Cleaning and Care

CLEANING AND CARE

To Clean your Summit + Sea Collection Leashes & Collars

After your pooch has had a fun romp through water, dirt, mud and everything smelly, you may need to clean their gear. Simply hand-wash with soap and water. Dish soap works well on this material, it is okay to use a rag or sponge to work any tough dirt out of the hardware or webbing crevasses. It is fine to use a soft bristle brush or toothbrush to clean dirt out of hardware or webbing crevasses. If exposed to a smelly substance, you can soak and wash in a sink filled with white vinegar diluted in water. Dry with a towel and you are good to go on your next adventure. Please note: insect repellents containing DEET will cause staining or pitting on the webbing. We recommend, instead, the use of all-natural insect repellents. Do not use harsh chemical cleaners or oils on the webbing. Some chemicals can damage the webbing and compromise the integrity of the collar or leash. It is also recommended to remove collars when applying topical heartworm preventative serums until application site has dried. Some topical treatments can cause the webbing to harden and crack. It is recommended to regularly clean your gear to prolong the life of the webbing. Some natural oils on our skin and on our dogs will cause the webbing to harden and crack over time, regular weekly cleanings can help to prevent this from happening.

To Clean Your Rope Leashes & Collars
We recommend spot cleaning when possible.
To clean the whole leash or collar we recommend hand washing. To do this, soak the item in a warm or cool water bath and use a mild detergent that is gentle on colors and fibers. We have found delicate fabric detergents to work best. Do not use sponges or brushes to scrub as these can damage the cotton fibers. Instead, use your fingers to work out any stubborn dirt. When wash is finished you can wring the excess water out and hang up to air dry. Do not hang in direct sunlight as UV can fade the colors. For tough stains or smells, soak your item in a distilled white vinegar and water bath for a few minutes before hand washing. This will help eliminate any smells and loosen tough dirt.
Please do not use dish soap unless verified that it is an all-natural bleach-free soap. You may machine wash on the gentle cycle if you have a dedicates garment bag to protect your collar or leash and your washer. Then hang to dry.

Hardware

Brass Hardware

We love solid brass for its durability and non-corrosive properties. This is the best and strongest metal for use in salt water. Solid Brass will not rust with water use but we do recommend that you rinse your hardware in freshwater after using it in salt water. Then thoroughly dry with a towel.

Brass naturally patinas (turn darker) overtime when exposed to the elements (air, water, earth), as all metals do. To clean brass naturally, simply wipe brass hardware with lemon juice to shine it up, rinse with fresh water then towel dry. Store bought brass cleaners also work well and will give your hardware a protective coating, so you won't need to clean as often. Collar hardware such as our martingale half-check chains can discolor white or light-colored fur to a grayish or bluish gray tint, this discoloration washes off with bathing. If you choose a Summit & Sea webbing color that is light in color, brass can leave discolored marks on the material where it rubs; clean with soap and water or a water & distilled white vinegar mixture to remove these spots.

Nickel Plated Zinc

Nickel Plated and Black Coated Zinc hardware has a shiny silver finish and is very light weight. It is not recommended for consistent use in water, as it can rust. Always dry your hardware after water use. Nickel Plating can chip or wear off over time.

Stainless Steel

Much like Brass, stainless-steel hardware is rust resistant and the silver coating will not chip off. Great for dogs that are constantly in and out of water! We recommend rinsing your stainless-steel hardware in clean water after outdoor activity. Stainless Steel can become less shiny as dirt and oil builds up, a quick rinse with soap and water will remove the impurities and you can shine the stainless steel back up with a microfiber towel.

Black Plated Hardware:

Our black hardware is a showstopper! It looks great with everything! We provide the highest quality black hardware that we can find to ensure that the color stays as long as possible. Unfortunately, with all black hardware the black coating will chip or wear off over time, but this will not affect the durability of your collar or leash as all of our black hardware has a brass or stainless steel metal under the black coating with the exception of our black plated Trigger Snaps and Bolt Snaps. These are Zinc metal under a black powder coating.

LEASH SNAPS

• For snaps that get stuck or are hard to open/close, use a household hardware oil spray near the spring to loosen up any dirt, sand or dust that may be hindering the smooth motion of the snap.

• Your leash snaps need to be cleaned and oiled on a regular basis or sand/dirt will break the inner spring.