How do I wash my rope or harness?
In your workday, your harness and ropes can be subjected to very dirty environments such as mud, dust, sand, for example. Here are recommendations on washing your equipment.
June 8 2026
Rescue
Before washing, make sure your equipment meets all PPE inspection criteria. In particular, it must not show any dirt stains that could resemble contact with chemicals, as this would be grounds for retirement.
Reminder from the Instructions for Use:
Use only household face and body soap. All other cleaning products, for example solvents, stain removers, degreasers, etc. are too strong and are incompatible with nylon. Do not use a high-pressure water sprayer.
- Hand washing
Wash ropes in lukewarm soapy water (ph neutral, 30° C maximum), then rinse thoroughly with fresh tap water. Use a small brush to remove stubborn stains.
- Machine washing
Choose the 30° C delicate synthetic setting, without spin cycle. For a harness, wash it inside a thick cloth bag to avoid damaging the machine drum with the metal parts of the harness.
- Drying
Air-dry your equipment in a ventilated room away from exposure to UV or heat sources. Do not use laundry detergent.
Rope specifics: washing a rope may reduce its length. Measure the length of your rope. To help you do so, see the advice in the ropes PPE inspection sheet.
Make a new marking of the length if necessary.
Verify that the marking remains readily visible after washing.
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