To keep your sleeping bag comfortable and well-insulated, you need to take care of it. Once damaged by moisture or eaten by parasites, it won't keep you warm anymore. So before it's too late, you should take it out of your bag and look after it. But how do you maintain and wash your sleeping bag?
After several trips, no matter how much you shake and air your sleeping bag sleeping bag, sometimes nothing works and it retains some odours. When your sleeping bag starts to give off an unpleasant smell and has a greasy layer on the inner fabric, the only solution is washing. Here are some tips for maintaining and washing your sleeping bag. First, you should know that if your sleeping bag's fill is made of synthetic fibres, frequent washing causes its fill to lose volume. Its insulation will therefore 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.
Folding your sleeping bag, not such a good idea
You might think that folding your bag carefully and storing it in its compression sack is the best way to keep it intact. Yet by folding it regularly, you damage the fill and you'll feel the cold penetrating the fold zones when you use it, and it won't be very warm anymore. To preserve its volume, we advise you to stuff it into its bag without folding it and taking care to undo all the drawcords beforehand. This way the folds will never be in the same places and the fill of your sleeping bag will always be evenly distributed. This is therefore a useful tip for maintaining your sleeping bag.Tips for maintaining and washing your sleeping bag
During hiking trips, whenever you get the chance and after each journey, open your bag and shake it to restore its loft and redistribute its fill. Then air it out until there's no more moisture. Finally, if you have space to lay it completely flat without putting anything on top, that would be 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 failing that, you can use a large pillowcase. Store it in a cool, dry place.
After several trips, no matter how much you shake and air your sleeping bag sleeping bag, sometimes nothing works and it retains some odours. When your sleeping bag starts to give off an unpleasant smell and has a greasy layer on the inner fabric, the only solution is washing. Here are some tips for maintaining and washing your sleeping bag. First, you should know that if your sleeping bag's fill is made of synthetic fibres, frequent washing causes its fill to lose volume. Its insulation will therefore 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 some tips for maintaining 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 or not. You'll therefore have two possible options: hand washing or machine washing. If your sleeping bag is really filthy, it's wise to soak it for a few hours in warm soapy water and give the dirtiest parts a quick brush. Then press down with the palms of your hands so that the water goes through the fabric and the detergent works deep down. If you have a down bag, use a suitable detergent for better results and to avoid damaging your sleeping bag. Finally, rinse your sleeping bag thoroughly. If you prefer to let the washing machine do the work, put your sleeping bag in it turned inside out. Once you've selected the specific programme for washing delicate items, run your machine at 30°C. And the little trick that prevents your sleeping bag's fill from forming large clumps is to put tennis balls in the washing machine. Maintaining and washing your sleeping bag is recommended to be able to keep it much longer.
