contraption with a real short peice if rope that just happen to be previously soaked in bar oil. As soon as i cinched the knots down it must have squeezed oil out of the rope.. on my second cut about 20-30ft up i just dropped the saw to move on.. i felt the jolt of the saw, but then heard a bunch of yelling.. the knots had completely pulled/slid through themselves & the saw was on the ground.. No.. i didn't have stoppers in there but i can't say they wouldn't have done the same. When i came down it was evident the areas i knotted were drenched in oil. Either way I've never forgotten that embarrassing/dangerous experience & can't help but relate the two when I hear about purposly putting oil on a rope.. i can't help but think it's going to soak into the core where you can't agitate it out, nor is it designed in any way to rinse away with water. Your counting on your Dawn or Detergent (which could also be just a bad as a harsh cleaner depending on its makeup) to seep into the ropes core & remove the oils that got in it. The way i see that is, try washing you car without a brush.. pour oil on your hood, cover it with a towel let it seep in. Pour your soap on towel & rinse till you got no more suds coming off towel.. sit back let it all dry. When it is dry, pull towel off & i garantee it's still had oil in it, but further more, that oil spot under the towel is still there..

Yeah that may not be an apples to apples comparison but it was the easiest way i could think of explaining my concern. Now if you could get some swishing & swashing agitation from a washing machine, i think that would be helpful, but personally I'd want multiple rinse cycles.

Lastly, as with most stuff these days, there's an internet forum for everything.. I know that automotive detailers treat their microfiber towels like most here with their lifelines. When they get dirty it's all about not destroying the fibers' absorbing & grabbing capabilities with typical detergents.. & typical detergents will do just that, destroy their integrity. Because of this, there's a gazillion different types of professional microfiber washes. I was just thinking that if they are safe for the precious super sensitive microfiber towels they may be safe for rope.. I know allot of the harsh chemicals we all should have a mental note about, are removed from the dedicated cleaners.. They'll also remove tar, grease, oil, wax, rubbing compounds, etc from the towels pretty well. Couple cap fulls to each load & shit comes in gallons of u want.

Just fyi.. I'm not trying to debate anyone about the oil method. Im only voicing my concern & last experience with oil & rope. & To be honest, I'd really like to know more about the product i used because it worked so damn easy.
Click to expand...
Just to be clear on the oil thing, I personally don't do it, I do know others that have spot treated with olive oil and immediately rinsed with soapy water until all residue is gone. This only if a rope is dragged through a pool of sap. I don't see this as a big deal if attention to cleaning is payed. Soap isn't even needed in the tub method, but a small amount won't hurt. Realistically, you will hour out a rope before these methods will adversely effect it. I don't mess around with trying to maintain ropes, I just replace em and give people cut up ropes for utility tie downs etc.
 
You seem to have answered your own question


My career started with natural fiber ropes. If they were dirty it must be time to replace. Now, after a long career and reading lots of books, talking with experts from rope manufacturers and , like you now, using forums...same conclusion. Wash with soap...not detergents. Nothing too complex

If phospshates are a concern and us amatuer rope care 'experts' aren't the experts...go retro. On Monday give a call to your favorite rope maker or two. Ask them live. Then let us know

I'll wash mine in a top loader using some appropriate soap
 
Tom Dunlap said:
You seem to have answered your own question


My career started with natural fiber ropes. If they were dirty it must be time to replace. Now, after a long career and reading lots of books, talking with experts from rope manufacturers and , like you now, using forums...same conclusion. Wash with soap...not detergents. Nothing too complex

If phospshates are a concern and us amatuer rope care 'experts' aren't the experts...go retro. On Monday give a call to your favorite rope maker or two. Ask them live. Then let us know

I'll wash mine in a top loader using some appropriate soap
Click to expand...
Tom, you know those mesh bags that the army issues all soldiers with for their laundry? Ive used those in the wash machine with ropes, that works really well too, they can be found at Army Navy surplus stores easy!
 
There's a chemical misunderstanding because of the use of 'oil' to refer to petro oil as well as veggie oil. I remember just enough from
Chem 101 in 1972 to know that they are much different. Soap is a close chemical cousin to soap. One of The cleaning mechanisms is the breaking off of ionic bonds between the rope and the dirt. Chemical magnetism and all

When it's rope washing time I hose off the big stuff in the driveway. Then I quarter the rope and make loose daisy chains. Secure the ends and loosely coil it into my top loader. Large load, long cycle, add soap and that's it. Worked fine for decades
 
Tom Dunlap said:
There's a chemical misunderstanding because of the use of 'oil' to refer to petro oil as well as veggie oil. I remember just enough from
Chem 101 in 1972 to know that they are much different. Soap is a close chemical cousin to soap. One of The cleaning mechanisms is the breaking off of ionic bonds between the rope and the dirt. Chemical magnetism and all

When it's rope washing time I hose off the big stuff in the driveway. Then I quarter the rope and make loose daisy chains. Secure the ends and loosely coil it into my top loader. Large load, long cycle, add soap and that's it. Worked fine for decades
Click to expand...
And will continue to work so long as your top loader does!
 
I just ordered an bunch of new replacement gear, partly because one of our bins popped open on our bucket truck last week and 2 climbing lines magically exited the vehicle and a helmet! Ive been using combos of prussiks, rap devises and rope grabs for years, and figured the time has come to get into the new gizmos. So.. I ordered a new Unicender and the separate barrel, a whack of new locking Beeners.. they get stressed with repeated loading, 600 feet of 1/2 inch rigging line, 300' of climb line, some prussik cord... new Jumars to replace the older ones I have.. and a few other items. Ive been holding out for that new ascender everyone's talking about but can't see it happening any time soon. Ergo ropes are expendable and shouldn't be kept beyond their expected life span anyways, in my opinion. My competition exploded a 5/8 bull rope pulling a medium sized back leaner a month ago, and took out 3 phase coming into town! OOps!
 
That Zum clean is the business for laundry! Never thought to use it for rope.

@Jimmycrackcorn the carbopol in the goop you used is a poly acrylic acid. I have no idea whether that is good or bad for climbing rope. My guess is that there isn't enough in there to cause an issue. But that's just a guess. The ingredient list looks pretty benign otherwise. It would be a good question for a rope manufacturer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom