Cleaning your line

I do what the manufacturers recommend which is usually water and PLAIN soap as in Ivory bar soap, NOT detergent like DAWN. I use two small buckets and pull the line through a soapy sponge in one bucket followed by a clean sponge in the other bucket.

For embedded dirt I use either a Rio Wonder Cloth or the Sci Angler's Cleaning Pads as directed.

After cleaning, I dry them off with a rag and usually let the dry out overnight before treating them with whatever the manufacturers recommend.

I also don't use detergent, fad cleaners, fad methods or Armor All. Of course there are zillions of folks who do and will tell you there are no issues...

...but how many of them have 20 year lines still in the rotation; casting and floating like a cork like I do. ;)

If you are still in doubt, contact the manufacturer of whatever line you use and ask them.
 
I also use Ivory bar soap and a clean/rinse system. For floating lines I use a lubricant, sinking lines nothing.
 
Mild soap and water is always OK. I follow the line manufacturers recommendations such as SA instructing to use only the cleaning pad for AST and AST+ lines and the dressing is not recommended.
 
falcon said:
Mild soap and water is always OK. I follow the line manufacturers recommendations such as SA instructing to use only the cleaning pad for AST and AST+ lines and the dressing is not recommended.
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I checked SA's website and it states "specifically for lines with AST and AST+ coating, but will work with all fly lines".

I was curious about this because I used the SA cleaning kit on a Cortland line and it killed it. I've never had a line "lock up" so bad.

I've always used Cortland "line glide" after cleaning with a damp cloth. I switched back to that process now.
 
As goofy as it may sound, I clean & treat my Rio Lines with what Rio recommends and do the same with my Sci Angler's lines.

As that is trhe only brand of lines I use; so far, so good...
 
Bamboozle said:
As goofy as it may sound, I clean & treat my Rio Lines with what Rio recommends and do the same with my Sci Angler's lines.

As that is trhe only brand of lines I use; so far, so good...
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That makes sense. I'll be more careful from here on out.
 
I stretch my lines out across the yard.
And clean with a very mild mixture of dish soap and water - just a few drops in a small 1-2 oz container.
Rinse thoroughly with water, wipe down with a dry cloth, and let it dry for an hour or so

Then coat with fly line dressing.
I'm currently using SA brand. But I don't think that really matters.
Have used several other brands - Cortland, Rio, and Glide.
All have worked well IMO.

I let it hang overnight after dressing.
Then buff it lightly with a dry cloth, and ready to go.

After this cleaning, I'm good for a week or 2 of everyday fishing before it needs done again
 
A bit of armor all on a shotgun cleaning patch, pull the line through the patch and then again through a dry patch. Done and done.
 
I asked a SA Rep and was informed that the "micro abrasive" is recommended for AST and AST+ lines and can be used on other lines as well. On the AST type lines after using the pad you can feel the lubricants on the surface of the cleaned line. He said the line cleaner will only attract dirt on these lines. SA doesn't recommend using the cleaner on sinking or sink tip lines either. Why they package the cleaner with the cleaning kit is unclear. Confusing at best. Go with the line manufacturers recommendations. I would not use Armor All even though I did years ago.

I have a SA Kit, a Rio Kit and use Umpqua Glide on other companies lines. Lines are too expensive to mess around. I clean my lines on a regular basis and they last years.
 
BruceC2C said:

​

Step 1...ZEISS Cleaning Wipe Pads
( marketed for eyeglasses & photo gear)
Step 2...Loon Line Speed
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That's interesting.
I use Zeiss pads to clean my eyeglasses.
They have alcohol listed as a main ingredient.
No problems using them on a fly line?
 
I have always just used wet naps, like the kind you get at a BBQ joint. I bought a box of 1000 10 years ago on amazon or ebay.

Then I dress it with green mucilin. I am almost out of it and I don't think you can get it any more. I will have to try something else.

I have a 12 year old 5wf Rio line that is still good as new.
 
So far as I know, there are still quite a few places that sell the green Mucilin, Cabela's among them. I've always used it. It makes the $25 Aquanova Canadian lines shoot like poop through a goose, it floats any dry fly that isn't that cdc stuff, it lubricates my spinning reels and works wonders on a fussy padlock or deadbolt lock.

It's great...
 
Bamboozle said:
I do what the manufacturers recommend which is usually water and PLAIN soap as in Ivory bar soap, NOT detergent like DAWN. I use two small buckets and pull the line through a soapy sponge in one bucket followed by a clean sponge in the other bucket.
.
Click to expand...
Ironically, I once bought some Orvis "line cleaner" that looked and smelled exactly like Dawn dish soap. Had I known this ahead of time I would have just used dish soap.
 
bugs4 said:
A bit of armor all on a shotgun cleaning patch, pull the line through the patch and then again through a dry patch. Done and done.
Click to expand...
Does that actually clean the line? I would think it would just make it slick.
 
fishboy71 said:
Does that actually clean the line? I would think it would just make it slick.
Click to expand...
Yep, Armor All does get a lot of dark funky looking junk off a line. . . .and it really does slick it up.
 
A distinction of what i do, Is using a 2 step approach.
Clean - and then rinse - the line with whatever kind of soap you want to use
Wipe dry.
Then a coating of line dressing to make it slicker.

Maybe overkill. But I think it makes a difference
And if you stretch and hang the line up - a lot easier than trying to clean a coiled up line in a bucket IMO
 
I too used to use Armor all until I had a accomplished distance caster tell me never use AA on fly lines as is softens the lines outer coating and causes the line to drag in the guides. I stopped and now just pull thru soapy dish cloth, dry and dress.
 
Also Armor All is a coating, not a cleaner and just covers the dirt.
 
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