Washing a down bag?

[simonineaston]

I have to agree with the folk who advocate the pro service, at least for a super-expensive bag... I have had mixed results doing it myself and in the case of one garment - an ME jacket - managed to comprehensively trash it. It was never the same again after I washed it. The down clumped exactly like a large piece of paper does if you're dumb enough to leave a piece folded up in a trouser pocket. And no amount of re-washing, and hours and hours of drying in a launderette tumble-dryer (that's an awful lot of 20Ps!), with a Wimbledon-load of tennis balls ever did the trick of unclumping them. Other people I know though have washed down bags and jackets and have had them come up lovely.
On the whole though, I also agree with the ex-horse owner...

[indio32]

I wash down stuff (sleeping bags, duvets, etc.) in a normal, low temperature cycle in the washing machine. I use washing liquid made for woolens. You can put down in the tumble dryer, but it will also dry fine hanging. When drying a down sleeping bag by hanging, it is best to shake it out every couple of hours (at least during the day). That will keep the down from clumping as it dries, and help it dry quicker. Save it for a dry day, or use the airing cupboard. If it takes too long to dry, it can get mildew.

I'm utterly speechless

[jjpeterberger]

All my bags specifically state "do not dry clean". I have washed many bags, many times over the years and I've never had a problem or been left with an unclean or lumpy bag. Other than time and a hand full of quarters, it's an easy process.

For those that are worried about self-cleaning your "super expensive" sleeping bags, do you maintain your "super expensive" bicycles as well or does the shop do it all for you? Just a thought...

Jay

[Vorpal]

I wash down stuff (sleeping bags, duvets, etc.) in a normal, low temperature cycle in the washing machine...

I'm utterly speechless

I'm only doing what my grandmother did. She once told me that when she was young, she and her sister had the job of taking all of the down out of the pillows and duvets and things once a year for washing. When she got her first washing machine, she decided there must be a better way.

Considering that I still use a pillow and duvet that were my grandmother's, and are somewhat older than I am, it can't have done them any harm to wash them. I have to admit that the pillow had new ticking about 20 years ago; and the material on the duvet is getting thin.

I did once have the pillow professionally cleaned, but I didn't like the smell, and no amount of hanging it out in the sunshine made any difference. The smell bothered me enough that after living with it for a couple of weeks, and hanging the pillow out for airing every day, I re-washed it myself.

p.s. I think that washing liquid meant for woolens helps preserve the natural oils in the feathers. Grandma used Woolite.

[meic]

Reading this thread has helped me decide that the best option is not to wash my down sleeping bag this year.

We may have a summer next year to dry it in.

[dionherbike]

I took my bag down to the local laundrette because they have the big commercial machines. I think that space is one of the important things when washing a down bag. I used Granny's Soap Flakes, bought from the big supermarket that begins with tesk and ends with oh. They are just pure soap. After washing I spun it off more in their special spinning only machine, then dried it in their big dryer on a low setting. No balls involved. The lady in the laundrette said that you could use a medium setting, but I prefer to err on the side of caution. I think it took about 3 hours drying and cost less than 10 squids all up and it came out nice. It was also a lovely time to relax and read my book.

[pjclinch]

I have done it myself and the results were reasonably good.

I have had it done professionally (Franklins) and the results were considerably better.

It is a time vs. money decision. If you have a lot of time and not much money do it yourself. If you have the money do yourself a favour and have the pros do it as they will do a better iob and you won't have a very big chunk of a day removed from your life in a very dull manner.

Pete.

[BeeKeeper]

Considering that I still use a pillow and duvet that were my grandmother's, and are somewhat older than I am, it can't have done them any harm to wash them. I have to admit that the pillow had new ticking about 20 years ago; and the material on the duvet is getting thin.

I suspect there is not much down in those pillows or duvets and any there was has shrivelled up. It will be the feathers which are still there after all these years. Feather and down are a very common mix, a pure down pillow for example is an expensive thing, I found one at £96.00 - there were cheaper "down" pillows but when you looked closer they were feather and down.

[Sweep]

Well I got the Nikwax Downwash (thanks for the tip) for £5 from Decathlon.

Despite indio32's double exhortion to "just pay up" <I'm noy saying the professional services are a rip-off and that the cost doesn't reflect their time, effort and expertise, but it is a lot of dosh for a clean> I've decided to go down the bath by hand route and just air dry it outside and in (my house gets rather warm on the top floor) - dragging it to the launderette, although it is only 5 mins walk is probably not on as I guess it would weigh a ton and I'm wary of damaging it when wet. I'll lay it flat until a fair amount of the water has gone.

Another question though.

The Nikwax instructions for hand washing are fairly clear but it seems to say that their product and this system is only for 1 or 2 season bags and that 3-4 season bags should be professionally cleaned. Although the bag is a good one (to me - it cost about £70 in a sale almost 20 years ago - hasn't been used that much) it doesn't seem to make economic sense to do this - surely they are just being over-cautious/covering themselves in some way?

Oh, I also bought a silk liner in Decathlon - Fair point to the bod above who suggested it - I should have been using a liner from the beginning.

[alpgirl]

I expect that is because there is a lot more down in a 3 or 4 season bag, so it would be difficult to fit in a domestic machine for washing and drying. From my experience of washing down jackets you need to tumble dry to get out all the clumps. I guess that may not be practical at home with a large bag.
It may not seem like economic sense, but if it is a good bag it would probably cost £200 to replace if it were damaged during the washing process.

[phil parker]

I've never payed more than about £20 to have my sleeping bags professionally cleaned and dried and by using a silk liner I can prolong the time between professional cleaning.

Although i wouldn't hesitate to clean it myself with a non detergent cleaner, I do not have a dryer and I think they are better to be machine dried on a low heat rather than air-dried from a line, which I've tried before and they've never fared as well.

[Vorpal]

I suspect there is not much down in those pillows or duvets and any there was has shrivelled up. It will be the feathers which are still there after all these years. Feather and down are a very common mix, a pure down pillow for example is an expensive thing, I found one at £96.00 - there were cheaper "down" pillows but when you looked closer they were feather and down.

I know there are some feathers in the pillow; I had actually forgotten that until you posted. But the duvet, I am certain, is down. I won't take it apart to verify, though.

[PDQ]

Opened out (if it has a zip of course) and hung in the sun for a day will freshen it up no end. Still no charge for sunshine but.........

[alpgirl]

Opened out (if it has a zip of course) and hung in the sun for a day will freshen it up no end. Still no charge for sunshine but.........

It's amazing what a bit of UV will do. I regularly put all our pillows, duvets, sleeping bags outside for a good air in the sun.

[nmnm]

Yesterday I washed my cheap and unloved summer bag in my home washing machine, using handwash liquid intended for wool and silk. Afterwards, I gave it 3 slow spin cycles, then 3 fast ones. I don't have a tumbler but the thing has air dried in a warm spot in the sun. Felt dry last night. Loft appears better than before. I'll leave it sitting for another 2 days. I've given it a good shoogle a couple of times.

I think the home wash has worked well. I'll do it again in future, with this bag (cheap, £60, with little down, 225g of the stuff).