As with any piece of safety gear, it’s important to keep your safety harness clean, especially if it tends to come into contact with messy substances or dust. Cleaning your harness regularly not only helps to keep it in tip-top condition, but also makes it easier to spot any damage to the webbing or hardware.
You must be careful when cleaning a safety harness, though – it’s not as simple as chucking it in the washing machine. There are certain dos and don’ts to be aware of, so keep reading to find out how to clean a safety harness properly.
Cleaning Your Safety Harness: A Guide
The user manual provided with your harness will include basic guidance on how to clean and maintain it, so always refer to that first. However, if you don’t have access to your user manual or you need additional guidance, you can also follow our step-by-step guide below…
You will need:
- 2 buckets
- 2 sponges
- Clean warm water
- A mild soap
- A washing line (or another place where you can hang your harness)
Step 1: Remove any accessories such as karabiners, comfort pads, etc. and hang the harness on the washing line.
Step 2: Fill one bucket with warm soapy water and another bucket with warm rinse water. Make sure the water does not exceed 30 °C and only use a pH-neutral soap (such as washing-up liquid).
Step 3: Take one sponge and moisten it with the soapy water. Then, starting from the top of the harness, begin wiping down the webbing on the front and back. You can also use a small brush to target stubborn stains but be careful not to tear the material.
Step 4: Gently wipe down the belt and any hardware such as buckles, adjusters, D-rings etc. using the same soapy sponge.
Step 5: Dip the second sponge into the clean water and wipe down the harness once more to rinse away any soap residue.
Step 6: Leave the harness to air-dry for around 30 minutes, then store it in a cool dry place. Any hardware should be wiped dry with a clean and dry towel or soft cloth.
NOTE: You should not use bleach or any other harsh cleaning products on your harness as this can damage the material. You should also keep it away from direct sunlight, radiators, flames, etc. when drying and when stored.
Top tips for keeping your harness clean between washes:
- Read the instruction booklet that comes with your safety harness and follow its recommendations.
- Always store your harness neatly in a well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight. Do not leave it crumpled in a ball on the floor or in a damp room that could leave it vulnerable to mould.
- If you need to mark your harness for identification purposes, only mark the labels or comfort parts as marking the webbing or hardware might interfere with the functionality of the harness, putting you at risk.
- Protect your harness from paint, oil and chemical damage by wearing disposable coveralls when in use. Simply use a pair of scissors to cut a hole and pass the lanyard through them.
If your safety harness becomes too dirty to clean or inspect properly, it might be time to buy a new one. Here at Safety Harness Direct, we stock a huge range of safety harnesses to suit all jobs. Shop below:
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