Washing a hammock: Remove amsteel suspension/structural ridgeline first?

[jbphilly]

I have a Warbonnet El Dorado camping hammock. According to the instructions on Warbonnet's site, you can wash their hammocks in a front-loading washing machine. I do have a front-loader, so all good to go there.

However, the instructions also say "Make sure to remove and elastic guylines and suspensions before washing." By "suspension," I assume they mean the amsteel whoopie slings and structural ridgeline that are tied into the hammock. Removing these seems like it would be an issue; they are tied very tight and I'm not sure how I'd be able to dislodge them. Plus, then I'd have to work out how to reattach everything afterward.

Anybody have experience with machine-washing one of these hammocks with a structural ridgeline? Is the amsteel going to be damaged in some way by a warm-water, front-loader wash cycle? Or is it just a matter of exposing all the nooks and crannies of the hammock ends to soap and water? If the latter, I can live with the gathered ends of the hammock not getting a full-on wash...I don't think that's where any of the sweat or grime is.

Thanks for any feedback from your experiences.

[baldknobber]

Have washed hammocks many times in my front-loading washing machine. If it has an integrated net I zip it closed, remove any elastic tieouts, and wash on gentle cycle with Nikwax tech wash, no spin. Have not had any issues.

[hutzelbein]

I rarely remove the ridgelines of my netted Warbonnet hammocks before I wash them, because it's a hassle to reinstall them. The color has faded some due to the washing, but otherwise they are fine. My oldest Warbonnet hammock has just turned 12 and is still going strong. I have been washing it once or twice a year, depending on how often I use it. However, I remove the suspension before washing and loop the ridgeline ends over the whipped ends so that it doesn't work itself free.

[Hang Williams]

I rarely remove the ridgelines of my netted Warbonnet hammocks before I wash them, because it's a hassle to reinstall them. The color has faded some due to the washing, but otherwise they are fine. My oldest Warbonnet hammock has just turned 12 and is still going strong. I have been washing it once or twice a year, depending on how often I use it. However, I remove the suspension before washing and loop the ridgeline ends over the whipped ends so that it doesn't work itself free.

I similarly saw the hassle it would be to reinstall the ridgeline, so instead I just washed my hammock in a tub.

[Crazytown3]

I have a WB Eldorado also. I leave the continuous loops and ridgeline intact and wash it on gentle cycle, then hang dry. I zip off the bugnet with the elastic pull-out and hand wash it separately.

[cougarmeat]

I've washed netted hammocks without a problem - removing any suspension hardware but keeping the continuous loop. But the machine is a front loading, non-agitator model so there is nothing to grab/wrap bungee lines or put an excessive pull on seams. I'd keep the net unzipped so wash water can easily reach both sides of the hammock body. It's not that the hammock itself is actually dirty - I wear jammies, socks, and usually a sleeping cap to bed (easier to clean clothes than to clean quilts and hammock). But a wash seems to bring it back to "new" if I'm using it at home, sleeping outside 4-5 days a week.

[rmcrow2]

I sleep in a Eldorado every night so I wash it once a week. I zip the bug net closed tie a loose over him not on either end about a third of the way in I leave the continuous loops and the elastic on the ends. I do not have the head box tie on attached.

Wash on gentle air dry.

我宁愿在山上。

[PopcornFool]

I rarely had any issues washing my Eldorado (and all my other hammocks) as described by everyone else here (zip everything up, front loader only, tech wash, etc.), but one time I did have the ridgeline wrap around the hammock and the hammock came out of the wash in a long twist and it was still soapy inside the twist. It was a one-off situation, but after that, I started using a large mesh laundry bag. (I got the idea from a girl I was dating who used much smaller mesh laundry bags when she washed her "delicates".) I've never had any problems washing my hammocks inside a mesh laundry bag and it gives me some peace of mind that there is a little extra protection for the netting.

[dscotthep]

I rarely had any issues washing my Eldorado (and all my other hammocks) as described by everyone else here (zip everything up, front loader only, tech wash, etc.), but one time I did have the ridgeline wrap around the hammock and the hammock came out of the wash in a long twist and it was still soapy inside the twist. It was a one-off situation, but after that, I started using a large mesh laundry bag. (I got the idea from a girl I was dating who used much smaller mesh laundry bags when she washed her "delicates".) I've never had any problems washing my hammocks inside a mesh laundry bag and it gives me some peace of mind that there is a little extra protection for the netting.

I also use a mesh laundry bag in a top loading machine and have never had any issues.