vibeke 0 #1 November 22, 2004 Hi, Does any of you have experience with washing your canopy? The fabric on a canopy Im considering buying have a few stains and I believe it can be washed. Am I right? Will it damage the fabric or lines, if I wash it? I want to use a woll and silk soap on the stains only, but rinse the entire fabric through with clean water and dry it again right afterwards in a military drying tower build for the purpose._________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #2 November 22, 2004 I have not had any problems simply wiping off stains (generally swoop pond residue and Perris dust) with a damp cloth or wet towel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #3 November 22, 2004 Do not wash a nylon canopy. If you have a stain that needs to be cleaned please use a wet towel and spot clean the stain. Depending on what the stain is will determine what you need to use to clean it. Just remember if the stain is from anythin acidic at all you need to have have a rigger perform a pull test on the stain to make sure its not weakened. For most stains a very dulited solution of a light soap and water will remove the stain. Try to only get the needed area wet. If the load tapes get wet they can dry at different rates and they can shrink at different rates too. Do not use a brush with hard brissles, a towel is hard enough to scrub with. As for drying a canopy any other way then room temperature air drying, DON'T! If a canopy is wet hang it by its tail and let it air dry. Nylon has a very low melting temperature and you very easly could end up with a solid chunk of nylon if you machine dry it.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #4 November 22, 2004 In the 'Olden Dayz' ~when we jumped rocks for gear... There was a concern that if you washed a canopy at all, the stitching might shrink or possible degrade. Back then, I washed a couple canopies in the bath tub... cold water...mild soap...and a very complete rinse. Didn't seem to affect the canopy at all. That being said~ It's a real pain, and for a few 'stains' it's easier & faster to simply spot clean the stain with a damp cloth. I get smoke stains on my canopies all the time, and I get 90% of it clean by just wiping them off... ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #5 November 22, 2004 Shoot, I washed my White Strato Cloud in the washer. Commercial vertical, drum. BUT DON'T DO THIS NOW. We didn't know any better. And a ragged out strato cloud with 1.5oz fabric couldn't get any worse.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #6 November 22, 2004 Quote Shoot, I washed my White Strato Cloud in the washer. Commercial vertical, drum. *** Errr..Ahhh...! I washed somebody ELSE'S white Strato Cloud in a commercial washer.... ~That's why I did MINE in the tub! (at least I didn't use bleach!) ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 36 #7 November 22, 2004 Mine was fine. I think it actually flew better. But I'm sure that was all in my mind.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,146 #8 November 22, 2004 Yeah, I washed my Firefly in the washer, too. Put the lines and links into a pillowcase. It sure did look clean, though Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #9 November 22, 2004 QuotePut the lines and links into a pillowcase. Quote Doogh.....! I put a T10 in a machine once... I think they're STILL trying to get the lines untangled! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teason 0 #10 November 23, 2004 Moral of these posts; don't soak your canopy. Getting a nylon fabric wet uncalanders it (increases porosity), unbonds the thread and potentially shrinks tape. spot clean only using clean water and mild soap . lighter fluid works on some stains too. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #11 November 23, 2004 QuoteMoral of these posts; don't soak your canopy. Getting a nylon fabric wet uncalanders it (increases porosity), unbonds the thread and potentially shrinks tape. spot clean only using clean water and mild soap . lighter fluid works on some stains too. hmm. my canopy has been swimming in the pond soo many times i seriously doubt it is going to hurt it if i wash it.... with that being said. yes the stitching area does shrink. i get my canopy wet all the time.. it doesnt keep shrinking though everytime i go swimming. i havent noticed a huge difference at all with my canopy, even though it gets wet. i dont think it is going to be somthing that is too serious for you to worry about unless your one of those peeps that keeps somthing for 10 years before you get another one... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 135 #12 November 23, 2004 QuoteI put a T10 in a machine once... I think they're STILL trying to get the lines untangled! I just almost died laughing when reading this... Sooo visual... You can imagine the guy trying to get the machine fixed (and not to damage your parachute)scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teason 0 #13 November 23, 2004 According to the parachute manual, a traditional f111 canopy is toast in 3-30 water jumps. The f111 fabric is calandered by placing the fabric between two hot rollers and mushing the fibers together. That's what reduces the porosity of the fabric. E-thread used in parachutes is bonded in a similar fashion. getting fabric wet reverses the calandering. Zero-P is calandered with silicon. The silicon repels water and prevents the reversal of the calandering. ZP doesn't protect thread and tape. All and all, avoid getting your canopy wet if you can. Hmmm ... maybe swoop smaller pondslolI would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vibeke 0 #14 November 23, 2004 I get the message. Thank you for the advice. And the amusing stories I will try to deal with the stains only._________________________________________________________ Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RTB 0 #15 November 23, 2004 This is an answer, from PD, to a question about what to use if I clean my canopy: "Hello Rene, We recommend that you use a Woolite type detergent to wash your canopy. You can wash it in any large tub. You don't want to scrub, just swish around and let soak for awhile. It's best if you have a large place for it to hang and dry. If you have any other questions, please let me know. Thanks, Donna Wagner Customer Service Maintenance and Repair Performance Designs" Notice that there is no mention about avoiding washing altogether. //r Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teason 0 #16 November 24, 2004 QuoteNotice that there is no mention about avoiding washing altogether. I'm assuming you metioned a canopy that is zero-p to the rep. Also washing is advised but only if what you have on it is more of a hazzard. ie: salt water etc... A canopy that is acid contaminated, for example, should be treated with 50/50 distilled water and ammonia. I'd hope their was more context to that e-mail. A canopy manufacturer making across the board recomendations to wash canopies is disconcerting. Especially PD who have such great concerns over the porosity of their reserves TimI would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #17 November 27, 2004 Quotehmm. my canopy has been swimming in the pond soo many times i seriously doubt it is going to hurt it if i wash it.... I was wondering, if you got you canopy wet less often it might fly better and you wounldn't get it wet as often because it would fly better if it was not always wet........... Oh well, just a thought. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chanti 0 #18 April 15, 2007 I know this is an old thread, but are there any new ideas out there for washing canopies? I'm selling my ZP and because our DZ is quite dusty, the white in it has gone brownish ... Soaking in bath tub or just use a damp cloth? -Chanti- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #19 April 15, 2007 QuoteI know this is an old thread, but are there any new ideas out there for washing canopies? I'm selling my ZP and because our DZ is quite dusty, the white in it has gone brownish ... Soaking in bath tub or just use a damp cloth? Not a whole lot you can do about that. Jumping in the desert... we chuckle at folks who get canopies with white in them or white jumpsuits, both turn "tan" in short order. PD does offer a "canopy wash" on their list of things they'll service, but the consensus seems to be its not recommended to wash a canopy. Anyway, its probably OBE at this point since the orig post is like 2 years old... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #20 April 15, 2007 QuoteQuoteI know this is an old thread, but are there any new ideas out there for washing canopies? I'm selling my ZP and because our DZ is quite dusty, the white in it has gone brownish ... Soaking in bath tub or just use a damp cloth? Not a whole lot you can do about that. Jumping in the desert... we chuckle at folks who get canopies with white in them or white jumpsuits, both turn "tan" in short order. PD does offer a "canopy wash" on their list of things they'll service, but the consensus seems to be its not recommended to wash a canopy. Anyway, its probably OBE at this point since the orig post is like 2 years old... I've read in some BASE canopy manual, that getting wet or washing is not recommended, bla bla bla one wash equals about the wear of 25 jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
