Be Nice to Your Sleeping Bag

I enjoy camping more when I’ve had a good night’s sleep. I’m less grumpy, less prone to injury, and ready to participate in camping activities. One of my secrets is to keep a clean sleeping bag so it performs well every time.

An ounce of prevention…

First of all, don’t over clean your sleeping bag. You’ll be amazed how well your sleeping bag will “air out” if you can just let it hang outside in the shade and let Mother Nature’s breeze work it’s magic.

Second, don’t get it dirty. I keep my tent as clean a possible inside. When I don’t use a tent I always use a waterproof ground cloth. I never lay my sleeping bag down in the dirt.

To minimize exposure of my sleeping bag’s lining to dirty skin oils (especially dirty when camping) I wear PJs, or sleep in a silk liner; depending on the kind of camping I’m doing.

My first choice is to use a silk liner. When I want to cut down on pack weight I wear a clean tee shirt, underpants and sox. In colder weather I sleep in long underwear and sox.

When it’s time to wash your sleeping bag

Depending on what the sleeping bag is made of I either machine or hand wash. NEVER DRY-CLEAN SLEEPING BAGS. The harsh chemicals can damage the insulation.

Machine Wash: Hearty, square, heavy-duty, inexpensive sleeping bags. Never use a top-loading machine, especially if it has an agitator. I use the biggest commercial frontloading washer and dryer in the Laundromat with specialty soap (you can find them for down or synthetic materials in camping stores) in cold water. I dry my sleeping bag at the lowest setting until completely dry – lots of quarters. A damp sleeping bag can mildew, yuck!

Hand Wash: Delicate, lightweight, high-end, expensive sleeping bags. I fill the bathtub with warm water and add specialty soap. I keep the sleeping bag in its stuff sack and put the whole thing underwater. That way air has already been forced out and I don’t have to fight air pockets floating to the surface. I carefully pull the sleeping bag from its stuff sack and gently knead the soapy water through it. I drain the tub and gently push the water out of the sleeping bag. I rinse it at least three times. Do not wring or lift the sleeping bag when wet or it will stretch the stitches. I gently roll the sleeping bag and put it in a laundry basket and take it to the largest Laundromat dryer.

Tip: If you are drying a down sleeping bag, feel it for clumps. Even tiny clumps mean it is not dry. Don’t “drip-dry” a sleeping bag. The process is too slow and it can mildew easily.

Store your sleeping bag properly

I store my sleeping bag in an oversized sack, the size of a king-sized pillowcase. I stuff it rather than roll it. Stuffing is actually easier on the shell of the sleeping bag.

Don’t store a sleeping bag tightly rolled or in a compression sack because with time this can over compress the insulation and reduce its effectiveness.

Another method I recommend (if you have the space) is to hang the sleeping bag -not over a coat hanger or bar- or lay it flat.

Tip: Don’t leave a bag tightly rolled or stuffed in a hot car or trunk too long. Synthetic insulation can bind together if the temperature is high enough, which will reduce it’s effectiveness.

A sleeping bag is one of the most delicate items in your pack and must be handled with care. Keeping it clean and fluffy will keep you happy when you camp. You’ll be glad you did.

Kirby Kinkead is a camper, backpacker, and outdoor enthusiast. Save on tents and other camping gear at his website: http://www.opentrees.com/catalog/idx1.htm or call (866) 270-3062. Contact him by email: kirbykinkead@opentrees.com.