How to Wash a Sleeping Bag
You'll know it's time to wash your sleeping bag a couple ways, the first of those (and the most wholesome) being the loft test.
Loft Test: If you notice a loss of loft in your bag since you purchased it this could indicate that your bag is in need of a full wash (and tennis ball beating).
The second method to recognize when it's time to clean your bag- the scent test.
Scent Test: This one isn't scientific. If you've been falling into your bed in the same clothes you hiked/climbed/fished/rode in, chances are you've packed in bacteria and debris that will cause that camp smell.
Those are both easy ways to know when it's time for a full service washing. But how do you wash a down sleeping bag without ruining one of the most important pieces of the camping puzzle?
What you'll need
If you use the wrong kind of detergent, you could ruin your expensive, cozy sleeping bag. Don't do that.
Instead you can get detergent free soap. This soap won't leave the water attractive residues of soap based cleaners. In need of detergent free soap? Never fear, our online selection is here.
An added bonus of that cleaner is that it can remove residue from previous washes so if you've already messed up this step in the past, you'll be alright.
You'll also want to pick up a few tennis balls. Now that you got what you need, follow the next steps because you could still ruin that bag if you don't do it right.
Follow These Steps to Wash Down
Do these steps and return your bag to its former loft and scent.
- Clean your detergent tray! After going through the all that ^, to get the right detergent, if you don't clean the tray out, there'll still be water attractive residues that will make your sleeping bag pretty cold during our Northwestern nights.
- Read the label on the non-soap based detergent you've chosen for your sleeping bag. Follow the directions. It's always good to do that, just ask Matt.
- Now turn your sleeping bag inside out and zip it up.
- Washing Machine Settings: Cold. Low spin. Then you can go ahead and add an extra rinse cycle to be sure everything is out.
- Drying Cycle: Tumble dry low on low heat. When you are drying your sleeping bag, make sure you use tennis balls (clean ones) or something else that will help to break up any clumps that might form in the down.
What you need to Remember
It could take up to 2/2.5 hours for your sleeping to completely dry because it is on low heat.
DON'T TRY TO RUSH IT.
If you are impatient and try to bump the heat up, you risk melting your bag and/or weakening your seams.
That's how you wash your sleeping bag. Check out the video below to watch these steps first hand and get on last overview before you dive into the downy suds.
Cool, huh? If your smelly sleeping bag came from a smelly tent- then you need to know how to clean your tent correctly as well.