Though nylon is an option at the lower end, most hammock beds are made from cotton or linen, with ropes of nylon, cotton or composite fibers. While modern manufacturing techniques have made these materials stronger and longer lasting, they can still get dirty. Not only does that reduce the attractiveness of a piece of fine lawn furniture, it contributes to its decay.
The first step is to acknowledge the old saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
- Keeping your hammock protected from continual exposure to sunlight will help. UV radiation fades ink dyes and weathers cotton and other materials, weakening the hammock. It also will cause any wooden stand to age faster than one that is covered or shaded.
- Taking care of the bed is simple if a few elementary precautions are observed.
- Keeping the bed out of continual sun is one step. The next is simple washing. A mild detergent and water is adequate for monthly care. If possible, lay the bed out flat on a large, clean surface so you can use a brush over the surface. Then hang and rinse. Allow to dry thoroughly.
- Mildew and other organisms will grow on a hammock when parts of it are moist for long periods. Cleaning it off is usually easy, but keeping it off is best for long-term protection. Mildew will weaken fibers over time so even after cleaning they may have done damage. Some fibers are embedded or coated with molecules that act to prevent it, but over time it usually wears off. Simple-to-apply mildewcide sprays
can solve the problem easily.
- Rope care is equally important
. The nylon strands that are used to support some hammocks are very easy to care for, but UV radiation will weaken them over time. Cotton will take a bit more effort. Here again it's important to keep any mildew at bay.
- Be sure to repair any rope breaks or tears before continuing to use your hammock. Apart from the obvious fact that a split in the bed will widen readily under pressure, any missing support will distribute load to the other parts, both bed and rope.
- When that extra load is placed on the remaining material, any weaknesses that might have otherwise been fine may cause the whole structure to collapse. Four relatively weak ropes might have enough margin of error to continue to support your weight safely. Straining three can create a domino effect that splits even more. Better to make the effort today to repair one rope rather than four or more tomorrow.
- Make sure any splits in the wood, cracks in metal or loose bolts in a stand are taken care of, too. Wood can be splinted, glued or otherwise repaired without much cost or effort while the problem is still minor. Metal cracks can be healed with metal glues or welding. Bolts can be easily tightened or replaced.
Problems left untreated or unrepaired, replacement becomes your only option.
