Last Update: 05.Jan.2021
Contrary to popular belief, you definitely should wash your sleeping bag. While many people think that a sleeping bag is just too delicate to wash, it turns out that regular washing is one of the best ways to keep your best adventure companion in good working order.
However, there’s plenty of misinformation out there about cleaning sleeping bags. So, we’ve made this how-to-guide to get you ready to take the best possible care of your gear.
Coming up, we’ll walk you through the basics of sleeping bag care, by providing you with the best sleeping bag washing instructions. Plus, we’ll give you all of the information you need to get out and adventure. Let’s get to it!
First things first, let’s talk about why you need to wash your sleeping bag. It turns out that washing your sleeping bag is the best way to restore your bag’s natural loft.
What is loft, you might ask? Basically, loft is the “fluffiness” of the down feathers or synthetic fibers in your sleeping bag or insulated gear. Since sleeping bags work by trapping your own body heat next to you to insulate you from the outside, loft is critical to keeping you warm.
Essentially, the more loft a sleeping bag has, the more warm air it can trap next to your body. This means that when your sleeping bag loses loft, it loses some ability to keep you warm.
How does your sleeping bag lose loft? The number one enemy of sleeping bag loft is compression, so if you’re someone who stores their sleeping bag in a small stuff sack, you may want to rethink your habits.
Additionally, if you store your sleeping bag properly, but you’ve found that it just doesn’t have the same loft as it used to, it might be time to wash your bag. Cleaning a sleeping bag can help restore some of its loft by removing dirt and grime from the insulation.
Thus, it’s really important that you wash your bag regularly to maintain its natural loft. Coming up, here are some top tips for how to clean a sleeping bag!
If you don’t like handwashing, we’ve got some good news for you: You can use a washing machine for your sleeping bag. Here’s how to wash a sleeping bag in a washing machine:
As you can see, cleaning your sleeping bag in a washing machine doesn’t have to be very difficult. But, do keep in mind that you want to be as gentle with your bag as possible when washing it.
This means avoiding any top loading washing machines with agitators, which can rip your bag. Plus, you’ll need to be patient with your bag as it gets washed through a longer gentle cycle.
Although many people go to the laundromat to clean their sleeping bag, there’s no reason not to do it at home. If you have a washing machine at home, you can simply follow our instructions for machine-washing a bag. Just be sure that you don’t use a top-loading machine with an agitator!
If you’re wondering how to wash a sleeping bag at home without a washing machine, here’s how to do it:
If you’re wondering how to wash a synthetic sleeping bag, we’ve got good news for you: down and synthetic sleeping bags have more or less the same washing instructions. So, you don’t have to do anything special for washing a synthetic bag. Just follow the above instructions, and you’ll be all set.
Should your sleeping bag have a few small spots of dirt that don’t really warrant a full washing, you may be wondering if you can spot clean instead. The answer? A resounding yes.
Spot cleaning a sleeping bag is a great way to keep your bag fresh and clean without the hassle of a full wash. Here’s what you need to do:
While washing a down sleeping bag and a synthetic one requires pretty much the same procedure, you might be wondering how to dry a down sleeping bag. When you have a down sleeping bag, the drying process is very important as it helps declump the down and restore loft. Here’s how to do it:
In the Toptravelpoint Blog you will always find useful and up-to-date information about hiking and camping. & Bryce
Our experts will always help make your life easier.
Hiking
27.Sep.2019
1544
Contrary to popular belief, you definitely should wash your sleeping bag. While many people think that a sleeping bag is just too delicate to wash, it turns out that regular washing is one of the best ways to keep your
Hiking
27.Sep.2019
2644
A sleeping bag is a major investment, so it’s important that you fully understand how to care for one properly. Storing a sleeping bag is perhaps one of the most critical parts of sleeping bag maintenance, but, unfortunately, there’s a
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