How To Clean A Hammock In 10 Easy Steps

How to clean a hammock in 10 easy steps

Maintaining your hammock’s beautiful looks, scent, and functionality over time requires some regular maintenance, just like any other piece of outdoor equipment. The good news is that washing a hammock is much less complicated and time-consuming than washing a sleeping bag, tent, or any other delicate hiking or camping equipment.

How to clean a hammock in ten easy steps:

  1. Look For Any Damage
  2. Shake Out The Dust & Debris
  3. Select Your Cleaning Products
  4. Remove All The Hammock’s Accessories
  5. Pre-Treat Stains
  6. Place Your Hammock In The Washing Machine
  7. Add Gentle Washing Detergent
  8. Spin Your Hammock
  9. Wash The Hammock’s Accessories By Hand
  10. Dry The Hammock

If you have a dirty hammock, this article will provide you with 10 simple steps you can follow to clean your hammock quickly, safely, and easily.

1. Look For Any Damage

It would be best to inspect the hammock for tears or other damage. Before washing, make sure your hammock hasn’t been damaged. The frayed fabric, strings, holes or tiniest tears might grow worse if you begin a hand or machine washing it before you inspect it for damage.

Hand washing a hammock, for instance, might enlarge preexisting holes or aggravate tears. Before cleaning your hammock, you must repair any damage you uncover.

2. Shake Out The Dust & Debris

Do some cleaning preparation by shaking out any large, obvious dust, debris, food crumbs, sand, etc., from the hammock.

3. Select Your Cleaning Products

When washing a hammock, it’s important not to use bleach. Using bleach on your hammock might damage the fabric and change its color. As an added precaution, you should not use fabric softeners unless the label says it is safe.

When cleaning your hammock, use a gentle soap or soap that won’t damage your hammocks, such as liquid dish soap, biodegradable, or antibacterial soap.

4. Remove All The Hammock’s Accessories

Detach your hammock from any remaining carabiners, spreader bars, removable insect nets (if the net is attached, unzip it), and any other attachments and accessories. Because of their substantial nature, carabiners might damage your washer, and the washing cycle can also harm the hammock.

5. Pre-Treat Stains

Paste with baking soda may be a pre-treatment for any stubborn stains on your hammock. Put the baking soda and water into separate measuring spoons. Blend the two to create a thick paste.

Use the paste on the stained areas of your hammock. If you don’t have enough paste, you can always make more. The paste needs around 5 minutes to set. After 5 minutes, use a clean cloth and wipe away the paste gently.

6. Place Your Hammock In The Washing Machine

Please do not wash your hammock in a washing machine with an agitator. The agitator may cause your hammock to become entangled in its moving parts. As a result, you risk breaking either agitator or the hammock.

When washing your hammock, take extra precautions to prevent it from being entangled in other items, such as clothes, by ensuring that it is the only object in the washer (apart from the hammock’s mosquito net).

*If you do not have a washing machine without an agitator, it’s best to wash your hammock by hand, which we will discuss later in this article.

7. Add Gentle Washing Detergent

To prevent damage to the hammock’s fabric, use a gentle detergent while washing it. The mild soap won’t ruin the hammock’s fabric and dyes. Then, pour one spoonful into the washing machine.

Determine your hammock’s optimal wash cycle conditions (refer to the manufacturer’s washing directions) and use those.

Front-loading washers with a delicate or mild cycle are ideal for washing hammocks due to their lightweight construction. Your hammock will be spared unnecessary wear and tear if you set the machine to a cold, gentle wash cycle.

8. Spin Your Hammock

Set your machine to a gentle spinning cycle to eliminate most of the water; otherwise, it will take forever to dry.

9. Wash The Hammock’s Accessories By Hand

While your hammock is in the washer, you may wash the parts that attach to it by hand, including the spreader bars and carabiners. You can use liquid dish soap and clean, warm water.

Cleaning the carabiners doesn’t require special tools, only your hands. When done, towel-dry them and allow them to air-dry.

10. Dry The Hammock

As the last step, hang your hammock outside in the sun to dry, either evenly spread over the washing line or placed openly on a large table in the sun. When cleaning your hammock, put it up to dry in the sun or on a clothesline. Alternatively, you may spread it out on a tabletop to dry in the air.

Drying time for a hammock may be cut in half by hanging it in a south-facing window. If there is no breeze, you may speed up the drying process by pointing a fan at your hammock. Your hammock shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to dry out under these conditions.

Keeping your hammock from creasing by hanging it lengthwise is a handy trick. Remember that you shouldn’t try to speed up the drying process by putting it in a dryer.

Drying your hammock in a tumble dryer might be dangerous since the extreme heat can melt the fabric. Once it has dried, you may put it away in the bag it came in or any other dry, protected area.

This YouTube clip on how to clean your hammock is very helpful if you prefer visual instruction.

How To Handwash Your Hammock

Washing your hammock by hand isn’t much different than washing it in a machine; however, it requires a bit more elbow grease. Follow the steps below if you have chosen to wash your hammock by hand;

1. Rinse Your Hammock

It is recommended to first give a hammock a quick rinse with water before attempting to hand wash it. Clear your hammock of dirt and debris by submerging it in cold running water, spraying it with a garden hose, or soaking it in the tub. You can also agitate the hammock with your hands to help loosen any debris.

2. Fill A Bathtub With Water & Add A Gentle Detergent

Drain the dirty water and refill the tub with clean, cool water. Add 1/4 cup biodegradable or any other gentle washing detergent to the water.

3. Submerge & Start Washing Your Hammock

Put your hammock into the soapy water; work rubbing and agitating your hammock using your hands. Work your way down from the top. To clean both sides effectively, place your hands on either end of the hammock while washing it.

You could also clean your hammock with a gentle sponge or towel. For stubborn dirt, try using a microfiber or plush cleaning cloth. Scrubbing in gentle circular motions with a sponge or towel effectively removes any stubborn stains or debris.

Applying a tiny bit of baking soda might help eliminate stubborn stains. Use a 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to treat the stained area of your hammock. Gently start rubbing the baking soda into the stain with a microfiber towel until the stain disappears.

4. Rinse Your Hammock Thoroughly

After washing your hammock, empty the water from the tub and refill it with fresh water. After washing your hammock, please give it a final rinse to remove any remaining soap. To remove all traces of soap, you may need to empty the water, replace it with fresh water, and run another rinse cycle.

5. Dry Your Hammock

The final step is to hang the hammock in the sunlight to dry. Once your hammock has dried, you may put it away in the bag it came in or any other dry, safe spot.

FAQs

Below are frequently asked questions about cleaning a hammock;

How To Take Care Of Your Hammock

Preserving your hammock by keeping it out of extreme heat or cold is the greatest method to ensure it’ll last for many years. Please protect it from the elements by putting it away for the winter.

Avoid leaving a hammock in the sun for extended periods or while it’s not in use, especially during the summer. This will also help maintain the vibrancy of the fabric’s colors. For the ultimate hammock protection, refer to the manufacturer’s product care directions and recommendations.

How To Treat Hammock Mildew

First, give it a good scrub down if your hammock is mildewy. A word of advice; if your hammock has been sitting in the basement for a long, now is the time to give it an examination for mildew and mold.

Here are four simple steps to remove mildew:

  1. Use a soft-bristle brush to remove mildew in a well-ventilated location.
  2. Use white vinegar to treat the mold, then let it dry in the sun for 30 minutes.
  3. Wash your hammock again using the soft-bristle brush and rinse it with clean, cold water.
  4. Use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda on tougher stains.

*You should always follow the instructions on the hammock’s care label.

How To Clean A Rope Hammock?

A rope hammock is a perfect spot to unwind in the summer heat. No matter how relaxing a hammock may be, it will inevitably get dirty. To extend the life of your rope hammock, you should clean it frequently.

Hammock Vs. Tent: Which Is Better?

Regarding a hammock vs a tent, hammocks have several advantages. They are light, and you can transport them with little effort. In addition, you won’t have to sleep directly on the ground as you would in a tent, making for a more pleasant night’s rest.

And if you are in an area with pesky insects, you can zip the hammock’s sides up for protection. Hammocks, of course, are not without their disadvantages.

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