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Hammock straps can get very dirty over time, especially if you use your hammock during winter or frequently hang it from trees that produce a lot of sap. Is it possible to wash them?
Yes, hammock straps are made from polyester which means they are suitable for washing with water. The best method is to use a bucket of warm water and dish soap, this has an alkaline formula which will be effective against dirt and tree sap on your hammock straps.
Keep reading for more tips on cleaning your hammock straps and why dish soap in the recommended cleaning agent.
How to Wash Hammock Straps
Washing your hammock straps is a task that needs to be done at home, so you should be sure to carry some ziplock bags to prevent the dirt or tree sap from getting all over everything else whilst transporting.
It’s perfectly safe to wash your hammock straps as they are made from synthetic materials, usually heavy-duty polyester as this does not stretch as much as nylon.
The best cleaning product for your hammock straps is standard dishwashing detergent. This has a slightly alkaline formula which is more effective against the types of dirt you’re likely to find on a hammock strap (e.g. mud, clay, tree sap, etc).
To wash your hammock straps, simply add dish soap to a bucket and fill it with warm water. Place the straps in it to soak for several minutes then use a cloth with a rough edge to wash off any tougher dirt.
I recommend that you leave them to air-dry afterwards, polyester tends to be quick drying so a tumble drier isn’t necessary.
Can You Wash Hammock Straps in the Washing Machine?
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to put hammock straps in the washing machine. You should ensure that there are no metal attachments on the straps such as carabiners or S-hooks as these will rattle around in the machine.
Clothes detergent is also alkaline will clean your straps, however, it’s milder than dish soap because the dirt on clothes isn’t as tough as dishes so it won’t be as effective as the previous method.
How to Get Sap Off Hammock Straps
Dish soap and warm water should remove lighter tree sap. However, if you have a lot of sap caked onto your hammock straps, you can use an alcohol cleaner to help remove it.
You can use an all-purpose spray-on alcohol cleaner, but you can also find plenty of household products that have alcohol in them such as hand sanitizer.
Here are step-by-step instructions for removing sap from your hammock straps:
- Spray the alcohol-based cleaner across the areas with heavy sap
- Gently rub the cleaner in with a cloth
- Wash the straps in a bucket of warm water and dish soap as you normally would
These are my recommended tips, however, there are plenty of other sap-removal methods circulating the internet which you could try, including the use of WD40, peanut butter, or a hairdryer.
Can You Clean Hammock Ropes?
Yes, if you have hammock ropes these tend to be made from polyester so you can clean these using warm water and dish soap.
They are very similar to hammock straps so the process for cleaning them is also the same. If you have tree sap caked on to the ropes, you can remove this by rubbing an alcohol-based cleaner on to it beforehand.
What’s the Best Hammock Strap?
If your straps are very worn, or you don’t own any yet, I recommend you opt for the Kammok Python 10 straps.
Kammok have used nanoweave technology to ensure a strong build that doesn’t stretch over time.
The Python 10 straps are 10ft long with 20 daisy chain loops providing more points of connection than any other hammock straps on the market.
See my full article on the best hammock straps for more tips and recommendations.
