Summer wouldn’t be summer without a camping trip or two—especially in Colorado. When the weather warms up, it’s tough to beat cozying up by the campfire, gazing up at the stars, and unplugging with loved ones.
Are you as excited as we are? Now that it’s time to dust off the camping supplies, you might be wondering how to wash a sleeping bag. Here’s our foolproof guide for freshening up the family sleeping bags before you head to the mountains this summer!
Summer Camping Tips: How to Wash a Sleeping Bag
Machine Washing Sleeping Bags
If you’re hesitant about machine washing a sleeping bag, you’re in luck, because most modern options are compatible with in-home machines. To see if yours falls under this category, read the label carefully.
Once you know yours is safe to machine wash, follow these simple steps:
Unzip your sleeping bags about halfway down the garment
Select a cold water option with a delicate wash cycle
Use a mild laundry detergent
Add a tennis ball or two to the drum to prevent the stuffing from grouping together
If needed, run it through another rinse cycle to expel any soapy residue
Be sure to avoid all fabric softeners, too! You don’t need them as much as you think, especially in this case. They can damage the sleeping bag’s synthetic materials.
Washing Sleeping Bags By Hand
Prefer to opt for hand washing? Here’s a manual method for how to wash a sleeping bag:
Fill a bathtub or wash basin with cold water
Add half a cup of mild fabric soap and stir until fully dissolved
Place the sleeping bag fully zipped up into the bath and lay it as flat as possible
Drain the water and refill the rub
Use your hands to empty the soapy water, or get inside the tub and walk along the sleeping bag
It may take a few fresh batches of cold water to wash away the soap. When it’s fully gone, roll the sleeping bag up and press down to continue squeezing out the water.
Drying Freshly Washed Sleeping Bags
First and foremost, never twist or wring out a sleeping bag! It can ruin the distribution of the filling.
Instead, you can:
Air dry your sleeping bag: unzip it fully, and hang it along a washing line.
Use a dryer: place the bag in your tumble dryer and select a low heat
To prevent your sleeping bag from coming out of the dryer with static cling, check out this article. Our top recommendation in this case is the dryer ball method. You can make them at home, or grab them from your local home goods store.
Now you know how to wash a sleeping bag with ease! If you don’t have a washer and dryer at home, search ‘laundry near me’ or head to our website to find your closest WaveMAX location. We have plenty of top-of-the-line machines for reliable laundromat needs, as well as dry cleaning and pick-up and delivery laundry services. See you soon!
