Sleeping bags help us to stay warm and comfortable while camping.
For those who are casual campers or have children who only use sleeping bags during summer camp, it’s easy to just roll your bag up and store it without a second thought.
However, when a sleeping bag gets dirty it starts to lose its loft, meaning you’ll be less warm the next time you use it.
If a bag is left alone with dirt and oils seeping into the material, it can eventually get ruined.
So how can you wash your sleeping bags to prevent this from happening?
Read on below for this handy guide for how to wash a sleeping bag.
For your convenience, we’ve split the guide into each material.
How to wash a down sleeping bag
How to wash a synthetic sleeping bag
How to spot clean a sleeping bag
How to hand wash a sleeping bag
How to Wash a Down Sleeping Bag
When washing any sleeping bag, it’s important to follow any manufacturer-specific instructions during this process.
However, when washing a down sleeping bag, generally you will:
- Loosen any fasteners and unzip any zippers on the sleeping bag.
- Make sure you have the correct cleaning product for down sleeping bags. We recommend NikWax Down Wash Direct for this (find it on Amazon here)
- Be sure to use a front-loading washing machine.
- Use the following settings: gentle/delicate cycle, and warm (or cold if the manufacturer requires it) water.
- When the cycle is complete, run it through a second rinse cycle to make sure all of the soap gets removed.
- Open the washer and wring out any excess water. When handling, be sure to support the entire bag (put one hand under the bag as you slowly pull the bag out of the washer) rather than pulling on one end. This will help avoid stressing the material and ripping seams.
- Move sleeping bag to the dryer.
- Add in tennis balls (2 or 3) to help break up clumps of down in the bag and speed up the drying process.
- Use the low heat setting. The bag will take at least 2 hours to dry (most likely much longer). Run multiple cycles until the bag is completely dry.
- Do not store your bag until it is completely dry.
And that’s all there is to it!
If you have any specific questions or want to learn more about washing tips/best practices, view our FAQ section below.
How to Wash a Synthetic Sleeping Bag
Make sure you follow manufacturer-specific instructions (found on the tag of your sleeping bag) while washing your bag.
The steps for washing a synthetic sleeping bag are:
- Loosen any fasteners and unzip any zippers on the sleeping bag.
- Make sure you have the correct cleaning product for down sleeping bags. We recommend NikWax Tech Wash for this (find it on Amazon here)
- Be sure to use a front-loading washing machine.
- Use the following settings: gentle/delicate cycle, and warm (or cold if the manufacturer requires it) water.
- When the cycle is complete, run it through a second rinse cycle to make sure all of the soap gets removed.
- Wring out any excess water from the bag. When handling, be sure to support the entire bag (put one hand under the bag as you slowly pull the bag out of the washer) rather than pulling on one end. This will help avoid stressing the material and ripping seams.
- Move the sleeping bag to the dryer.
- Add in tennis balls (2 or 3) to help break up clumps of down in the bag and speed up the drying process.
- Use the low heat setting. The bag will take a little over an hour to dry, sometimes more. Run multiple cycles until the bag is completely dry.
- Do not store your bag until it is completely dry.
Following these steps (and any manufacturer-specific instructions) will ensure you will have a nice, clean bag.
Have any specific questions or want to learn more about washing tips/best practices?
How to Spot Clean a Sleeping Bag
The head and foot areas tend to get dirtier than the rest of your sleeping bag.
Because of this, sometimes you don’t need to wash your entire bag and just want to spot clean it.
For giving your bag a light cleaning when it needs it, check out these quick steps:
- Pull the shell or liner away from the insulation inside of the bag. This will help keep the insulation dry and prevent you from storing a wet bag.
- Pour a very small amount of the cleaning product you would normally use to wash your bag (we recommend Down Wash from NikWax for down bags and Tech Wash from NikWax for synthetic bags) onto the area you will be spot cleaning.
- Using a soft-bristle toothbrush, gently scrub the dirty area.
- Rinse the area with water. Alternatively, a wet sponge can be used to wash away the detergent.
- Leave your bag out to dry (if any insulation got wet, you’ll need extra time to let it dry). Make sure you don’t store a wet sleeping bag.
And that’s how you spot clean a sleeping bag!
As always, be sure to keep the manufacturer’s instructions in mind when following these steps.
Now, for those who still have questions, check out our FAQ below!
Sleeping Bag Cleaning FAQ’s
How often should I wash my sleeping bag?
This all depends on how often you use your bag and how dirty the bag gets.
Generally, you’ll want to wash your bag once a year regardless of how often you use it.
Dirt and skin oils can seep into the insulation, weighing it down and making it less effective.
And if you use it frequently or tend to sweat inside of the sleeping bag, spot cleaning the top and bottom of the bag to remove dirt and excess oils is recommended.
Is there a way to keep my bag from getting dirty?
While the only true way to keep your bag from getting dirty is to never use it (what fun is that!?), there are ways to help keep the bag from getting excessively dirty.
We’ve written an in-depth guide on how to care for your sleeping bag, which will walk you through how to keep your bag clean and prolong its lifespan.
Is it okay to use regular detergent for washing a sleeping bag?
It is not recommended to use anything other than the insulation-specific soaps created specifically for washing sleeping bags.
The detergent will break down the oils found in down sleeping bags and will stick to the fibers in synthetic bags, which will reduce the loft of the bag.
Why shouldn’t I use a top load washing machine for cleaning?
Top-loading washing machines contain an agitator (the piece in the middle that spins).
When this is used it could potentially catch on the bag, ripping seams.
You can use a top-loading washing machine without an agitator or a front-loading washing machine to properly clean your sleeping bag.
Can I dry clean my sleeping bag?
No.
Dry cleaners use solvents that will break down the insulation of your sleeping bag, reducing loft.
Are there any cleaning products I should avoid while cleaning my bag?
Do not use detergents, bleach, fabric softener, or any bleach-alternatives when cleaning your bag.
These will all break down the material of your sleeping bags, reducing bag performance.
Can I hand wash my bag?
Yes, you absolutely can hand wash your sleeping bag if you have a bathtub or large bin.
Here are the steps:
- Fill your tub with warm to cool water.
- Add in the proper cleaning product to the water (we recommend Down Wash from NikWax for down bags and Tech Wash from NikWax for synthetic bags). Don’t use too much as it will make it harder to wash out.
- Place the bag in the water. Gently work the soap into the material of the bag. You can rub the material together to clean heavily-soiled areas.
- Allow the bag to soak for one hour.
- Drain the tub and squeeze excess water out of your bag. Refill the tub with fresh water.
- Continue to rinse the bag and drain the tub until all of the soap is removed from the bag.
- Squeeze out excess water one last time.
- Ball up the wet sleeping bag and carry it with your hands underneath (to prevent straining any seams).
- Place the sleeping bag in a dryer (a laundromat will do if the bag won’t fit in your dryer).
- Use low heat. Place 2 or 3 tennis balls in the dryer to break up any clumped insulation and to dry faster.
- Synthetic bags will take a little over an hour or two. Down sleeping bags can take multiple hours. Continue to run drying cycles on low heat until your bag has finished drying.
If you do not have a dryer:
- Lay your bag on a flat surface in a low-humidity area out of direct sunlight. Alternatively, you may hang up your bag to dry.
- Manually break up the clumps of insulation if there are any.
And that’s how you hand wash your sleeping bag!
My sleeping bag has developed mold/mildew while in storage. How can I remove this?
Unfortunately, sometimes your bag can develop mold or mildew on it.
This can be if it is stored in an especially humid environment, if it wasn’t fully dried before you stored it, etc.
It’s not guaranteed that you’ll be able to remove the mold, but we recommend trying the appropriate cleaning option mentioned above for your insulation material.
If machine washing doesn’t do the trick, hand washing can potentially work as well.
You may try to gently scrub the area with a paste created using a bit of water and a dab of cleaning product (Down Wash from NikWax for down bags and Tech Wash from NikWax for synthetic bags).
If you are able to remove the mold or mildew but your sleeping bag still has a moldy odor, check out the next FAQ.
How can I remove odor from my sleeping bag?
If your sleeping bag has an odor, we recommend using the recommended washing instructions above to clean your bag.
If the odor persists, your best bet is to purchase Gear Aid’s Revivex Odor Eliminator (link to it on Amazon. $8.95 as of writing this.).
Gear Aid wrote an amazing instruction article on how to use their product here.
We recommend following that article to remove the odor from your sleeping bag.
Is it okay to wash multiple bags at once?
Typical washing machines found in homes can sometimes struggle with properly washing one single sleeping bag.
If the bag takes up too much room then there won’t be enough space to properly clean the bag.
For this reason, we don’t recommend washing multiple sleeping bags at once.
In Conclusion
Washing your sleeping bag is something you should do in order to prolong the life of the bag.
Excess dirt and oils can gather up and seep into the insulation of your bag, reducing its performance.
That is why it is super important to make sure you clean your bag.
If you follow the steps in the article, you should have a clean sleeping bag in no time!