How to Wash a Sleeping Bag at the Laundromat

Tips to Carefully Wash a Sleeping Bag Without Ruining It

Whether you camped out under the stars in the desert or your own back yard, wrapping up warm in a sleeping bag is all part of the experience. Camping is a favorite weekend activity for many people, and although camping gear can survive many uses without getting too dirty, sleeping bags need to be washed. Thick, down-filled sleeping bags should only be hand-washed, but if yours is synthetic, you can take it along to your local laundromat. Before you head to your Chula Vista laundromat, check out these tips to successfully wash your sleeping bags.

Before you wash your sleeping bag, always read the care label. This will state if it can be machine-washed, what temperature the water should be, and if it can be dried. If they state anything different from our recommendations, we advise following the care label instead. For the majority of synthetic sleeping bags, you can wash them at the laundromat as follows:

• Zip up all zippers and close Velcro attachments
• If the sleeping bag is very dirty, pre-soak it by filling a sink with lukewarm water and a squeeze of mild laundry soap. Push the bag up and down in the water to work the soap into the fabric. Let it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse and gently squeeze out excess water.
• Put your sleeping bag into a clean washing machine and select the ‘gentle’ cycle. Sleeping bags are often large and bulky, so it’s recommended to only wash one per load – two if it is a jumbo machine.
• Select an additional rinse and spin cycle to ensure that all detergent has been removed.

If the fabric label recommends drying the sleeping bag, carefully place it into the dryer and use the lowest heat setting. Alternatively, you can air-dry your sleeping bag by laying it flat on a towel or hanging it on a clothesline. Make sure that the bag is 100 percent dry before you fold and put it back into storage, otherwise you could be greeted with a musty smell the next time you use it.

Be sure to find a quality Chula Vista laundromat that offers flexible hours and a great atmosphere to make your laundry a snap. At Fresh & Clean Laundry, we are here to help. Visit our laundromat today to learn how we can help you do your laundry in no time.