To keep your sleeping bag comfortable and well-insulated, you need to look after it. Once damaged by moisture or eaten by parasites, 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 folding your sleeping bag carefully and packing it into its stuff sack is the best way to keep it in good shape. However, by folding it repeatedly, you damage the fill and you'll feel the cold coming through the fold lines when you use it — it simply won't keep you as warm. To preserve its volume, we recommend stuffing it into the bag without folding it, making sure to loosen all the drawcords first. That way the fold lines will never fall in the same place and the fill will always be evenly distributed. It's a useful tip for keeping your sleeping bag in top condition.
Tips for caring for and washing your sleeping bag
During hikes, whenever you get the chance and after every trip, open your sleeping bag and shake it to restore its loft and redistribute the fill. Then air it out until there is no more moisture. Ideally, if you have space to lay it flat with nothing placed on top, that's perfect. 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 alternatively, a large pillowcase will do the job. Store it somewhere cool and dry.
After several trips, no matter how much you shake and air out your sleeping bag, sometimes nothing works — it holds onto a few odours. When your sleeping bag starts to give off an unpleasant smell and a greasy film builds up on the inner fabric, washing is the only solution. Here are some tips for caring for and washing your sleeping bag. First, you should know that if your sleeping bag is filled with synthetic fibres, frequent washing causes the fill to lose volume and 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 the bag so it doesn't wear 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 some tips for caring for and washing your sleeping bag. Before you get 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 or not. You'll 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 lukewarm soapy water and give the dirtiest areas a gentle scrub with a brush. Then press down with the palms of your hands so that the water passes through the fabric and the detergent works deep into the fill. If you have a down sleeping bag, use a specialist detergent for a better result and to avoid damaging it. Finally, rinse your sleeping bag thoroughly.
If you prefer to use the washing machine, turn your sleeping bag inside out before loading it. Once you've selected the delicate cycle, run the machine at 30°C. A handy trick to prevent the fill from clumping into large balls is to add a few tennis balls to the drum. 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 off by air-drying it on a flat surface. If you don't use the tumble dryer, open your sleeping bag and lay it flat on a surface in the open air, outside if possible. Remember to turn it over from time to time and redistribute the fill evenly. Once your sleeping bag is fully dry, it can be stored away until your next trip.
