How to Care for Fall Protection Harnesses

Just as work garments, harnesses can get dirty. Cleaning your fall protection equipment will prolong its life and contribute towards maintaining the performance of the product. Here are some useful tips on how to do it safely.

Spot cleaning

If you need to spot clean any Miller® brand harnesses, personal fall limiters, self-retracting lifelines and webbing lanyards, we recommend using a damp sponge or cloth along with a mild detergent. 

Manual washing

• Place products to be cleaned in mesh laundry bags to reduce the chances of abrasion, snagging and entanglement that could cause damage to stitching or labels. 
• Use a non-abrasive, non-corrosive solution. Bleach, chlorine or abrasives can cause damage. Honeywell’s suggestion for a cleaner is using a mild soap or detergent that does not include bleach.
• Make sure the solution is not too soapy, as too much soap can make the product feel tacky to the touch.
• Never use an acid solvent, or any solvent-based product on the harness, as it could ruin the material and affect the integrity of the product, making it unsafe to use.
• To begin cleaning the harness, wipe off any loose particles with a cloth.
• Once the loose particles are removed, take the cleaning solution and place it on a non-abrasive sponge and work it into the material using back and forth motion, rigorously creating a lather.
• After scrubbing the harness with the solution make sure to thoroughly rinse the solution from the fabric using plain water. Do not soak the harness, as soaking it can damage the material.
• After rinsing, blot the extra moisture away using a lint-free cloth.
• Let the harness hang without folds in the material and air dry in an environment where there is no excessive heat, away from direct sunlight.
• Remove items from mesh bags and hang freely to dry but away from excessive heat, steam, or long periods of direct sunlight. Do not machine dry.
• Use the harness after it is fully dried.
• Do not store the equipment wet.
• Inspect products thoroughly before returning to service. 

Machine washing advice

Machine washing may cause fading and softening of the webbing and may reduce the useful service life of the product. Be sure to inspect your washed products thoroughly before each use and be sure to always follow instructions in the instruction manual(s).   

On a final note, we do not recommend that workers share PPE. It is recommended that each employee be provided their own set of personal protective equipment.