Guide · Sleep
How to wash a down sleeping bag
Updated October 5, 2026
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When to wash
Mud, body oil, and a bag that no longer lofts are reasons. A bag that is merely used is not. Spot-clean the collar if that is the only grime.
Always follow the maker's label if it conflicts with a general guide.
How to wash
Close the zippers. Use a front-loading machine and a down-specific soap. Extra rinse cycles beat extra soap. A top loader with an agitator can tear baffles.
Support the wet bag. Wet down is heavy and the baffles are not a handle.
Dry until it is actually dry
Low heat and dryer balls or clean tennis balls. Pull clumps apart by hand between cycles. If the core is damp, it is not done, and damp stored down is how it fails later.
Store the bag loose, in a big sack, not in the tiny compression sack.
Gear for this guide
FAQ
Can I dry clean it?
No. Use water and down soap.
How often?
Some people go years. Dirt and lost loft decide, not a monthly ritual.
What about a quilt?
The same rules. It is the same fill.