Washing a sleeping bag

[bsmit212]

Had to wash my sleeping bags today. I used Nikwax tech wash per the advice of REI. I followed the direction on the bottle and they are hanging out drying right now. Do I need to do anything else once dry like add something to re-waterproof them or anything?

 

[ppine]

No. Just fluff them up in a dryer blowing cool air with a couple of tennis shoes.

 

[ponderosa]

The DWR finish can wear off over time, but the Tech wash you used should help with that a little. When it's dry, sprinkle a little water on the bag and see if it sinks in or beads up and rolls off. If it isn't beading up, there are different products on the market you can use to restore the waterproof finish. Some you wash in and some you spray on. REI carries them.
If this is a good quality bag, the manufacture's website should have some info about how to wash & care for the bag.

 

[carmen]

We let our bags air dry. I made the mistake once of putting them in the dryer and ruined them in a heartbeat. I have a huge rack in our laundry room so most of the time I will wash the bags first, rack them and then whatever else is left to do on the laundry list can be dried in the dryer and the heat in the room warms and dries the bags out since the racks are open spaced.

 

[Cappy]

Livin in outdoor country the lil town cleaners, took care of my 2 ole denim down bags. up until I handed em down to our daughter a few years ago. Late spring every year I brought em to the dry cleaners and they came back cleaned treated and hanging in a bag where they stayed till this time of the year. The bags and our ole tent went to the daughter like 5 years ago and are still going strong so the dry cleaners were my answer and I'm told they still make a trip there to this day.