How do you wash your kites?

[Peewee]

Boys and Girls,

I like my "babies" clean and I usually spend a bit of time after each flight, cleaning the dirt spots with a wet cloth.

Especially lately, there's been a lot of ash in the parks because of the recent fires and it leaves some nasty black marks....

One of my kites shows a bit of age and I would like to give it a good wash.

I've tried the bath tub with mild water and dish washing liquid, but it still looks like crap.

I was wondering if putting it in the machine with a drop of powder and on gentle cycle with the bridles attached, would actually harm it....

Also, does anyone recoat their kites with any kind of waterproofing spray?

Does this exist, does anyone do it ?

Is the advice of the Pro's, to put-up with the dirt!!

[.Joel]

I say from the beginning I don't wash my kites. Never had the need to either. But I guess when most of your kite is black :twisted: it's not really an issue.

One of my kites shows a bit of age and I would like to give it a good wash.

I've tried the bath tub with mild water and dish washing liquid, but it still looks like crap.

From memory of past discussions with other people, they have used the natural soap flakes in a bathtub. This does two things:

A) Makes the kite crispy

Allows you to gently clean the kite

I was wondering if putting it in the machine with a drop of powder and on gentle cycle with the bridles attached, would actually harm it....

I'm sure people may have done this in the past, but i wouldn't. Just seems a little to rambo to me

Also, does anyone recoat their kites with any kind of waterproofing spray?

Does this exist, does anyone do it ?

There are a number of water proof sprays. Some people speak for it, others run an army against it. Personally I'm torn between. I don't really fly my kites in Rain, over 3 years only had 4 sessions where I got wet from the clouds above. So I couldn't see the real benefit in doing this.

Arguments for: It water proofs it, thus allows you to fly in the wet.

Arguments against: Makes kite heavier, damages fabric over time.

Neither of the againsts I can confirm as I have never used the stuff. But look at if you are going to be flying on wet days.

Is the advice of the Pro's, to put-up with the dirt!!

Maybe just a gentle rub of the dirt with a damp sponge. No detergents etc, just water so it is slightly damp.

Next time you go for a kite, if it comes in darker colours try and pick one of those. That's why I never liked having extensive amounts of light colours on a kite.

Regards,

Joel

[Mark D]

Hi

I don't worry normally unless they get somthing realy discusting on them as I see it as a waste of water but when I do I use "LUX" soap flakes disolved in a bucket of water and clean the spots of with it then give it a lite rinse off, do it on the lawn and use tank water if possible

Mark D

[Peewee]

Thanks guys, sounds like good advice.

By the way Mark, I got the Crossfire 6m from you (ex-demo) before X-mas.

It's a beautiful sail and a good machine. In my opinion, HQ makes the most durable and performant kites for their price range.

I get traction on the skates with no wind. Virtually, if there is enough wind to keep the kite in the air, I am "go" on the skates.

On the other hand, with my little 65Kg I have to stop at 12Kn inland or max 15Kn on the beach. I get lifted past 15...

[Macca]

Something like Nixwax Tent and Gear Proof works well re-proofing tents etc. and so should work OK on kites.

Just make sure you get the non-breathable version as I don't think a breathable kite fabric would be a wonderful idea. :shock:

Macca

[Baggsy]

Boys and Girls,

I was wondering if putting it in the machine with a drop of powder and on gentle cycle with the bridles attached, would actually harm it....

quote]

i would strongly recomend not putting it in the machine :shock: :shock:

can you imaginne grabbing your kite ,screwing it up and giving it a bit of a pounding against a hard surface ...the structure of the kite would be in tatters ..

a crispy kite is a good kite ...

it is your babies !! don't put babies into a washing machine ...

as the others here said, just a gentle soaping or hang it from the clothes line and spot wash it ..

[Robbo]

wash...kites....its hard enough to remember to hang out wet kiting gear after an 8 hour sesh let alone washing 19m of kite

[toby1kenobi]

I recently waterproofed my Flysurfer Speed 10 with the Nikwax Tent n Gear proof mentioned above, pretty good result, the kite is much more water repellant and seems more airtight too. Nikwak also make a cleaning product, I haven't used it but heard good reports. Generally advice seems to be "just wash it in water", but I've read of people putting kites in a pillowcase and into the washing machine.

[Baggsy]

I recently waterproofed my Flysurfer Speed 10 with the Nikwax Tent n Gear proof mentioned above, pretty good result, the kite is much more water repellant and seems more airtight too. Nikwak also make a cleaning product, I haven't used it but heard good reports. Generally advice seems to be "just wash it in water", but I've read of people putting kites in a pillowcase and into the washing machine.

does the nikwax give it back the crispy feeling??

i like the idea of a sleeping bag in the machine ..but 19 meters :shock: might be a tad big for the machine

[toby1kenobi]

Yo Bag man

Not crispy, more like teflonny (did I just invent a new word? Teflon's evil poisonous stuff anyway, but people still seem to but those frying pans....is this getting too off topic?? :wink: )

There's no way I'd put a kite in the washing machine. Only accidentally in the big salty washing machine. And I like my kites dirty.....like me.....

[Frakke]

Over here the "best known method" is a bath of cold water and a soft sponge....

no flakes, no soap, no washing machine and no spray

The cold water preserves the waterproof coat and allows the mud (or whatever) to be cleaned off easily with the sponge. It also preserves the "crispyness" of the kite too

washing machines have been used by some folks but the kite goes inside a pillow case no soap and COLD rinse only... bridles should be hanging out the open end then tie it with string or elastic to keep the kite inside ... bridles still tangle though

I had my 4.0m Radsail in the shower with me once but washed all the waterproofing off it due to the showergel and the hot water... still flew OK though and was soft and silky forever after that...

hppe this is useful

F :wink:

[SHEPPO3930]

washing kites.. thats crazy talk

finish session, roll up kite, put in bag, go home... unroll kite next session

(post count +1)

[Robbo]

that includes wet bar and lines and partly damp kite

[Baggsy]

i have a mate, new to kites and got a couple of beamers for his family to play with (thanx markD) and after the first session, it was an absolute mess with salt water and slime and all sorts of brisbane ocean snot :?

so he took it into the shower with him ! seemed to do the trick.

[Frakke]

Just had a couple of wet sessions on a beach and the Biv's are starting to go stiff with the salt....

OK so no big deal whilst on the coast but when I next fly in land and dewpoint arrives these babies will soak up the water like a sponge due to the huge amount of salt on them....

So I have just spent a small amount of cash in the local garden centre and bought the cheapest plastic dustbin / water butt there is in the store which holds about 80litres of water..

The idea is to fill it with fresh cold water and soak the kites (like a wetsuit wash on the beach) to get the salt out... this will allow me to sponge the mud out too then hang on the washing line to dry unless there is wind of course...

just another thought

Frakke

[Macca]

i have a mate, new to kites and got a couple of beamers for his family to play with (thanx markD) and after the first session, it was an absolute mess with salt water and slime and all sorts of brisbane ocean snot :?

so he took it into the shower with him ! seemed to do the trick.

That's taking the old 'kite love' a bit tooooo far for mine... :shock:

Just remembering the scene out of Kentucky Fried Movie.

Macca

[Buffomarinus]

Salt is my biggest problem. I usually hang the foil on a clothes line with a half dozen of those two piece wooden pant's hangers. I then gently rinse the outside and inside with water from a garden hose. The pant's hangers work a treat because unlike clothes pegs, they take hold of a greater surface area and put less stress on the heavy, wet fabric.

[JKS]

Never trust a kiter with a clean kite .... lol

[just some kitin' girl]

Do you mean to tell me that all you guys don't usually take your Kites into the shower with you to clean them???.....gracious.....next you'll be telling me that the esky's don't go in there as well... to clean out the sand and beer spillage....it's becoming increasingly difficult to fit in the shower these days!!!...

And may i add....I may as well move to another planet...preferrably in a different hemisphere if i even contemplated putting one of the kites in the washing machine....that's just silly....ya can't wash yourself and a kite in a washing machine!,,,,

[JKS]

.................. the ONLY reson the beamer needed a shower in the first place is because YOU kept crashing it

[Luke]

Well I don't fly my kites in the rain, they never get wet, never hit the ground (only cuz im super careful) and if I was going to wash one, it would def be just plain water.

You guys must have good eyesight to notice it is dirty in the air 100ft away from you ha ha ha

Rocket

[Baggsy]

.................. the ONLY reson the beamer needed a shower in the first place is because YOU kept crashing it

now, now boys and girls ...no need to argue here ..when you have water restrictions... you need to wash together..

[JKS]

Man ........ the wind is so crap latley the kies are staying clean ...

The ONLY thing I have been able to ride recently is the wife