To keep your sleeping bag comfortable and well-insulating, you need to look after it. Once damaged by moisture or eaten away by pests, it will no longer keep you warm. So before it's too late, you should take it out of its bag and give it some attention. But how do you care for and wash a sleeping bag?
Folding your sleeping bag — not such a great idea
You might think that carefully folding your bag and storing it in its compression sack is the best way to keep it in perfect condition. And yet, by folding it regularly, you damage the filling and you'll feel the cold coming through the fold lines when you use it — it simply won't be as warm. To preserve its volume, we recommend stuffing it into its bag without folding it, taking care to loosen all the drawcords first. This way, the fold lines will never be in the same place and the filling of your bag will always be evenly distributed. It's a handy tip for keeping your sleeping bag in good shape.
Tips for caring for and washing your sleeping bag
During hikes, whenever you get the chance and after every trip, open your bag and shake it to restore its loft and redistribute the filling. Then air it out until all moisture has gone. If you have a space to lay it completely flat with nothing on top of it, that's ideal. But if you're short on space, there are other solutions. For example, you can store it in a large mesh bag — usually supplied with your sleeping bag — or, if you don't have one, a large pillowcase will do. Store it in a cool, dry place.
After several trips, no matter how much you shake and air your sleeping bag, sometimes nothing works and it still holds onto some odours. When your sleeping bag starts to give off an unpleasant smell and develops a greasy layer on the inner fabric, washing is the only solution. Here are a few tips for caring for and washing your sleeping bag. First of all, you should know that if your sleeping bag is filled with synthetic fibres, frequent washing causes the filling to lose volume, meaning its insulation will be less effective. On the other hand, if it contains down, a good wash will restore its loft. You also have the option of washing only part of your bag to avoid wearing it out too quickly. Most of the time, the collar and hood areas will be the greasiest due to perspiration.
Washing a sleeping bag
To help with this rather delicate task, here are a few tips for caring for and washing your sleeping bag. Before getting started, the first thing to do is check the label on your sleeping bag — whether it's filled with down or synthetic fibres — to find out whether it can go in the washing machine. You will then have two options: hand washing or machine washing.
If your sleeping bag is really dirty, it's a good idea to soak it for a few hours in warm soapy water and give the dirtiest areas a gentle scrub with a brush. Then press down on it with the palms of your hands so that the water penetrates the fabric and the detergent works through it thoroughly. If you have a down bag, use a specialist detergent for a better result and to avoid damaging your sleeping bag. Finally, rinse your sleeping bag thoroughly.
If you prefer to use the washing machine, place your sleeping bag inside out. Once you've selected the delicate wash programme, run your machine at 30°C. A handy trick to prevent the filling of your sleeping bag from clumping into large balls is to add a few tennis balls to the machine. Caring for and washing your sleeping bag regularly is recommended to help it last much longer.
Drying: a delicate step
This final step must be carried out with great care. You can dry your sleeping bag in a tumble dryer — again with the tennis balls — and finish the drying process in the open air on a flat surface. If you don't use a tumble dryer, open your sleeping bag and lay it flat in the open air, outside if possible. Remember to turn it over from time to time and redistribute the filling evenly. Once your bag is fully dry, it can be stored away until your next trip.
