How to Clean Mildew Out of a Sleeping Bag

So you left your sleeping bag out in the camper all winter and now it smells, and has mildew inside. Maybe you tried storing it in the basement instead and mildew grew on it after the basement flooded. How are you ever going to get rid of that mildew smell and that white stuff on it? Should you just throw the sleeping bag away? Wait, there may still be hope to save your sleeping bag. You will need a few days though to air it out really well. I recommend washing it, spraying both sides thoroughly, and hanging it outside for several days. How do you clean mildew out of a sleeping bag?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A large capacity clothes washer
• Laundry detergent
• 20 Mule Team Borax
• Fabric softrner
• Fabreze
• Odor Ban
• A clothesline, or place to hang the sleeping bag

1. 
    
   Large capacity washer

   Wash it, if you do not have a large capacity washing machine at home then you should take your sleeping bag to the Laundromat. Place the sleeping bag into the washer. Add your detergent and fabric softener as you normally do. In the bleach dispenser, add 1/2 cup of Odor Ban. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of Borax over the sleeping bag. Wash the sleeping bag at normal speed, using the appropriate temperature for the material and color.

2. Remove the sleeping bag immediately when the washing machine has finished the spin cycle. Make sure the sleeping bag is completely unzipped, open it so it is more like a blanket, and hang it outside on a clothesline. If you don't have a clothesline, hang it over the fence, or over the trampoline enclosure.

3. Spray the outside of the sleeping bag thoroughly with Fabreze. Then spray the inside material thoroughly. Repeat daily, if necessary until odor disappears.

4. Allow the sleeping bag to hang outside for several days. It is ok if it rains on it. Check on it daily, if you continue to smell an odor the second day, spray with Fabreze again. Repeat until the odor is gone.

Tips & Warnings

• Rainwater really helps clean and brighten fabric. It even removes those tough urine stains.
• Trying to wash a heavy item in a regular washer can burn up the belt or damage other parts. A sleeping bag filled with water is very heavy.

Resources

• How to Clean Tile Countertops
• How to remove side walk chalk from stucco walls
• How to Pack a Child for a Week of Summer Camp
• Parenting tips
• Foster care and adoption advice

[ACGaughen]

on 8/11/2008 useful!! thanks 5*!!