Washing a down sleeping bag

Down sleeping bags are a good type of sleeping bag. They provide additional comfort and thermal support giving you a nice sleep. When treated properly, your down sleeping bags can last much longer than other synthetic materials.

To ensure they are clean and still warm you need to wash them. There are two ways you can wash your down sleeping bag without worrying iabout potential harm.

Hand Washing 

It is easy to wash your down sleeping bags using your hands. Below, we provided the basic instructions on how you can effectively hand wash your down sleeping bag.

1. Use a bathtub or any wide tub that can fit your sleeping bag. Make sure it is wide enough so you can freely move your hands.
2. Fill it with warm water and soap or detergent then mix it until it dissolves in the water
3. Once you think it is dissolved you can now lay your down sleeping bag in the tub
4. Knead your sleeping bag until you think it is clean then drain the water
5. Squeeze the sleeping bag until little to no water keeps coming out
6. Dry it well using the sun or a dryer

Washing machine

If you don’t want to wash it with your hands there is another option you can try. Machine washing your down sleeping bag requires less of your time and can clean your down sleeping bag thoroughly. 

1. Before putting it in the washing machine, make sure all the zippers are zipped up
2. Wash it like how you wash your clothes but with extra care (use a ‘delicate’ type setting)
3. After washing it in the washing machine, you can use a dryer to dry it out or use the sun.
4. Make sure it is really dry before storing it

How often should you wash down sleeping bags?

It depends on how often you use them. Wash them when you think it needs to be washed. When there is a lot of built-up dirt and dust in it and it is a bit smelly.

Can you dry clean down sleeping bags?

If you don’t want to wash your down sleeping bag using your hands or your washing machine, dry cleaning is not really a good alternative as it might damage and remove the oil from the down.

It will be less effective when you use it on your winter camping. It can’t protect you from the cold weather. To minimize the times you need to wash your down sleeping bag use a sleeping bag liner. It can keep your sleeping bags cleaner and easier to wash.