How To Wash Your Sleeping Bag Like A Pro?

Your sleeping bag seems to be like a gear that requires regular maintenance. Do you know that taking proper care of your sleeping bag will help in lasting more and keeping warmer? When it gets dirty smudges, unless it is very dirty you can do spot washing with water, mild soap and using your old toothbrush rub the spot.

We have noticed that when we buy a sleeping bag, it is super puffy and lofty. Over the time it gets less puffy by getting contaminated with body oils, dirt and starts clumping together. When we washed the sleeping bag, the clumps break up and restore the fluffiness and performance too. But you have to maintain a delicate balance, don’t wash it often.

You may think how to wash a sleeping bag. We can help you with it. If the sleeping bag is made of synthetic or hybrid down, you have to follow certain instructions. Also, a double size sleeping bag can be difficult for you to wash with washing machine at home. The best option is to go with laundry. We do not recommend dry cleaning or bleaching the sleeping bag. One more thing, do not use any fabric softener also, it can damage its down fibres.

Planning to wash your sleeping bag at your home means, you need a front load machine and gentle cycle option. A top-loading machine with central agitator may cause damage to your sleeping bag. Never forget these instructions for washing a sleeping bag. They can last for a long time only if you take care of it properly.

How To Wash Your Sleeping Bag Like A Pro?

Check the Instructions to Follow

Hand-Wash your Sleeping Bag

Machine Washing

Check the Instructions to Follow

Wash it whenever you feel necessary. Check any tears there. Do a sewn patch at home or in the field I use nylon ripstop tape or stick wings of the Band-aid they are best options.

Next, choose the best detergent to clean, specially designed soap is there for cleaning down and better recommended for a synthetic sleeping bag. But use some mild soap only that works fine and rinses it properly. Never use those harsh laundry detergents.

Hand-Wash your Sleeping Bag

Via: https://www.rei.com

Hand washing of sleep bag can be done in a bathtub. It is the best thing to do on a bright and hot sunny day. First fill up the bathtub with some warm water, add the soap then mix it thoroughly.

• Zip the bag and turn it inside out then set in on suds. Soak the sleeping bag in the soapy water and let it sit for one or two hours. Frequently you turn and work in the suds.
• Now drain out the soapy water and again refill the tub with some clean water. Then rinse it off nicely using plain water for two or three times and get all the soaps out.
• Drain out the tub and roll the bag slowly as you usually do in cylinder form. Press out the water as much as you can. Never twist or wring your wet sleeping bag.
• Take the wet bag outside to your lounge or hammock to dry up in the sun. You can’t just throw it and go! Frequently you have to turn the bag and break off any clumps fill. And it may not dry up in one day, so show patience and take some days to dry it properly.

If you want it for your next camping suddenly, then spine one time in a front-loading washing machine. Later dry it at the lowest temperature.

Machine Washing

Before you start, you can check the instructions given by manufacture on the sleeping bag tag. If our washing method differs, then please go with their instructions only.

• Next, if your sleeping bag can be washed in a machine, ensure that your machine has cold water and delicate washing option in the settings of your machine.
• Load your sleeping bag into the machine, do not forget to unzip it using halfway mechanism.
• Pop up your sleeping bag with some tennis balls. Yes, I am not joking. It will bounce while the bag gets cycled in the machine and ensure its stuffing does not get any lumps as it spins.
• Do not put any fabric softener as said earlier; it can damage the bag.
• After finishing the wash, once more you do the rinse cycle so that you can ensure all the soap residues are left.
• Or else take it out from the machine and take out all the balls. Now press down the bag to see soap suds are coming out or not. If yes, then spin it again.
• No suds should appear when you take the bag from the machine after washing. Lay it on a flat surface like a table or down on a clean floor. Starts rolling and see water streams are going out from the bag.
• As said earlier never scrunch or wring the sleeping bag because it can damage inside filling and will cause clumping.
• Hang it up on your washing line; please put it unzipped only. Do not forget to see in between how the weather is outside because the weather can sometimes turn suddenly.
• Or pop the sleeping bag into your large tumble dryer once in low heat only. Do not use high temperature because it can melt the synthetic fabric and fibre. It will ruin your sleeping bag and extremely uncomfortable to sleep in.
• Dry up your bag under the sun till it becomes puffy and fluffy.

When it is about drying your washed sleeping bag, the best option you can use is air-drying. Yes, it takes time to dry, but the guarantee is there regarding the protection of outer cloth and insulation from getting over-heating. You have to be careful with using a tumble-dryer, very low heat should be used and make sure there is enough space to tumble freely. The dryer should be large enough otherwise you can take it to your nearby laundromat and use their commercial machine. You can’t leave it there and go, keep checking whether it is drying or not. When it is almost dry, add that tennis ball again to break any insulation that has clumped up.

Today, many people prefer to give for professional launder only. There may be many laundry services available. It is one of the best ways to clean your sleeping bag, also a major investment.

But if you are not interested in that, you can wash it in your home yourself. Washing the sleeping bag is not that tiring thing but drying out maybe. Synthetic ones do not take much time to dry also. Whichever option you choose to wash your sleeping bag, don’t forget to use an only gentle detergent that is specially made for washing down or synthetic items filled.