Cleaning Fly Lines

[PaulK]

I cleaned all my lines this weekend. Two old lines with no cracking(Cortland 444 Peach) I found taped up with masking tape and over the years the tape got really gummy. I cleaned these lines with Goo Gone and then washed them with Joy. Man-o-man, that combo made the lines super squeaky clean again. Goo Gone says it's okay on vinyl, so if I see no bad results with these lines, I might use this formula for all my lines. Really got them very clean, like I could hear them squeak.

Any thoughts or other formulas.

 

[zenherper]

Does anybody ever use, or know of any reason not to, the sani-wipe alcohol based wipes to clean your lines?

 

[Foxgap239]

Alcohol generally dries things out while cleaning. It will remove more than just dirt and quite possibily could react ot the materials in the fly line. My recommendation would be not to use anything alcohol based.

 

[pcray1231]

Drying isn't an issue. But alcohol is a solvent.

The outer part of a fly line is a plastic, probably pretty close to PVC or polyurethane. But there are literally thousands of different plastics, and I'm sure each fly line uses a proprietary plastic designed specifically for that model of fly line, and they ain't gonna tell you much about it other than that it results in improved something or other.

Even PVC, which you think of as a single material, may have more than 2 dozen different "grades."

Each plastic is imperveous to certain chemicals and solvents, resistant to others, and susceptible to yet others.

Bottom line: Some lines are very likely resistant to alcohol and alcohol based things. Perhaps most or all. But it'd be a little like playing Russian Roulette.

 

[zenherper]

Thanks guys.

 

[TimRobinsin]

don't use dawn...thats all I know...unfortunately first hand.

I ruined 3 fly lines using dawn. It's been my experience that plain water and a paper towel will work fine. if your line is cracked you may want to consider a new one, depending on the extent of the cracking.

 

[shademt]

i use armor all..same stuff you use to wipe off the dash of your car..i know a lot has been said as far as the pro's and cons. But i never had a problem with it. have a few lines that must be 15 years old.

 

[hunter1]

I have just used cleaner and fly line dressing made for fly lines. Never had a problem , and i get the max life out of a line . With the dressing i hane never had a line crack.

 

[Cornholio]

I read somewhere that warm water and dish soap works. I just use plain water because i'm to paranoid that i'll destroy my lines. Fly line is a small fortune!

 

[Ramcatt]

spend the $7.25 for the real deal

http://buy.scientificanglers.com/accessories/scientific-anglers-accessories-fly-line-dressing-w-pad-html.html

 

[turkey]

^this is what I use. It works and that little bottle lasts a long time^

 

[NorthBranch]

I still have an old tin of the Cortland Fly Line cleaner. It has always worked well for me. However, it's quite old now... I'd better check it.

 

[RCFetter]

I agree with using a cleaner specifically formulated for fly lines. I can't help but think that using anything else, aside from plain water, carries some degree of risk for the fly line.

 

[Jeremi]

I fill the sink with warm water. Add a few drops of dish soap. Swish around by hand. Lay dinner plate size coils of line in the water. Lay a dinner plate on top to submerge the floating line. Soak, rinse... Maybe apply dressing after it drys. Best method I've been able to come up with.

 

[afishinado]

Fredrick posted this a while back.

Fly Line Cleaning