How to Clean Sleeping Bags

Cleaning your sleeping bag is just as important as cleaning your other bedding. You want the sleeping bag to be fresh and clean when you climb into during an outing. Sleeping bags aren't much more complicated to clean than regular bedding; however, there are a few distinct steps in the process that must be followed.

Things You'll Need

• Washer and dryer
• Mild soap
• Sponges

Instructions

1. Focus on any stains or spills. You won't always have good luck keeping your sleeping bag spot- or spill-free while camping. Keep a sponge with you while you're camping so you can clean any messes when they happen. Otherwise, consult the tag on the sleeping bag and treat the spots and spills accordingly.

2. Put the sleeping bag in a commercial-size washer (or a front-loading washer, if you don't have access to a commercial one). Add mild soap; check the tag on the sleeping bag so you know which water temperature to use. Be sure to zip the bag completely before putting it in the wash.

3. Turn on the "extra rinse" cycle. Sleeping bags can lose their loftiness due to soap clumping, so make sure yours rinses out completely. If the bag still isn't free of soap, rinse it again.

4. Apply pressure to get the water out. Do NOT try to wring it out. If you don't have much room to work with, focus on a small section at a time and press the water out in steps. Work your way down until you reach the end of the bag.

5. Put the sleeping bag in the dryer. Wrap it up first. You can use any size dryer, but a large one will work best. Otherwise, you may have to dry the bag twice. You can also air-dry the bag to eliminate the dampness left from the dryer.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your sleeping bag on occasion so it stays fresh,. and you won't have to wash it immediately before its next use.

• For down- or synthetic-filled sleeping bags, use a soap like Woolite in warm water.

• Do not dry-clean down-filled bags. The solvents used in the cleaning could remove the feathers' natural oil.

Resources

• Washing Your Down-Filled Sleeping Bag
• Tips for Washing and Hand-Washing Sleeping Bags
• Choosing a Sleeping Bag