Cleaining down sleeping bag?

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Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 2:41 pm

I made the mistake of lending my good -25°C down sleeping bag to my daughter for the long weekend of 4wding/camping with friends in the chilly high country - on the proviso it was to be well cared for etc. Well it's come back dirty/muddy and with vomit on it :x . I'm too busy and can't be stuffed cleaning it and I want it done properly. Is there anywhere/anyone that cleans down sleeping bags? (I've cleaned sleeping bags in the past with Nikwax down detergent but don't particularly want to do it myself this time) I'm located in NE Melbourne...
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Huntsman247 » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 2:50 pm

It's pretty easy if you have a front loader & a dryer. Or go to a laundromat. Dunno if I'd trust anyone to clean anything down I own. I was talking to a guy that owns a dry cleaners a while back and he thought you could just dry clean them...
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 3:00 pm

Is it okay to just use your home frontloader machine and Nikwax wash? (In the past I've hand washed with Nikwax in the bathtub - the last time I did it was a disaster!)
I've also got a MontBell down jacket that needs a wash.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Zapruda » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 3:02 pm

Hey Stew, I used to send my down gear for washing to remote repairs in VIC until I found someone that does it here in Canberra. They are good at what they do.

https://www.remoterepairs.com.au/
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 3:05 pm

Thanks Zapruda - that's excellent! I've also got a pair of goretex pants that needs a repair. I'll give 'em a buzz.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Franco » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 6:00 pm

BTW, Remote Repairs is located in Point Cook so maybe not that far from N. Melbourne.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Joynz » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 6:18 pm

I always use Out Sports in Moorabbin for sleeping bag cleaning. Especially in winter.

It’s easy to damage the internal baffles in modern sleeping bags so I would never wash it in a machine.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Huntsman247 » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 6:42 pm

The key to using a front loader is it needs to be big enough that the bag is not compressed in the machine. So it has to be a decent sized one for a sleeping bag. Also you need to have control over the water temperature. 40C is good.
Then a delicate cycle. If it has a cycle for wool, that's the money.
Use down detergent only though.
Leave it for the spin after the cycle. Then stick it the dryer with half a dozen tennis balls on low heat until no lumps in the bag.
Yes it's true a bathtub I suppose is safest but many down product manufacturers recommend washing in a front loader on gentle. But I suppose a big disclaimer that it could damage baffles. But I rekon it'll still be more gentle than if you get someone else to do it.
I do my jackets regularly this way and just did one of my sleeping bags last week. I've never had any issues.
But do what you feel is best for you.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Huntsman247 » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 6:54 pm

Here's the care instructions on my baffle style sleeping bag. Image
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Kott » Tue 09 Jun, 2020 7:18 pm

I second Remote Repairs...or if you want to save money, the laundromat with those big front loaders...make sure you also take 3-5 tennis balls for the drier though.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Franco » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 8:36 am

I use the bathtub and soap ( NOT DETERGENT!!!) washing a few bags (one at a time) but it does take a long time to do and you do need to be very gentle careful .
Macpac supplied mesh stuff storage sacks so that you could , once clean, shift the bag into the sack and then squeese the water out and lift it up without damaging it. it then takes a couple of days to dry if the sun is out.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby stry » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 8:42 am

Another endorsement for Remote.

Trying to machine wash a good bag yourself is asking for trouble, particularly with the light weight baffling in a modern bag. I have personally done two or three by hand, which requires much care and ideally a bath tub, and it simply is not worth the trouble.

Remote's charges are quite reasonable for what is involved and the results are excellent.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby wildwanderer » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 9:48 am

Never tried a commercial service.

I usually use a tub filled with warm water with dissolved pure soap (lux soap flakes from Coles).

Give it 10 minute swirl and dunk. Then a thorough rinse. Put it on the line flat checking every hour or so to break up clumps and ensure the down it's all spread out so it drys evenly.

After the bag is about 60-70% dry, finishing with a warm(not hot) tumble dry is ideal but I've used line only and its worked fine.

My sleeping bags and quilts have all come out well using this method.

I think people tend to worry to much, good quality bags are fairly robust. They survive people rolling around in them and being rapidly stuffed into bags in the morning. Yes the internals are a bit more delicate when wet but a hand wash in a tub and a line/tumble dry is fairly low impact.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Moondog55 » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 10:01 am

Washing sleeping bags well is easy but very time consuming.
If Stew doesn't have the time to spare then I second the use of Remote Repairs, I think Remote actually use a machine but if they do it will be a big industrial machine with a very gentle cycle and super spin
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby wildwanderer » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 10:34 am

Moondog55 wrote:Washing sleeping bags well is easy but very time consuming.


Everyone has a slightly different method but I probably spend less than 30 minutes all up on the washing/drying process.

Of course that's 30 mins spread over a day so you do need to wash/dry on a day you will be home.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Moondog55 » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 12:47 pm

I was taking into account soaking time, when I wash my bags it's very very gentle agitation in the bath with long soaking times, takes most of a day with a minimum of 3 rinses, it being really important to get any soap residue out completely and I always Nikwax while still wet so that adds an extra step and an extra rinse.
This time of year I would use Remote as I save down washing for the height of summer and 40C days.
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 7:32 pm

Thanks for all the replies - I've had a good response/prices back today from Remote Equipment and I'll send the bag and pants there. I also have an old Paddy Pallin Bogong down bag that I bought with my first paycheck way back in 1980 so I'm going to send that ol' thing in for a clean, repair and down topup - may not be doable but they can check it out.

The last time I washed a down bag in the bathtub the bag popped/split a seam and leaked down everywhere - I don't want to go through that again.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Warin » Wed 10 Jun, 2020 8:57 pm

My front loading washing machine has a 'hand wash' cycle ... I'm considering it for a synthetic sleeping bag. Think a 'normal' cycle is around 60 litres and 3 hours... the hand wash one is 70 litres and 2.5 hours... it can only destroy it. Umm hopefully not destroy the washing machine.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby north-north-west » Thu 11 Jun, 2020 8:27 am

Stew:

How much is the bag rejuvenation? I'm thinking it's time the ApII got a proper clean and there's a seam that needs to be restitched as well.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Mon 15 Jun, 2020 8:56 pm

north-north-west wrote:Stew:

How much is the bag rejuvenation? I'm thinking it's time the ApII got a proper clean and there's a seam that needs to be restitched as well.


Hi NW,

For the full clean, repairs, down 'topup' (800/goose) and rejuvenation my quote was ~$180. But because this ol' Paddy Pallin Bogong bag hold sentimental value I'll probably get this old one done unless they advise me otherwise. A standard wash/dry/redistribution of down - I was quoted $90.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby north-north-west » Tue 16 Jun, 2020 8:12 am

Thanks. Good value.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Joynz » Tue 16 Jun, 2020 8:25 pm

I paid around $49 three months ago to have a 20 + year-old, 2 kilo, super warm 95% down Mont Bag cleaned and dried at Out Sports in Moorabbin.

No down added or repairs though - just normal wash and dry.
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Tue 16 Jun, 2020 9:04 pm

Joynz wrote:I paid around $49 three months ago to have a 20 + year-old, 2 kilo, super warm 95% down Mont Bag cleaned and dried at Out Sports in Moorabbin.

No down added or repairs though - just normal wash and dry.


Thanks - I think I'll use them for this el-cheapo 700gm down bag with my 19yrs old vodka vomit sprayed all over it from the long weekend 4wd trip. I'm too lazy...
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby butter-nuts » Wed 17 Jun, 2020 9:59 am

If its easier for you to get into the CBD, One Planet also offer a sleeping bag washing service, I was quoted $85 for a simple clean.

unnamed.png
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Re: Cleaining down sleeping bag?

Postby Stew63 » Wed 17 Jun, 2020 8:16 pm

butter-nuts wrote:If its easier for you to get into the CBD, One Planet also offer a sleeping bag washing service, I was quoted $85 for a simple clean.

unnamed.png


Thanks butternuts - noted.
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