Tweet
Extending the Life of Down Sleeping Bags
Howdy,
The first thing you want to do to extend the life of your down sleeping bag is to understand how you should be storing it. Firstly, try not to store it in its sack for too long, as compression for long periods will cause it to lose its loft. Store it loose, and always in as dry a place as you can. A big cotton bag is perfect, if you have one. Try to avoid an airtight bag, because of mildew, as well as keeping it in an air tight bag. Goose down has natural oils that contribute to its insulation properties, and excessive heat can cause these oils to evaporate. Finally, make sure your sleeping bag is dry before you put it into storage.
While you're camping, try to air out your bag each day. An inside out bag in the wind and the sun will remain nice and lofty. A common mistake is to roll up your bag; it's actually better for the down if you stuff the sleeping bag into its bag. When stuffing, always start at the foot of the bag, so that the air will escape as you stuff.
As soon as you get to the camp each evening, remove the bag from its sack and allow it to air out. Keep the bag out of the sunlight (unless you're drying it), since the ultraviolet rays will gradually degrade the fabric.
If you can avoid laying your bag directly on the ground while camping, do so, since keeping it clean during your trips means less need for machine washing. Try to wear clean cloths to bed too, to keep your bag clean inside. Know also that body oils can affect goose down, so cleanliness will mean longer sleeping bag life.
Clean stains and spills with a damp cloth as soon as they occur (whenever possible), so as to avoid the need for frequent washing. Try to move the down away from the stain you are working on. When you do wash your sleeping bag, don't forget to strictly respect the washing instructions. Never dry clean your down bag since the solvents can strip away natural oils contained in the goose down.
Your bag will usually get dirtier on the inside than on the outside, so turn it inside out before you wash it. Zip up all zippers. If you do use a washing machine, be sure to use a front loading machine. Use cold water and only gentle wash cycles.
If you can avoid a machine altogether and wash by hand, so much the better. Put your sleeping bag in the bath tub, use a mild soap, and avoid bleach and all fabric softeners.
In warm water, submerge your bag in the bathtub while it is in its bag. This way the air is already out of the bag and it is easier to work with under water. Then, pull it out of the sack and wash gently. When you've finished, let it continue to soak for an hour.
Rinse the bag with clean water three times, allowing the water to completely drain from the tub each time. When you're working with your wet bag, be careful not to damage any stitching or baffles. When you're finished, don't wring the bag out. Instead, press the bag to remove water.
You can now use the spin cycle of a washing machine to remove the majority of the water. Following that, and despite what many manufacturers say about not using a dryer, a low heat tumble dry setting is usually just fine. Before drying however, check for down clumps that can sometimes accumulate during washing, and "massage" them to spread them out again. Some people add two or three clean tennis balls to the dryer to help with the clumps.
Please by all means...if you have a comment good or bad...this is a forum so everyone's $0.02 is worth lots here. Please let your opinions be heard! We can learn from one another. Thanks for looking!
The first thing you want to do to extend the life of your down sleeping bag is to understand how you should be storing it. Firstly, try not to store it in its sack for too long, as compression for long periods will cause it to lose its loft. Store it loose, and always in as dry a place as you can. A big cotton bag is perfect, if you have one. Try to avoid an airtight bag, because of mildew, as well as keeping it in an air tight bag. Goose down has natural oils that contribute to its insulation properties, and excessive heat can cause these oils to evaporate. Finally, make sure your sleeping bag is dry before you put it into storage.
While you're camping, try to air out your bag each day. An inside out bag in the wind and the sun will remain nice and lofty. A common mistake is to roll up your bag; it's actually better for the down if you stuff the sleeping bag into its bag. When stuffing, always start at the foot of the bag, so that the air will escape as you stuff.
As soon as you get to the camp each evening, remove the bag from its sack and allow it to air out. Keep the bag out of the sunlight (unless you're drying it), since the ultraviolet rays will gradually degrade the fabric.
If you can avoid laying your bag directly on the ground while camping, do so, since keeping it clean during your trips means less need for machine washing. Try to wear clean cloths to bed too, to keep your bag clean inside. Know also that body oils can affect goose down, so cleanliness will mean longer sleeping bag life.
Clean stains and spills with a damp cloth as soon as they occur (whenever possible), so as to avoid the need for frequent washing. Try to move the down away from the stain you are working on. When you do wash your sleeping bag, don't forget to strictly respect the washing instructions. Never dry clean your down bag since the solvents can strip away natural oils contained in the goose down.
Your bag will usually get dirtier on the inside than on the outside, so turn it inside out before you wash it. Zip up all zippers. If you do use a washing machine, be sure to use a front loading machine. Use cold water and only gentle wash cycles.
If you can avoid a machine altogether and wash by hand, so much the better. Put your sleeping bag in the bath tub, use a mild soap, and avoid bleach and all fabric softeners.
In warm water, submerge your bag in the bathtub while it is in its bag. This way the air is already out of the bag and it is easier to work with under water. Then, pull it out of the sack and wash gently. When you've finished, let it continue to soak for an hour.
Rinse the bag with clean water three times, allowing the water to completely drain from the tub each time. When you're working with your wet bag, be careful not to damage any stitching or baffles. When you're finished, don't wring the bag out. Instead, press the bag to remove water.
You can now use the spin cycle of a washing machine to remove the majority of the water. Following that, and despite what many manufacturers say about not using a dryer, a low heat tumble dry setting is usually just fine. Before drying however, check for down clumps that can sometimes accumulate during washing, and "massage" them to spread them out again. Some people add two or three clean tennis balls to the dryer to help with the clumps.
Please by all means...if you have a comment good or bad...this is a forum so everyone's $0.02 is worth lots here. Please let your opinions be heard! We can learn from one another. Thanks for looking!
A canvas campateer