The most important part in caring for sailboat sails is to keep them clean, especially if you sail in a salt water environment. Salt crystals are corrosive, abrasive and will damage the fibers in the sail cloth, as well as causing the material to absorb water, which will lead to mildew.

Washing the sails down with fresh water is a good way to keep them in good shape, while this will be extra work, keeping the sails clean is less work than cleaning them once they are already dirty. When washing the sails yourself, don’t use chlorine bleach on sails made of nylon or laminated sails. It is best to use a mild soap and water mix, and a scrub brush with soft bristles.

Another factor in the basic care of sails is proper storing. When you are ready to stow sails always let them dry first. Avoid folding sailboat sails when storing them for the off season. It is better to roll them so as to not put any creases in them that could damage the fibers in the cloth. And using a sail bag will protect the sails from UV sunlight that can damage them. And high temperatures can also deform some sails over time, so look for a cool place to store them.