Sleeping Bag Care Tips
A lot of us have invested in decent camping gear. This camping gear is expensive, but makes our time spent camping better, safer, and more fun. But it's important for us to make sure we keep this gear in tip-top shape. If we owe it to ourselves to purchase high end gear, then we owe it to ourselves to keep it high end. In this article we'll go over the best ways to keep your high end Sleeping Bag in good condition, to make sure it lasts us for a long while. The biggest threat to your Sleeping Bag while we're using it is the deposit of body oils and dirt while we sleep in it. No matter how clean you are, there will always be something left over after we sleep in it, but there are a few things we can do make sure we keep this to a minimum.
First, make sure you're wearing clean clothes when you go to sleep. Don't wear whatever you have been hiking and camping all day in. Hiking and camping are laborious things, you have a lot of dirt and sweat on those clothes. If you wear them in your sleeping bag, not only will it become dirty and smelly, but it will be less effective. Large amounts of dirt, debris, and sweat will fill the small spaces in the bag that regulate air flow, when they are filled the bag will be cold when it is cold and hotter when it is hot.
Second, air out the sleeping bag daily. There will always be some left over sweat and dirt after you sleep in the sleeping bag, that's just normal. Several days of this, over and over again, can add up, though. If you're able to give your sleeping bag and tent a few hours to air out, you will notice a much cleaner sleeping area.
Third, get a sleeping bag liner. A sleeping bag liner is a great way to get more out of your sleeping bag, while keeping it cleaner. A liner serves to purposes. One : it keeps the sleeping bag cleaner, as some of the dirt and sweat will go on the liner instead of the bag. And Two : it keeps your sleeping bag warmer; some can give several degrees to your sleeping bag's temperature rating.
When you're not using your sleeping bag, it's important how you clean it, and how you store it. Proper cleaning and storing procedure is going to make sure your sleeping bag maintains its condition. A lot can happen in storage and cleaning that can ruin a sleeping bag, so do not underestimate the importance of these steps.
When it comes time to wash your sleeping bag, make sure you steer clear of Dry Cleaners. Dry Cleaners use harsh solvents that can ruin the loft of your sleeping bag, especially Down sleeping bags. Stick to cleaning it yourself.
The best way to wash a sleeping bag is probably in your bathtub instead of your washer machine. A washer machine has too many moving parts and can be too abrasive for a sleeping bag, especially for delicate sleeping bags.
In your bathtub, add soap and fill the tub with warm water. Add your sleeping bag and work in the soap. Let the bag soak for 15 to 30 minutes and drain the tub, pressing out as much water as possible. Rinse the bag out with cold water. Make sure to squeeze all the water out during each rinse. This can take a couple rinses to get all the soap out.
When it comes time to dry the sleeping bag you want to take caution. Sleeping bags are good at holding in heat, drying it too hot can cause serious damage. Air drying poses no threat when it comes to this, so it's probably the best option. If you must use a dryer, make sure you keep it on the lowest setting, tumbler usually, and keep checking on it. You can go between air drying it and heat drying it if you want to.
To store your sleeping bag, make sure it is completely dry and store in a cotton bag, usually the sleeping bag comes with one. Avoid keeping it packed in a sack, as this will ruin the loft of the sleeping bag, and don't use plastic, water proof bags as this can create mildew if the sleeping bat is at all wet.
Keeping your sleeping bag clean and stored correctly can give you several extra year's use out of it. These steps are simple and effective. No matter what sleeping bag you purchased, you deserve to have it lasting as long as possible.