You can use almost any kind of rope, but softer rope is better for your finish. At home, I've used my kid's jumpropes, looped around the tail of the plane, and tied to a tree.

Starting your plane on a hard surface is doubly tricky. It's tough to drive a stake into the ground, and also the plane will have little rolling resistance, so it will jump forward easier than on grass. If you have no choice, you should probably use a cinder block or something heavy, and tie your restraint rope to that. Just always make sure the rope is tight when starting. If you push the plane backwards while starting, it will be able to lurch forward when you let go.

Of course, the safest thing is to fly at a field that has safety benches.