How To

How to Maintain a Sleeping Bag

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By eHow Contributing Writer
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Good sleeping bag maintenance is not intuitive because it includes not washing a sleeping bag more than necessary and avoiding getting it dirty in the first place, even as you lay it on the ground to camp out under the stars.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Keep a sleeping bag clean when camping by using a tent to prevent dirt from collecting on it. At the very least, lay it on top of a waterproof ground cloth to help keep the bottom of the sleeping bag from getting dirty.

  2. Step 2

    Protect the interior of a sleeping bag as well by preventing it from absorbing oils from your skin, especially if the sleeping bag is filled with down. Use a bag liner or sleep in long underwear, pajamas or a nightshirt to keep from transferring body oils to the interior of a sleeping bag.

  3. Step 3

    Spot clean a sleeping bag to remove stains and prevent unnecessary wear on it from complete washings. However, if it needs a complete washing, hand-wash the sleeping bag in a bathtub. Synthetic and down sleeping bags can be washed this way using a gentle, non-detergent soap. Gently work the soap into the bag and rinse it several times until all the soap is removed, and dry it at a laundromat.

  4. Step 4

    Take a sleeping bag to a laundromat to wash it if you have a top-loading washing machine with an agitator at home. Wash and dry the bag in the largest front-loading washer and dryer in the laundromat. Some manufacturers say both synthetic and down sleeping bags can be washed in a machine; however, carefully follow the manufacturers instructions if you choose this method.

  5. Step 5

    Air out a sleeping bag after it's used to make sure it's dry and free of debris before it's stored. Store it in a large, cotton bag, which allows air to circulate through the sleeping bag. Plastic storage bags can allow condensation and mildew to form, and storing the bag compressed in a stuff sack can eventually flatten it, ruining the loft.

Tips & Warnings
  • Dry cleaning is not recommended for sleeping bags because dry-cleaning solvents can break down the interior fibers of both synthetic and down bags.

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