How to Wash Down Sleeping Bags
Since a quality down sleeping bag can be pretty pricey, it is natural to want to keep it clean. Sleeping in clean clothes or even using a liner for your bag can go a long way. But after a few months of trekking or after an especially filthy trip, the time comes for you to take care of cleaning your bag. You don't want to wash it too frequently, but when you do wash it, be sure to do it the right way.
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Instructions
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Instructions by Hand
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Fill a bathtub with warm water. Make sure there is at least enough water to submerge your down bag.
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Add mild soap to the water. You do not need to add any fabric softener or bleach.
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Zip up your down bag and place it in the tub, allowing it to soak for about 15 to 20 minutes.
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Drain the tub; press the bag with a towel if you like to squeeze out the water and soap suds. Do not wring the bag.
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Rinse your bag with cold water and repeat the above steps until all the soap has been removed. It is important to get all of the suds out to avoid clumping and loss of volume in your bag.
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To air dry the bag, place it on a line in the sun. Be sure to time your wash with plenty of sunlight hours to guarantee you bag is completely dry by evening.
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When your bag is completely dry, place it in a storage bag large enough to provide breathing room instead of forcing it into a tiny sack. You don't want your bag to lose its volume.
Instructions by Machine
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Take the trip to a laundromat. Unless you happen to have a front-load washer at home, it's worth the effort to wash your down bag in one of the large machines found at most laundromats. The combination of a large down bag with a small machine can be harmful to both.
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Zip up your bag and place it in the washer for one cycle, adding mild soap. You do not need to add any fabric softener or bleach.
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After the first cycle is complete, send the bag through a second cycle, this time without soap. This will ensure that all the soap is removed from your bag.
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Place the washed bag in the dryer and set it to low heat so as not to melt any of your bag's synthetic fibers.
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If your bag comes out of the dryer looking a little lumpy, go ahead and put it back in the dryer for a longer time. This does not mean your bag is damaged, but that some of the feathers inside are still wet. Placing a tennis ball inside your bag when you put it in the dryer can help your bag retain its fluffiness.
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When your bag is completely dry, place it in a bag large enough to provide breathing room. This will ensure your bag maintains its fluffiness.
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Tips & Warnings
If you only need to get rid of a few stains on your bag, it is far better to take care of them as they happen. If you wait to long, try to scrub the stains out to avoid subjecting the entire bag to a wash. Although it is much easier to use a machine, washing by hand can produce better results and cause less strain on your bag.
Always check the manufacturer's instructions before washing your bag. Do not dry clean your down sleeping bag.
