# Cleaning Sails, soaking in a pool????



## Scubajeep (Nov 13, 2007)

I have a sail that needs cleaning (a little mold), it was suggested to soak the sail in a pool. Has anyone tried this.....? The Chlorine would help clean the sail but would it hurt the material?

Thanks
Todd H
Thibodaux, Louisiana


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## CptHank (Aug 6, 2006)

Todd,

After a quick google search with your subject and found a sailnet arctle on it (19829-sail-care-cleaning).

Unfortently I need a few more posts before I can link urls. 

From the article:
"It is possible to soak and clean a sail in a swimming pool, but this should only be done to polyester sails when you are sure that the chlorine or other chemical level of the water is within the tolerance level of the coating. Never place a Kevlar or nylon sail in the pool."

Hope that helps!


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## Stillraining (Jan 11, 2008)

Might not be good ...Go Here to find out..

SailCare


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## NOLAsailing (Sep 10, 2006)

Hi Todd,

I had a few sails (a lot of mold!) that needed cleaning and I brought them to a quarter car wash, laid them out and used the high pressure wand and the brush. It did a pretty good job. I would not want to dip the sails into chlorine, though I don't know definitively that that's bad for them.


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## Scubajeep (Nov 13, 2007)

Has anyone tried Oxi-clean?

Todd H


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## Scubajeep (Nov 13, 2007)

Jason,

The pressure washer is a pretty good Idea.... I might try that.


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

Send them to SailCare. Only way to go. Your sails will come back clean and in better shape than when they left. It's not that expensive, and you won't be taking the chance of ruining them.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*clean sails*

I have used 1 gallon of bleach, 1 container of oxy-clean with 1 small box of mild detergent used for hand washing delicates, in a 55 gallon plastic barrel. Let soak for 2 hours with some agitating then reversed the sail in the barrel, because it wants to float, then repeated the process. Then 3 good rinses and the 135% looked like new. The sail is dacron and this is common practice with many sailors I have talked to in my area. Worked for me.


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## KeelHaulin (Mar 7, 2006)

OK; I don't know about using 1 gallon of bleach in a 55g barrel; but IF you use bleach you don't want to use more than 2% solution.

I have used both 2% bleach and oxy-clean (separately) and I have to say that the oxy-clean is much better and more gentle on the sail. Chlorine bleach should be a last resort; the oxy-clean is much safer for the sailcloth.

It's easy to DIY this; a soft brush and a big _clean_ lawn are all you need. It takes an afternoon to wash both head and mainsail from my 41' boat.

In terms of replacement VS sending to sailcare; I'm sure sailcare is somewhat inexpensive. But that's 1k that I don't need to spend each year so I just go the DIY route.

I don't think I would use a pressure washer; since they can strip wood I don't think it does any good to sailcloth. Also; you are trying to preserve the fabric and protective coating that is on the fabric that keeps the sail crisp. If the sail gets water forced through it it might start to stretch and lose the foil shape when put under a load. Sunlight "pinholes" through the sailcloth when hoisted is an indication that the cloth has stretched and if you force the water through it I'm pretty sure you will accelerate the aging.


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## whclay (Nov 5, 2009)

*dacron sails*

What chemicals should be avoided with dacron sails?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Washing Sails in the Pool?*

No, no no!! Absolutely not! The chlorine in the pool is, after all, bleach and will most definitely damage the Dacron (the likely sail material). It will discolor it immediately and degrade the fibers making them much more susceptible to UV degradation.

I was a sailmaker for a couple of years and in our loft, we washed sails as part of the maintenance service. Use ordinary laundry detergent mixed with water, sponge or brush and rinse well with fresh water. Where to do the washing? Depends on what's available. If necessary, use the bath tub and agitate the water well. Do not use any detergent containing bleach.

Keith Giunta
Pearson 26 Hull # 55
_Sanctuary
_Camden, Maine


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## firehoser75 (Nov 21, 2006)

*KeelHaulin is Right*

Just a couple of weeks ago I cleaned my genoa (36 foot boat) on my front lawn. I did, however, put down a 6 mil poly sheet to separate the sail from the lawn so that I didn't accidentily impart a grass stain in the cleaning process.
I followed the advise below that I received from a PNW sailmaker:
*Cleaning Dacron Sails:*
- Clean sails on a smooth surface. Avoid pavement and gravel or you will find yourself sanding the back of your sail as you clean the front.
- Use a mild soap solution and fresh water.
- Use a soft bristle brush to remove dirt and salt.
- Rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Keep rinsing until all soap residue is removed.
- To remove oil or tar stains use a very small amount of lighter fluid.
- To remove mildew sailcloth manufacturers recommend a highly diluted solution of Sodium Hypochlorite (3-5%). Because it is toxic to you and the environment, we (Port Townsend Sails) object to the use of bleach except as a last resort. We have also heard and common sense leads us to concur that bleach strips the coating from thread and leaves stitching vulnerable to UV damage. NEVER USE BLEACH ON NYLON OR LAMINATED SAILS.
- A hot tip for cleaning sails from PT Sails staff: Dilute 2 Tbs Woolite and 1-2 cups of vinegar in 1 gallon of water. Some of our customers have had great luck with this solution. (I used it and it did a decent job).

*Cleaning Nylon Sails*
- Clean spinnakers and other light air sails made of Nylon by rinsing with fresh water.
- Do not use bleach or other solvents; they will damage the fabric!

*After Cleaning*
- Dry the sails by hanging in a well ventilated area.
- Avoid flogging.
- When you are sure no moisture remains on the sails, fold or roll sails loosely.
- Store sails in a dry, well ventilated area away from direct heat.

_Note: Keeping sails clean and dry is an essential part of sail maintenance. Storing sails out of the elements when not in use can prolong their life by years._

Also, the best way to clean mildew is to clean it early. If it has set up well, (and if you have a tub or container big enough) soak the sail for a few hours in the above mentioned cleaning solution and just scrub it once with the soft brush, (maybe use a very mild bleach solution but remember the warnings above), but that is it. Over doing it will only damage the sail cloth and stitching and will not remove the mildew any way!!

Hope this info helps,
Tom


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## negrini (Apr 2, 2008)

Last time, I took my wife to a motel, and while we relaxed, we soaked it into the Jacusi, droped some ordinary sailcloth cleaner, then turned water tube on .....


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## deathguppie (Jul 5, 2010)

I just had to post here after reading this thread. I have some older dacron sails that got a bit of mildew through the winter and wanted some good advice on cleaning.

@firehoser75
I'm not sure if you are saying to use bleach sparingly or not to use bleach at all. Sodium Hypochlorite is of course commonly known as household bleach.
(check the wikipedia page)

I'm thinking of trying oxy-clean I've used it on furniture and it seems to do a great job of getting dirt and stains out.


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

If you're considering Oxiclean, remember that it is just another kind of bleach, sodium percarbonate.


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## merc2dogs (Jun 5, 2004)

clorox bleach and sodium hypochlorite is one and the same. 

A very mild bleach solution won't hurt them, Bleach works best on 'transfer' stains (from something sitting on the sail etc) and mildew etc

If they're just dirty from 'hanging' around it's often just dirt and dust etc stuck to the fabric, mild soap and a soft brush works fine.

For oily stains, a stronger cleaner is called for. My favorite is purple power, very good cleaner. 1:3 (pp/w) in a spray bottle, wet the sails with the hose, spray some cleaner and use a soft brush on it. rinse, repeat if needed.

Nothing against Sailcare (never dealt with them) or similar places, but I've always found that a company that makes their money by cleaning, seldom give out the best cleaning advice.

Ken.


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## SV Siren (Mar 8, 2013)

irtoosl said:


> Hello, I am currently looking for a contractor to install the automation software. I am still unsure whether he can do everything himself or my help is also needed?


Um, what?? Might be on the wrong forum for this post. :wink


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

*Re: clean sails*



Catalina274me said:


> I have used 1 gallon of bleach, 1 container of oxy-clean with 1 small box of mild detergent used for hand washing delicates, in a 55 gallon plastic barrel. Let soak for 2 hours with some agitating then reversed the sail in the barrel, because it wants to float, then repeated the process. Then 3 good rinses and the 135% looked like new. The sail is dacron and this is common practice with many sailors I have talked to in my area. Worked for me.


Just so you know, bleach (hypochlorite) and Oxyclean (peroxide) actually react in a manner to neutralize each other. You don't use them together. You can goggle the use of peroxide to neutralize chlorine. It's a common practice.


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

All of the professional sailing cleaning chemicals are based on percarbonate, or Oxyclean. It is safe for all fabrics, including laminates. In fact, it is FAR better at penetrating laminates than bleach anyway. There is simply no reason to reach for bleach with sails or most boat fabrics. It is the wrong choice.

Saying that percarbonate and hypoclorite are both different kinds of bleach is like saying balsa and oak are both wood. Yes, but their characteristics are very different. In fact, the reactions of peroxide and hypochlorite are quite different. You can Google this.

https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/44_2/features/Quick-and-Safe-Sail-Cleaning_12353-1.html

That said, there is so little chlorine in a pool that it is safe for polyester sails. Obviously it doesn't eat bathing suits... quickly.


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