My sailmaker wanted $75 to clean my mainsail ...Can I just take it to
a commercial laundry and throw it into a washing machine ? It's about =
15
years old and Dacron.
Any need to worry about detergents ?

That's an old sail and it could fall apart in a commercial washer grom =
all the tumbling, spinning, and agitating....put it in the bathtub with =
a good laundry detergent and a whitening agent (NOT CHLORINE BLEACH!) =
and stomp around on it, rinse and then hang over your deck or pcinic =
table or solar drier (clothesline)....

--=20
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

I was told by a sailmaker that a small amount of chlorine bleach is
ok as long as the sail doesn't sit in it for more than an hour, the
bleach mix is very weak, and the sail is thoroughly rinsed.

"katysails" wrote in message
...
My sailmaker wanted $75 to clean my mainsail ...Can I just take it to
a commercial laundry and throw it into a washing machine ? It's about 15
years old and Dacron.
Any need to worry about detergents ?

That's an old sail and it could fall apart in a commercial washer grom all
the tumbling, spinning, and agitating....put it in the bathtub with a good
laundry detergent and a whitening agent (NOT CHLORINE BLEACH!) and stomp
around on it, rinse and then hang over your deck or pcinic table or solar
drier (clothesline)....

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

Jon commented: I was told by a sailmaker that a small amount of chlorine =
bleach is
ok as long as the sail doesn't sit in it for more than an hour, the
bleach mix is very weak, and the sail is thoroughly rinsed.

On 15 year old sun saturated thread? Not on your life....

--=20
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein

Well, I did that with my Cal 20 sails...don't think they're 15 years old,
but
probably 5 or 6... seem to be fine.

"katysails" wrote in message
...
Jon commented: I was told by a sailmaker that a small amount of chlorine
bleach is
ok as long as the sail doesn't sit in it for more than an hour, the
bleach mix is very weak, and the sail is thoroughly rinsed.

On 15 year old sun saturated thread? Not on your life....

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein