Should you Wash your Down Sleeping Bag?

Posted: June 01, 2023

Should you wash your down sleeping bag? Yes, You Should

Over a season of adventuring, your sleeping bag likely has a certain odor to it. Maybe you describe it as musty or a little bit like a bean burrito. Whatever the case the down in your bag absorbs your body oils and the dirt that is not so far away from your pad. When it does it loses loft and performance. And if you are like us, you want to get the most out of your bags temperature rating, especially when you are adventuring in places like we do here in Montana.

To wash or not to wash your sleeping bag? That is the question. Some people claim washing their bag ruins it. But that all depends on how you wash it and what you wash it with.

Standard detergents will damage the delicate down feathers and strip them of their natural oils and properties. You will need a soap specifically designed for down feathers like this one here Nikwax Down Wash

Don’t take your bag to the dry cleaner unless they are going to machine wash it and use a down safe soap.

Soap is different than detergent. Most likely you are using a detergent in your washing machine on a day to day. Detergents are more powerful than soaps and are designed to break down tough stains and oils.

Also do not use a washing machine with an agitator, that will wreak havoc on the bags stitching and distribution of down.

Instead use a machine without the agitator, and if you don’t have one the laundromat does. Bring your down wash soap and you are good to go (and maybe a book for while you wait).

Wash on delicate cycle. Use cold water. Don’t use Fabric Softener. The down is soft enough!

After the wash transfer the bag to the dryer. It is going to be dripping wet, so be prepared for a long drying cycle. Also skip the dryer sheet.

Turn the knob to tumble dry low. Not air dry but the one right above that.

Dry the bag until it is mostly dry. You’ll know it’s mostly dry when the feathers start to regain their loft.

Once you reach this stage after somewhere between 3-5 hours, add either clean tennis balls (3-6) or dryer balls to the dyer. The idea here is that the balls will fluff and evenly distribute the down feathers that may have clumped together.

Once you have a dry bag, one that is nice and fluffy and warm (you may just want to climb in it), let it hang for a day or so before you put it back in the storage bag. Do this just in case the bag is not fully dry. Nobody wants their bag to smell like mildew or a musty basement.

Another pro tip. Make sure to store your bag in the storage bag, not the stuff sack. The storage bag allows the bag to keep its loft in an uncompressed state. So, when you do need to pack it in the compression bag for a trip, it will fluff up that much easier when in the field. A flat bag is not a warm bag. Down needs loft to insulate to its full potential.

Below you will find our Nikwax Treated Sleeping Bags for 2023.

Any other questions, or maybe something you think we missed, send us an email at support@smithandrogue.com

Also we found this article helpful if you are looking for other sources https://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/how-to-wash-a-down-sleeping-bag