Caring for and Washing Your Sleeping Bags

Sleeping bags should be frequently aired by opening the bag and spreading it out preferably on a clean surface such as a clean and dry rock.

Nylon-shell bags tend to get smelly after use as it absorbs body odors. A few days of airing would sound reasonable. Drying in sunlight kills bacteria and germs. However some experts advice against it because the can damage the nylon.

Don't store the sleeping bag compressed in stuff sack for long periods of time especially synthetics but it also applies to down. Even though down is more resilient, the fill might still retain it's compressed state and lose its insulating power. Lay it flat, hang it in the closet or roll loosely when you're not using your sleeping bag.

Should be careful when cleaning your sleeping bag. It normally involves not more than sponging the shell inside and out and using mild soap as opposed to detergent and tepid water. rinse and dry thoroughly.

If airing and sponging the sleeping bag is not enough you need to wash it. For synthetics this is not problem but never dry clean your sleeping bag and note that some synthetics are damaged when exposed to temperatures above 140 degrees fahrenheit. Dry cleaning is a big no no for synthetic sleeping bags.

Washing down sleeping bags is a little bit more complicated. It requires much more care in cleaning. Bring it to launderers you can trust and that are used to cleaning down stuff including jackets and parkas.

Make sure they wash it in soap or mild detergent and then tumble dry. You can do this yourself if you want to save some money. There are some soaps made especially for washing down like Nikwax Down Wash and ReviveX Down Cleaner Concentrate. You can do well with this soap and moderately warm water but don't use too much soap.

Be careful of Velcro as it can damage the shell and liner fabric. Remember to rinse carefully and never manhandle the sleeping bag when it's wet (and heavy) because the internal baffles tear easily.

A goose down sleeping bag is harder to dry than synthetics so expect a tedious drying process. Let it drip dry for a few hours or spin dry it in the largest spin dryer you can find. Give it another hour when the bag feels dry already. Be careful of heat as it melt the nylon and fuse the zippers. The dryer should be set to "Fluff" or "Synthetic".

Throw in a tennis ball or a pair of sneakers into the sleeping bag to help fluff the down. These two items can generate static electricity that loft the down fully. Only use the sneakers if your sleeping is new as some experts argue that it does more harm than good especially with old bags. Never let the sleeping bag sit in the dryer after it has stopped.

You can also dry clean down sleeping bags but only if the cleaner has a good reputation in cleaning down. Dry cleaning redistributes the down effectively if not only for the mechanical tumbling in the dryer.

Before you bring your sleeping to the dry cleaners, make sure there are no repair patches that are not sewn on already. If not, the patches will come off and the fill will escape.

Still deciding between synthetic and down sleeping bags?