It has been a long time since I’ve cleaned my 43 year old down bag, so I searched for some new, updated advice. Your vide is very nicely done - one can’t be too careful! Best wishes.
Thanks Amanda. I was going to mention that its important to put a few tennis balls in the dryer, but I see Michael Harris already mentioned that. I just did that with my sleeping bag a week ago and it came out really nice (used 4 tennis balls, btw on low heat) Just like new again :)
Thank you Amanda. I followed your instructions to carefully gently wash my over 40 year old sleeping bag. I rinsed it about 4 times to get the soap like stuff out. It took maybe 2 to 3 hours to dry with air and later at a very low warm temp to get to a point where most all of the down appeared dry. The concern was chambers that seemed empty even after 2 to 3 hours of warm drying. They were not empty they had clumps of damp down all stuck together. I had to go at it several times examining these seemly empty chambers. Each chamber had one of more clumps of damp down all stuck together. I could see if these clumps of damp down was left inside these chambers and packed away for days, weeks, and months they would mildew or rot with the trapped dampness. Be very careful of these internal damp clumps of down in seemly empty chambers of your sleeping bag. I had to feel inside these chambers and gently pull these damp clumps of down apart. There is still moisture in these clumps of down. You have to put the sleeping bag back into the dryer for another maybe 40 minutes of very low heat or just air. We have maybe 5 or 6 woolen balls that travel inside our dryer to help fluff up the sleeping bag.
Thank you Amanda. My down sleeping bag was purchased while I was going to school in San Diego at a local discount sporting goods store for all of $100 back in about 1982. With school and work I have not used more than 100 nights most all backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Thank you for the caution and instructions about handing the washing very carefully. The sleeping bag is still in great shape because I never use it for anything other than backpacking. I bought a much cheaper polyester and much heavier and bulkier sleeping bag for car trips where weight is not an issue. It must weight over 5 lbs and cost about $25 over 12 years ago. I do really appreciate the good service my down sleeping bag has given me for about 42 years. I have always been very careful to use it very cauciously always wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt with heavy wool sox so as not to soil the precious down material that keeps me so warm even in the low 20 degree summer Sierra nights above 10,000 feet and higher. I feel so far beyond fortunate to live in California and be able to go backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains once or more times sometimes for 3 to 5 or more nights. The Sierra Nevada mountains are beyond magical place. Just read the writings of John Muir. Most anywhere along the John Muir Trail are like no where else in the USA. Best is we only have black bears and no grizzles or wolves at this time. Sleeping in a tent at above 9,000 feet elevation I have never felt threatened at all by any animal in the Sierras in over 40 years. I am very careful to only heat water to re hydrate my freeze dried foods. I never cook and meats or fry anything. I bury my waste water in a deep hole over 100 feet from my tent.
Thanks for sharing. I've washed my down sleeping bag in a top loading washing machine (gentle wash with no spin). Then I air dried the bag flat turning and fluffing it every few hours - took a couple days to dry and was good as new 😊
This is about 36 hours since washing and hanging over night to get water out of my down sleeping bag. I am still finding deficient chambers of down in my sleeping bag after over 3 hours even at a low heat. You have carefully, examine every chamber in your down sleeping bag. Even after over 36 hours I just found a chamber near the foot that is deficient of down. I carefully felt a damp internal clump of down inside of the chamber. I carefully pulled apart the clump and it felt damp and I proceeded to separate the materials very well. I will place the sleeping bag into the dryer at a low temp for another 40 minutes in an attempt to warm every chamber to drive the water and moisture from these last chambers I just located with clumps.
Excellent video. Caution is key. I never dry my Down quilts with heat. Personal preference. I use the spin cycle on my washing machine using no water to get the bag free of water. Then I let it air dry overnight over the couch away from any pets. I then put it with a final spin with 3 tennis balls in the washer spin cycle. There seem to be a lot of good ways to do this and if you don’t feel like doing it often or at all, use the liner and send the bag to REI or a reputable shop that specializes in this and guarantees they won’t ruin your bag. I did this a few times until the guy that did it showed me what he did to get my bag clean and the down lofting again.
I wish this was my place! It's my dad house. He has a much better tub and dryer than I do, so I wash all my gear and big blankets there. Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for commenting 😁
You are cordially invited to visit my City of Cusco, Peru 🇵🇪. and take the Inka trail for 4d/3n to visit Machu Picchu on the last day, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Little green sleeping bag baby..hehe! I'm glad I haven't attempted this--thought I've often thought about it. I'm sure I'd have ruined it without this info. Thanks!
Your down washing guide worked very well washing carefully squeezing the down cleaning material well into the down sleeping bag. I did rinse the down sleeping bag about 4 times squeezing the very dilute water from the bag carefully. I rinsed it until it was clear and clean water. It was the drying that was the problem. I squeezed it with my hands and hung it over night to drip dry. It was the next day I did several just air drying of 1 hour each in the dryer using 6 woolen balls. This left the down bag very damp. I then did 2 sessions of 40 minutes each at the lowest heat maybe about 90 degrees in the dryer. These seemed to be doing some good. I then examined the down sleeping bag and there was one or more empty chambers. There were clumps of very damp and wet down in the clumps. I separated these clumps carefully by my fingers. I dried the down sleeping bag for another 40 minutes on very low heat. The clumpy chambers were filled with down. I examined the entire sleeping bag chambers and found 5 other empty chambers with clumps of damp down. I carefully pulled each clump apart feeling the dampness and wetness of each. These clumps came apart. Again, I ran the dryer for another 40 minutes at the lowest temperature. This time all of the chambers were full of down. The down sleeping bag was finally dry. I will store my down sleeping bag in a much larger cotton or breathable polyester bag of at least 40 gallons. The down sleeping bag has to be stored in a very relaxed state not in a tiny compressed sac of 2 or 3 gallon size.
It definitely is a process to clean, but if you take care of it, a good down sleeping bag will last a long time! I've had mine for years, and after the wash, it was like new!
Amanda Id like to check with you whether this cleaning method works to remove the down smell? I purchased a down sleeping bag from naturehike and the bag smells really bad, it basically smells like farm. I’d like to give it a wash hoping to remove the foul odour. Appreciate your help.
Treat it carefully, proceeds to put it in a dryer. After all the care I was expecting like some soecial drying 😂 makes sense though the care! Good video ! ❤
i accidentally put my sleeping bag in on medium heat 😬 lol but it came out okay!! def keep it on low or extra low if you choose to use heat! thank you for this video!!
After drying your sleeping bag under very low heat or air, you may feel areas that seem cooler and they are near or in a somewhat empty chamber. Closely examine that chamber because it will contain a damp clump or clumps of down that have not dried. Carefully feel the inside of the chamber until you find the damp clump or clumps of down. I found at least 5 or 6 of these clumps of down in these chambers. I very carefully pulled these clumps apart and them put the sleeping bag back into the dryer for another 40 minutes with the 5 or 6 wool balls. I did not want to put my sleeping bag away with damp down inside. It would mildew or rot over time with constant dampness. The entire contents of down have to be completely dry for storage and use.
Oh my gosh that's allot... I've already thrown my down jacket in the washer like maybe twice since I've had it in the last 7-8 years. Probably ruined it. I think I do remember it more puffy and warm. Lol. 🤦
So using a storage bin and the “mobile breathing washer” is not a good idea…? Why so gentle if so many use the washing machine to wash the down sleeping bags?
Sorry too cumbersome. Only used mine like 15 times. WaS thinking of washing. Now I will not. Will just air it out in the sun and spray some linen fresh😂
You don't need to do this at all. You know what you need to do to clean it? It's a simple, fuss free, natural method and costs 0. Of course, I can't just give the info for free, so if anyone wants it, they'll have to pay for it. I'll guarantee that it's better than this method, saves you time, hassle free AND keeps it refreshed and maintained and keeps your bag smelling like a daisy. Yes, you too can have a daisy smelling bag....but you live on the States and can pay 400-500 dollars for a bag, so you can afford my expert advice, right? It's groundbreaking, It's earthshattering. Hell, you can do this method and go do your Yoga pilate class, grab an iced Brazilian mochalatte quadruple cafe, spiced whatever, then get a heart quadruple bipass, do your stint in recovery, deal with the insurance company, And STILL come back to the daisy bag of duck or goose down goodness you always wanted. SOUND GOOD?
It has been a long time since I’ve cleaned my 43 year old down bag, so I searched for some new, updated advice. Your vide is very nicely done - one can’t be too careful! Best wishes.
Thanks Amanda. I was going to mention that its important to put a few tennis balls in the dryer, but I see Michael Harris already mentioned that. I just did that with my sleeping bag a week ago and it came out really nice (used 4 tennis balls, btw on low heat) Just like new again :)
Thank you Amanda. I followed your instructions to carefully gently wash my over 40 year old sleeping bag. I rinsed it about 4 times to get the soap like stuff out.
It took maybe 2 to 3 hours to dry with air and later at a very low warm temp to get to a point where most all of the down appeared dry.
The concern was chambers that seemed empty even after 2 to 3 hours of warm drying. They were not empty they had clumps of damp down all stuck together. I had to go at it several times examining these seemly empty chambers. Each chamber had one of more clumps of damp down all stuck together.
I could see if these clumps of damp down was left inside these chambers and packed away for days, weeks, and months they would mildew or rot with the trapped dampness. Be very careful of these internal damp clumps of down in seemly empty chambers of your sleeping bag.
I had to feel inside these chambers and gently pull these damp clumps of down apart. There is still moisture in these clumps of down. You have to put the sleeping bag back into the dryer for another maybe 40 minutes of very low heat or just air. We have maybe 5 or 6 woolen balls that travel inside our dryer to help fluff up the sleeping bag.
Thank you Amanda. My down sleeping bag was purchased while I was going to school in San Diego at a local discount sporting goods store for all of $100 back in about 1982. With school and work I have not used more than 100 nights most all backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.
Thank you for the caution and instructions about handing the washing very carefully. The sleeping bag is still in great shape because I never use it for anything other than backpacking. I bought a much cheaper polyester and much heavier and bulkier sleeping bag for car trips where weight is not an issue. It must weight over 5 lbs and cost about $25 over 12 years ago.
I do really appreciate the good service my down sleeping bag has given me for about 42 years. I have always been very careful to use it very cauciously always wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt with heavy wool sox so as not to soil the precious down material that keeps me so warm even in the low 20 degree summer Sierra nights above 10,000 feet and higher.
I feel so far beyond fortunate to live in California and be able to go backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains once or more times sometimes for 3 to 5 or more nights. The Sierra Nevada mountains are beyond magical place. Just read the writings of John Muir. Most anywhere along the John Muir Trail are like no where else in the USA. Best is we only have black bears and no grizzles or wolves at this time.
Sleeping in a tent at above 9,000 feet elevation I have never felt threatened at all by any animal in the Sierras in over 40 years. I am very careful to only heat water to re hydrate my freeze dried foods. I never cook and meats or fry anything. I bury my waste water in a deep hole over 100 feet from my tent.
Thanks for sharing. I've washed my down sleeping bag in a top loading washing machine (gentle wash with no spin). Then I air dried the bag flat turning and fluffing it every few hours - took a couple days to dry and was good as new 😊
This is about 36 hours since washing and hanging over night to get water out of my down sleeping bag.
I am still finding deficient chambers of down in my sleeping bag after over 3 hours even at a low heat.
You have carefully, examine every chamber in your down sleeping bag. Even after over 36 hours I just found a chamber near the foot that is deficient of down. I carefully felt a damp internal clump of down inside of the chamber. I carefully pulled apart the clump and it felt damp and I proceeded to separate the materials very well.
I will place the sleeping bag into the dryer at a low temp for another 40 minutes in an attempt to warm every chamber to drive the water and moisture from these last chambers I just located with clumps.
Excellent video. Caution is key. I never dry my Down quilts with heat. Personal preference. I use the spin cycle on my washing machine using no water to get the bag free of water. Then I let it air dry overnight over the couch away from any pets. I then put it with a final spin with 3 tennis balls in the washer spin cycle.
There seem to be a lot of good ways to do this and if you don’t feel like doing it often or at all, use the liner and send the bag to REI or a reputable shop that specializes in this and guarantees they won’t ruin your bag. I did this a few times until the guy that did it showed me what he did to get my bag clean and the down lofting again.
Caution is definitely key! 😁 Thanks for commenting!
Great instructions! Thanks for taking the time to explain it clearly and slowly (lol). Love the wood in your place! That's totally my vibe!
I wish this was my place! It's my dad house. He has a much better tub and dryer than I do, so I wash all my gear and big blankets there. Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for commenting 😁
@@amanda.outside Well, your dad has an awesome place!! 😄 That's nice of your dad!!
Was just thinking about doing this to one of my older bags. Great vid as usual, thanks!
You're welcome! Thanks for commenting 😁
WOW, Amanda. Thank you. I have been trying to figure out how to clean my bag. Honestly your a genius.
Thanks @Amandaoutside for make this vídeo. I Will take very care with sleeping bag. 😅😊
You are cordially invited to visit my City of Cusco, Peru 🇵🇪. and take the Inka trail for 4d/3n to visit Machu Picchu on the last day, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Wow! That bag looks brand new after. Thanks for producing this video to help restore our equipment. 😉
Little green sleeping bag baby..hehe! I'm glad I haven't attempted this--thought I've often thought about it. I'm sure I'd have ruined it without this info. Thanks!
You're welcome! It's definitely not my favorite task, but it's so satisfying when it's done and the sleeping bag actually keeps me warm!
Such a thorough video, well done. Thank you !
Your down washing guide worked very well washing carefully squeezing the down cleaning material well into the down sleeping bag.
I did rinse the down sleeping bag about 4 times squeezing the very dilute water from the bag carefully.
I rinsed it until it was clear and clean water.
It was the drying that was the problem. I squeezed it with my hands and hung it over night to drip dry.
It was the next day I did several just air drying of 1 hour each in the dryer using 6 woolen balls. This left the down bag very damp.
I then did 2 sessions of 40 minutes each at the lowest heat maybe about 90 degrees in the dryer. These seemed to be doing some good.
I then examined the down sleeping bag and there was one or more empty chambers. There were clumps of very damp and wet down in the clumps. I separated these clumps carefully by my fingers.
I dried the down sleeping bag for another 40 minutes on very low heat. The clumpy chambers were filled with down.
I examined the entire sleeping bag chambers and found 5 other empty chambers with clumps of damp down. I carefully pulled each clump apart feeling the dampness and wetness of each. These clumps came apart.
Again, I ran the dryer for another 40 minutes at the lowest temperature. This time all of the chambers were full of down. The down sleeping bag was finally dry.
I will store my down sleeping bag in a much larger cotton or breathable polyester bag of at least 40 gallons. The down sleeping bag has to be stored in a very relaxed state not in a tiny compressed sac of 2 or 3 gallon size.
In real time, how long did this process take including washing and drying? Very helpful video! Thanks, Amanda!
Is using a dryer essential or can you put it in front of a fan ?
Thanks girl...really appreciate your time with this important task. Wow, how long did it take you?
It took me about 2 hours to wash it, and then around 7 hours to dry it!
@@amanda.outside Wow you're awesome! Thank you
@@amanda.outside wow, 7 hours to dry it?! 😮
Yea it was probably done drying a little sooner, but I did extra just to be 100% sure.
Excellent video, covered everything!
Always sharing such great information. ♥️🙏 Thanks Amanda!
Thanks for doing this video; I’m new at the whole down thing! It’s quite a process!
It definitely is a process to clean, but if you take care of it, a good down sleeping bag will last a long time! I've had mine for years, and after the wash, it was like new!
Thanks for sharing and showing the process step by step.
Extremely useful ! Thank you so much !
Great video I use that soap it's the best I have found I also put dryer balls for down in the dryer
God's Blessings
Great video, excellent job explaining in great detail. Your Awesome 😊
Amanda Id like to check with you whether this cleaning method works to remove the down smell? I purchased a down sleeping bag from naturehike and the bag smells really bad, it basically smells like farm. I’d like to give it a wash hoping to remove the foul odour. Appreciate your help.
Great video! 👍🏻👍🏻 P.s. Patience is such a virtue🤪
Treat it carefully, proceeds to put it in a dryer. After all the care I was expecting like some soecial drying 😂 makes sense though the care! Good video ! ❤
Another great video! Didn't know you could use a dryer.
i accidentally put my sleeping bag in on medium heat 😬 lol but it came out okay!! def keep it on low or extra low if you choose to use heat!
thank you for this video!!
After drying your sleeping bag under very low heat or air, you may feel areas that seem cooler and they are near or in a somewhat empty chamber. Closely examine that chamber because it will contain a damp clump or clumps of down that have not dried. Carefully feel the inside of the chamber until you find the damp clump or clumps of down.
I found at least 5 or 6 of these clumps of down in these chambers. I very carefully pulled these clumps apart and them put the sleeping bag back into the dryer for another 40 minutes with the 5 or 6 wool balls.
I did not want to put my sleeping bag away with damp down inside. It would mildew or rot over time with constant dampness. The entire contents of down have to be completely dry for storage and use.
What about poly-filled?
Where can I buy this sleeping bag from?
What brand bag is that?
Great vid
I do not have a dryer. Can I also just let the sleeping bag air dry?
Oh my gosh that's allot... I've already thrown my down jacket in the washer like maybe twice since I've had it in the last 7-8 years. Probably ruined it. I think I do remember it more puffy and warm. Lol. 🤦
Cool video
Lol the cover photo for this video looked like a giant cabbage in the bath tub lol
that would be a lot of cabbage 😂
So using a storage bin and the “mobile breathing washer” is not a good idea…?
Why so gentle if so many use the washing machine to wash the down sleeping bags?
she really loves that sleeping bag
You might just try fluffing it in the dryer and see if you can get away with not washing it to get your loft back. Have fun be safe.
Weldone
Thanks Amanda, apart from your vocal fry😉 a very enjoyable and informative video. Always have been wondering about how to do this. 👍🏻
Sorry too cumbersome. Only used mine like 15 times. WaS thinking of washing. Now I will not. Will just air it out in the sun and spray some linen fresh😂
You'd be a lot better off drying a sleeping bag outside I think.. much safer, and will leave it much fresher.
if you can, obviously this doesn't work in crappy weather
You don't need to do this at all. You know what you need to do to clean it? It's a simple, fuss free, natural method and costs 0. Of course, I can't just give the info for free, so if anyone wants it, they'll have to pay for it. I'll guarantee that it's better than this method, saves you time, hassle free AND keeps it refreshed and maintained and keeps your bag smelling like a daisy. Yes, you too can have a daisy smelling bag....but you live on the States and can pay 400-500 dollars for a bag, so you can afford my expert advice, right? It's groundbreaking, It's earthshattering. Hell, you can do this method and go do your Yoga pilate class, grab an iced Brazilian mochalatte quadruple cafe, spiced whatever, then get a heart quadruple bipass, do your stint in recovery, deal with the insurance company, And STILL come back to the daisy bag of duck or goose down goodness you always wanted. SOUND GOOD?
Ain't Nobody Got Time For That!
Everybody on TH-cam talks exactly the same and uses the same hand gestures. Do they take a class on this or something?