Care tips for sleeping bags

1. Only wash the sleeping back when absolutely necessary. The filling, regardless of whether down or synthetic fibres, suffers with every wash. In order to avoid heavy soiling, you can use a thin and light inner sleeping bag made of silk or cotton. In this way, you hardly ever need to wash the sleeping bag.
2. If the sleeping bag smells after regular use, this is usually helped by extensive airing and treating with special anti-odour textile sprays.
3. Never clean the sleeping bag chemically.
4. If you still have to wash the sleeping bag at one point, it is best to do so by hand in the bath at a maximum water temperature of 35 degrees. Artificial fibre sleeping bags can be machine-washed; use the wool programme without spinning at the end. Use a third of the amount of washing powder you normally use (the best detergents are liquid detergents; do not use fabric softener). Very warm and consequently thick sleeping bags should be washed at a launderette, as the washing drums there are significantly larger (min. 7 kg).
5. Use liquid washing detergent and do not use a softener.
6. Rinse the sleeping bag thoroughly after washing. No residues of washing solution should remain.
7. After rinsing, dry the sleeping bag preferably in the tumble-dryer and at the lowest temperature. Place one or more tennis balls in the tumble-dryer to stop the down from sticking together.
8. If you want dry the sleeping bag without a tumble-dryer, lay it in a warm, dry place. Avoid direct sunlight. Give the sleeping bag a good shake at regular intervals (once every hour), as wet down feathers stick together and lose some of their isolating properties. Make sure that the sleeping bag is completely dry before packing it up again. Down feathers are a natural product and can go mouldy. Once a down feather sleeping bag has become mouldy, it cannot be used again.

Sleeping bags Storage

Bivouac bags should simply be shaken out after each use. If they become stained, the same guidelines apply to bivouac bags as to tents. Mild soapsuds and Granger’s Fabsil can both be of help.