Cleaning plastic coated lifelines

[Dale Genther]

A customer of our wants us to try cleaning his white plastic coated linelines. The lifelines have turned a tanish color with a very slight sticky feeling to them, probably thru oxidation. Anyone ever tried to clean this up?

[Dan McCosh]

Common household cleaners usually work. Sound like UV deterioration, however, which would be permanent. Plastic coatings are now banned for offshore racing, due to problems inspecting the wire. Cleanliness is another reason to go with bare 1/19 rigging wire.

[brad9798]

Yellow = shot.

It's not topical anymore ... the entire sheathing has become yellowed and hardened/brittle ...

[Gary E]

Good point on them being shot...

but just for the fun of it, try cleaning with what we used to clean whitewall tires iin the early 50's.... COKE... and whatcha didnt use on the tires , ya drank... :)

[Bob Cleek]

There is not much that can be done. The same problem occurs with vinyl fenders. If it is dirt, it can sometimes be removed with proprietary cleaners made for the purpose. However, if it is turning tan, the UV degradation is beyond repair, as far as I know. I have tried various solvents for removing black greasy stains from vinyl cable and fenders and found it leaves them with a sticky surface because the solvents (acetone, MEK, etc.) break down the vinyl. Like so many plastics, vinyl apparently isn't forever. On the other hand, served wire, shellaced or painted, lasts pretty much forever.