How to Wash a Down Sleeping Bag
A down sleeping bag is a very important piece of gear when it comes to backpacking. It keeps you both protected and comfortable during those cold nights so you can get a good nights sleep. But, after using your sleeping bag on many different adventures, dirt and body oils can slowly work into the fabric and reach the down. This can cause it to lose its loft and insulation capabilities. However, with the proper care, you can keep your bag working effectively for many more years to come. Here’s a step by step guide on how to clean your down sleeping bag.
What You Will Need
A large front-loading washing machine: I recommend going to the laundromat and using a high-capacity washing machine
Soap that’s designed for down: Use Nikwax Down Wash or a similar product. These non-detergent soaps will restore water repellency while maintaining fill power and insulation of the down sleeping bag.
A large front-loading dryer: The more room you have to dry your bag, the better. The down won’t have a tendency to clump up as much and it will dry quicker to.
3 Tennis balls: They’re used to help break up the clumps of down when drying)
Washing
Since most down sleeping bags have a durable water resistance (DWR) coating on the outside shell, turn the sleeping bag inside out so the water and soap can reach the down better. Then zip up all the zippers and place it in the washing machine.
Clean out any detergent that has built up in the soap dispenser on the machine.
Now add your down soap. (If you’re using the Nikwax Down Wash you will use 100 ml of soap.)
Adjust the washing machine’s settings according to the care instruction’s label on the sleeping bag. Most companies want you to use cold or warm water and the gentle or delicate cycle.
When the cycle is complete check for any residual soap by gently squeezing the bag. If you see soap bubbles then you will have to run an additional rinse cycle.
Drying
Carefully remove the sleeping bag from the washing machine by supporting it from underneath and take it over to the dryer and place it inside. It’s important to handle the bag with care because it’s saturated with water and the weight of it can tear the internal baffles if they’re not supported.
Then dry the sleeping bag on a low heat setting to prevent damage to the down insulation. The whole drying process will take between 3-5 hours and will require several drying cycles.
Every once in a while check to see how far along the bag is to being completely dry.
When the sleeping bag is almost dry, throw in 3 tennis balls. They will help to break up the clumps of down and speed up the drying process.
Once the bag is completely dry, look for any remaining clumps of down and break them up by hand. Then air it out for a day before storing it.
Additional Sleeping Bag Care Tips
Frequency of washing: Washing your sleeping bag after every outdoor trip will shorten the life of your sleeping bag. Generally you should only wash it once a year, except if your logging in some serious miles on the trail like a thru-hike.
Storage: To protect the loft and insulating abilities of your sleeping bag you should never store it in a compression stuff sack. The compression stuff sack is for backpacking trips only. Instead store it loosely in a large storage bag. Often times one is included with the purchase of your sleeping bag. If not you could hang it in a closet.
Avoid These Mistakes!
Using a top loading washing machine: The agitator in the center of the machine will tear up the sleeping bag.
Using laundry detergent soap: These soaps will strip the oils from the down and cause it to loose its insulating properties.
Picking up a sleeping bag from the top when it’s full of water: The weight of the water in the sleeping bag can tear the internal baffles.
Using dryer sheets or fabric softeners: These items can damage both the fabric and down insulation of the sleeping bag.
Using normal settings on the washer and dryer: Your sleeping bag is a delicate piece of equipment and not using proper settings on these machines will ruin your bag.
Storing a sleeping bag compressed: Being compressed all the time the down will loose it’s loft and will not insulate properly.
Do you have a question about washing your down sleeping bag? Leave a comment down below
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