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This is a Complete Guide about How to Wash a Down Sleeping Bag 2025.
Washing your down sleeping bag is important to ensure that it remains clean and the down retains its loft, warmth, and softness.
In this article, I will cover some key information on maintaining your down bag, including a step-by-step guide on how to wash it. I wash most of my sleeping bags every year and as a result, I’ve washed more sleeping bags than I can remember over the years.
You can wash a sleeping bag or any Ultralight Sleeping Bags, Winter Sleeping Bag, or Ultralight Backpacking Quilts on the market using the information below. With proper care, they should last more than 10 years, even with lots of use. So, let’s find out how to wash your sleeping bag properly.
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Why Trust Us
The expert author has over 30 years of experience in Thru-Hiking, Backpacking, and Hiking. During that time the author washed many down sleeping bags and researched several methods. He has also managed a large retail outdoor store and assisted many customers with inquiries about washing down sleeping bags. The research, testing, and experience of the author have combined to come up with the Guide to Washing Down Sleeping Bags in 2025.
How to wash a down sleeping bag
Down Sleeping Bags are better than synthetic sleeping bags as they have a better warmth-to-weight ratio. But they do require regular washing to keep them like new.
There are a couple of methods that can be used to wash a down sleeping bag.
- Hand washing in a large container or bathtub
- Machine washing in a front loading washing machine
Keep Reading Below, you’ll find a very detailed step-by-step guide on how to clean your down sleeping bag, either by hand or in a front-load washing machine. Read on!
how to Hand wash a Down Sleeping Bag
Step one: To begin, start by rinsing your bathtub or large laundry sink before filling it up with lukewarm water.
Step two: Next, you will need to add a specialist down cleaner to the bath and stir it around until it is evenly distributed throughout the water.
Step three: Once you have distributed 100ml of Down Wash throughout the bath water, it’s time to submerge your sleeping bag into the bath.
Step four: After leaving to soak for an hour or so, drain the water from the bath and refill again with fresh water.
Step five: Next, you will need to remove all the soap suds from your sleeping bag by gently massaging it.
You can do this by walking up and down the bag. However, you should make sure that you do not wring or squeeze the sleeping bag as this can significantly damage the down.
The key is to be gentle!
Step six: Continue this process until all of the soap has been removed from your sleeping bag, making sure to empty and refill the water as you go.
Step seven: Once the sleeping bag is free of all soap suds, drain the water from the bath. The sleeping bag may still be water logged so push down on a towel to remove all the remaining water.
Step eight (optional): While still damp, spray on a DWR Treatment to the outside of the sleeping bag. Use a product such as Nikwax TX Direct.
Step eight: Allow your sleeping bag to dry fully before packing it away again. Usually, a dryer on the low heat setting is the preferred method to dry a sleeping bag. Add 2 brand new tennis balls to assist with breaking up the clumps of down. The whole drying process will take a couple of hours in the machine.
Otherwise, it may take days to dry the sleeping bag properly if air drying.
How to Machine wash a down sleeping bag
Step one: Before putting your down sleeping bag in the front loading washing machine, you will need to run it through a rinse cycle to remove any previous soap residue from the washing machine.
Do Not have a Front Loading Washing Machine? Consider heading to a local laundromat store or alternatively booking a professional down washing service.
Step two: Make sure that you do up all the zips and velcro on the sleeping bag. It is also worth mentioning that if it has a waterproof shell, make sure that you turn it inside out.
Pro Tip: If you have a stubborn stain use a small amount of the Down Wash undiluted on the stain and massage the stain until it has been removed. If your Sleeping Bag is very dirty it may need to be washed twice. 90% of the time this is not needed – did you get into your sleeping bag covered in mud, sweat, and dust?
Step three: Next, it’s time to place your sleeping bag in the front loading machine and add a Down Wash.
Important Information: Do not use normal detergent that you would use to wash your clothes. It will strip the natural oils from the down that is inside your sleeping bag and it will never be as good as new. Use Nikwax Down Wash, it is one of the best cleaners made for down feathers, as it has been specifically designed to not strip the feathers of their oil, while also not breaking down the DWR treatment across the exterior.
Step four: Always make sure that you wash your down sleeping bag at 30° or on a delicate cycle to be extra cautious. You don’t want your sleeping bag to be on a hot wash, as this can decrease the lifespan of the bag and also cause it to shrink.
Step five: Once the wash has finished, rinse thoroughly. Check your sleeping bag is completely rinsed by pressing down on it. If any soap suds come out, the bag will need to go back in the washing machine on a rinse cycle to ensure they are all out.
Step six: Before removing the bag from the machine, make sure you place several towels on the floor to soak up any water.
The down feathers are delicate and the sleeping bag is heavy when wet, so make sure you support the length of the bag when moving to the dryer to avoid any damage.
Step seven: Allow the sleeping bag to dry properly before you attempt to pack it away again. Failure to do so could result in mold growth, which no one wants on a long camping trip away from your home comforts!
I prefer to leave my back out to dry for several days if possible before storing it again.
In summary
There you have it, how to wash a down sleeping bag in two methods! Make sure that you are using a specialist Down Wash for either process, as you don’t want to be in a position where cleaning damages your down sleeping bag.
I have used both methods and I prefer the speed and simplicity of using a front-load washing machine.
What you will need to wash a Down Sleeping Bag?
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Clean And Care For My Sleeping Bag?
This varies with manufacturers, some available are machine washable. However, usually, a sleeping bag with down insulation is not suitable for machine washing.
Washing in the machine can also damage the structural integrity of the outer material, so always be sure to carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions.
Some may be machine-washed on a cold setting, though, taking the time and care to handwash your sleeping bag is the safest option. Ensure that a minimal amount of soap is used, to prevent any build-up of residue on the inner or outer fabric of the bag.
Alternatively, you can buy specialized soap or detergent to ensure that the sleeping bag’s quality is not affected.
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The author, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small independent adventurer and outdoor gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.
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The author, Brad McCartney is a very experienced triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Read more). He was a manager of an outdoor retail store and is very experienced in what is important when using and testing gear for reviews like this.
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