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Mould on ropes and pack etc ...

Breezy

6-Jul-2009
1:26:31 PM

What is the common thought in regards , to gear coming in contact with mould ?

I recently moved into a unit which has bad dampness problems, water on walls etc, as result mould has grown in cupboards, behind bookshelves on walls as well as on the outside of an old pack that had ropes, quickdraws etc in it.

We have only been in the unit 2 months. What are your thoughts on using the ropes etc, the outside if the pack was covered in mould quite badly all over one side. I am not sure wether the ropes had direct contact with the mould.

Thanks

IdratherbeclimbingM9

6-Jul-2009
1:39:02 PM

They should be OK. More cosmetic nuisance than anything, and would not be strength affecting. Canyoners use mouldy insitu ropes all the time!
Dry them out.
Best for rope to be done preferably out of sunlight, even though the sunlight would help finish off the mould.
I'd wash the pack before drying it, otherwise you are likely to still have a stain on it where the mould lived.

Breezy

7-Jul-2009
7:22:40 AM

cheers

PDRM

7-Jul-2009
7:47:01 AM

Interestingly I had a XPD lightweight mummy self inflating pad that got mould spots on it - they all ended up as pinhole leaks in the pad and I had to chuck it.

.M

Duncan

7-Jul-2009
9:40:03 AM

Moulds produce all kinds of enzymes that could quite easily break down your rope. If I had mould actually ON a rope, I certainly wouldn't be leading on it, and probably wouldn't be using it at all.

IdratherbeclimbingM9

7-Jul-2009
1:30:14 PM

On 7/07/2009 Duncan wrote:
>Moulds produce all kinds of enzymes that could quite easily break down
>your rope. If I had mould actually ON a rope, I certainly wouldn't be
>leading on it, and probably wouldn't be using it at all.

I am happy to concede to better information. Does anyone have any links?

The mould I have seen ignored by canyoners (including myself), is the 'green hue^1'sort that kind of slimes a rope in damp conditions.
If you are talking 'fluffy fungus^2'kind of mould I have not noticed any detrimental affects from this sort on canvas items, ... other than potential staining.
Where canvas stays wet to the point of rotting is a different result, but ropes being synthetic don't rot?

[^{1 & 2} My experience is not technical so I have left out the scientific names ;-)]

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