Green Lines...?

[backcreeksailor]

While my boat was on the hard it was in a shady area under a lot of trees. And a lot of the lines that were exposed out on deck have turned from white to splochy green.

What can I soak these in inside a bucket on deck to kill whatever it is that's growing on them and make them look a little better?

I was thinking a "little" bleach for whitening + some fabric softener for making them supple again. But I'm not sure if the bleach will weaken/damage the lines? Or should I use something else?

[sailingdog]

Try oxiclean first.... works pretty well, but doesn't damage the lines like bleach will.

[I33]

I plan to take an old line, tie it in a pillowcase and wash it in a commercial front loader machine, so it tumbles rather than agitates. Thanks for the tip regarding the bleach--I didn't know it would damage the lines. Is that true for both nylon and dacron lines?

[tommays]

Bleach is pretty hard on everthing BUT Titanium and PVC as someone who fixs filling machines

[sailingdog]

A front-loading machine would definitely be better for the lines.

If you can find a net mesh bag, like they make the college laundry hampers out of.... that would work far better than a pillow case, since it wouldn't restrict the water flow quite so severely... Also, the netting/mesh bag allows any trapped sand to more easily wash out... which isn't the case with a pillow case.

Bleach damages a lot of stuff... in cold water, properly diluted, it would probably be okay for use on the lines, but I'm generally in favor of using what is the least harmful first, and escalating only if necessary.

[arf145]

I wouldn't use fabric softener, unless you've read somewhere that it would be OK. Some of these can clog synthetic fibers--might possibly make them slippery? Don't know this for sure, but why add it?

[sailingdog]

Fabric softener is pretty well accepted to help soften older lines...