Gear Care - Sleeping Bag
How to care for and properly wash your sleeping bag
Follow these helpful Gear Care tips to keep your sleeping bag in shape.
The old adage, "Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you" is an important truth to live by for campers, hikers and backpackers, and one that is seldom truer than when it comes to your sleeping bag. At the end of a long day you'll want your sleeping bag to be clean, comfortable and warm. Follow the Gear Care suggestions below and you'll have a sleeping bag that will take care of you because you take care of it.
Proper Storage - When storing your bag it's best to hang it in a cotton storage bag (some manufacturers supply one with the bag) or a pillow case as loosely as possible to help the bag maintain it's loft. Never use a plastic bag for storage as this will prevent the elimination of any moisture and promote the growth of mold and mildew.
Always Practice Preventive Care - If you sleep in the open, always use a ground cloth underneath your bag, never place it directly on the bare ground. Dirt can become ground into the bag during the course of the night and rocks or even small twigs can puncture or tear the shell. If you sleep inside a tent, be sure the tent floor is clean and dry. If you're sleeping on the floor of a cabin, again a ground cloth will protect against dirt, stains or splinters in the wood floor. It's a good idea to wear a tee shirt, shorts and socks in the bag to help reduce the amount of body oil transfer to the interior of the bag or use a bag liner to accomplish the same goal. Both will also add warmth by creating pockets of insulating air. If you do get dirt, a spill or stain on or in your bag, clean it immediately and as completely as possible.
Washing - When it finally comes to the point that you need to wash your sleeping bag, follow these steps:
1. Check the label for manufacturer's instructions. They know how their product should be cleaned and dried. If any of the points below contradict the label, follow the label instructions.
2. Zip up all zippers (don't want open teeth snagging the shell or lining) and fasteners, then turn the bag inside out so that body oils accumulated on the inside will wash out easily.
3. Always use a front-loading washer, the agitator in a top-loading washer will tear baffles apart or rip the bag itself.
4. For a down-filled bag, use cold water with a gentle detergent like Woolite. For a synthetic fill bag, use cold or warm water with a mild detergent. Whether down or synthetic, wash on the gentle cycle, use as little detergent as possible and no bleach or fabric softener.
5. Run at least one full cycle with no detergent to completely rinse the bag; two if you still detect soap.
6. To remove the bag from the washing machine, gently lift and support the bag from below to prevent water-soaked insulation weight from tearing baffles or ripping stitches.
NOTE: You can also accomplish all of the above by hand-washing the bag, but that is a tedious and time-consuming exercise.
7. Place in large commercial dryer (home dryers are generally too small to allow sufficient fluffing) on a low heat. Intermittently stop the dryer and be sure that the fill is not clumping to be sure of even drying. Some people say to use a tennis ball in the dryer to fluff the fill, others say it accomplishes nothing. Personally, I've never seen it make the fill any fluffier.
8. Finally, never dry clean your sleeping bag. The petroleum-based dry cleaning chemicals will damage the bag.
With proper care, a quality sleeping bag can last up to 20 years and provide you with many nights of clean, warm, comfortable sleep.
