Gday everyone. Much to my disappointment, a bunch of swallows moved into the end of my boom bag and have really made a mess of a brand new mainsail.
any ideas on the best way to clean this up? Any fabric has been stained badly.
thanks
Same thing happened to me i used bleach worked a treat. I remove main sail layed it out on concrete floor using a broom and a spray bottel with bleach scrubbed it in the stains went away and i hosed the sail off.
I maintain a couple of white boats. Once I cut n polish or wash them it seems the sparrows enjoy sitting and ****ting from the lower wire lifelines. The stains they leave will not remove even with more cut n polish. I have tried just about everything.
The only way to remove it is just leaving it and with in a few weeks the sun removes the stains like magic.
cleaning sails has always been a problem. I have always thought about a mobile sail cleaning service but have always thought that might be to much work. 
A sail maker told me to try nappy san to clean mould and brown stains from sail, it worked a little bit still not 100% clean but a lot brighter
Could try it for bird ****
Oxalic acid from Bunnings. Very good for most stains. I think it's labeled as Diggers Stain Remover.
So I ended up with a stiff bristle scrubbing brush and some liquid clothes washing detergent rinsed with a high pressure washer. Pretty much did the trick, and I reckon this Summer of sailing with some sun on the sail will bleach out the remaining minor stains. Relieved...
Do not use bleach on Nylon or Laminate sails. I don't use it on any sails.
Safest wash is pure soap flakes (100% soluble) in warm water, then dry thoroughly before storing. Use your bath or a trough. Don't use detergent or anything with any grit, you are replacing salt crystals with a harsher abraisive?
If you are scrubbing, do not do it one concrete or gravel as you will clean one side while sanding the other, not good.
Oxalyic acid is ok for rust stains etc, 1 part in a 100 in warm water, then wash out.
Mildew is a bugger and hard to get out, remember if it is black it is dead, no further damage but unsightly.
There is quite good anecdotal evidence for some home remedies here.
Mixtures of Baking Soda, Vinegar, toothpaste and Coke will clean most things. Although I'm not sure how Coke would go for rust on sailcloth fabrics, I've only seen it used on only hard surfaces like metal and porcelain etc. A test on an old piece would be worth a shot.
Baking soda and white vinegar will help cure the black mould, among many other cleaning duties. We use it pretty much all through the bathroom and the boat. Toothpaste and coke will remove rust stains from anchor well drains etc.
