Don't use bleach. I wash mine in a washing machine on gentle cycle with warm
water and detergent; add a little oxyclean if the regular detergent doesn't
do the job. Put some fabric softener in the dispenser as well... they'll
come out clean and soft.

Keith
__
You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick
is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Cowan" trawler-world@wirelessconnections.net
What

The washing machine sounds like a great idea, until I remembered that my
lines are fixed to the poles.  Only way to get them off is to be 18' above
waterline, and my superman suit is in the laundry.  Any thoughts on doing
the cleaning in place?

Mike

At 02:13 PM 10/23/2004, Keith wrote:

Mike Cowan
MV Sue's Pool III
65 Hatteras LRC hull #2
Off-List email: mikec@wirelessconnections.net

is there a way to prevent re-occurrence? <<<<

In Sydney we get a problem with mould and algae growing on well...
everything, because of the humid climate. Ropes and lines (especially
braided line) are no exception. You can take the lines off the boat and
launder them in a washing machine (use a coin-operated launderette rather
than your own machine). If it's not convenient to do that, clean them in
situ with Uncle Bob's all-purpose mould and algae cure: Liquid swimming pool
chlorine.

It's normally sold as a solution of 125g/litre Sodium Hypochlorite, which I
dilute 5:1 with water and add a squirt of washing-up liquid as a wetting
agent. Spray it on, leave it for say half an hour and then rinse it off. It
works on Treadmaster, brick, concrete, wood, painted surfaces, plastic and
even fabric. It cleans off the mould, and seems to discourage regrowth for
up to a year.

Obviously the chlorine solution is a fairly strong oxidising/bleaching
agent, so exercise caution when handling it. Wear eye protection while
mixing and spraying it, and avoid breathing in any fumes from the
concentrated solution. When using it on delicate surfaces like coloured
fabric, try it on a small inconspicuous area first and only leave it on for
a minute or so before rinsing it off. By contrast, on unpainted brickwork,
concrete, tiling etc. you can just spray it on and leave it to soak in
without rinsing.

Best regards, Robert Bryett,
Sydney, Australia.
mailto:rbryett@mail.com

Would Chlorine Bleach like used in the washing machine be acceptable and
maybe less toxic?

Mike

At 06:42 PM 10/23/2004, Ryan R. Healy wrote:

Mike Cowan
MV Sue's Pool III
65 Hatteras LRC hull #2
Off-List email: mikec@wirelessconnections.net

and maybe less toxic? <<<<

Quite possibly, but it would probably be available in smaller quantities,
and more expensive.

The hardware shops here sell various brand-name mould removers. If one reads
the list of ingredients, the active component is invariably Sodium
Hypochlorite. A typical example costs around A$40 for five litres. Five
litres of liquid pool chlorine costs around A$10 at the same shop, and the
solution is 2.5 times stronger, so the branded product is four times the
price for less than half as much active ingredient. Presumably it's diluted
with Perrier water...

As for toxicity, I suspect that a chlorine molecule does the same damage
regardless of how it's packaged, so the concentration is the key. Pool
chlorine is really only a bit nasty in concentrated form.

Disclaimer:
I am not a chemist, so my remarks about toxicity should be taken with a
pinch of Sodium Chloride.

Best regards, Robert Bryett,
Sydney, Australia.
mailto:rbryett@mail.com