How to care for a smelly (as in wet dog smell) down sleeping bag?
My down sleeping bag smelled like a wet dog after a damp night out. By reading this forum thread.
I realized that it probably didn't dry enough after the trip. So I let it out at the air, and the smell partially went away. Two more days in the open air, and the smell was still there though.
So I washed it. I know how to do it properly, using the proper detergent, a front load machine and a very gentle cycle.
Now, I have two issues.
One, the bag left the washing machine still smelling. The odor is there, persistently strong though it diminished after the first day.
I headed to the self-service laundry to discover that it was not open 24h. It is going to open tomorrow in the morning.
Hence, finally, the questions:
- why is my sleeping bag smelling so much even after letting it drying for several days, and even after a proper wash cycle?
- what should I do now while I wait for the self service laundry to open (that will be in about 12 hours?) to limit its damage - if there's any that may happen meanwhile?
Many thanks everybody
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/8304. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
It is possible to clean/repair your bag if it's not too far gone, but buying a new one will be easier, might even be cheaper, and will certainly be better.
Options for cleaning slightly mildewy bags include using vinegar or bleach (bleach will likely discolour the bag) and hot water in the wash cycle.
If washing the bag and tumble drying doesn't get rid of the smell then the only other option aside from consulting a professional cleaner that I know of its to inspect the down itself. Cut the threads along one of the seams in a spot where it would be easiest to repair, or where the smell is strongest, then pull out a good amount of the down and give it a look. If it looks bad, then it needs to be replaced. New down costs about $5-$10 per ounce depending on what loft you get. Considering that just about half the weight of your bag is down, you can guesstimate how much you would need. A 1kg bag would require about 18oz of down, so you're looking at about $90-$180 just to replace it, but you also have to make sure that the other materials of your bag aren't too affected, so wash the empty bag with bleach again before refilling it.
- Thru-hiker (800 fp, $25/three oz.)
- KookaBay (750 fp, $16/three oz.)
- Seven Wonders (Hungarian 800 fp, $24/three oz.)
- Speer (allegedly 900 fp, $30/three oz.)
- Feather Industries (unknown price, grade)
- Feathered Friends (800-850 fp, $30/three oz.)
- Feathertex (unknown, probably low fp, ~$8/three oz.)
When it comes to down sleeping bags, it's important to never let them get wet, your bag should have been protected on your damp night out by your tent or overbag. When it does get wet, you should never pack away a damp bag, always let it dry fully before packing it up. If you have no choice, then never compress it while it's wet, and do your best to get somewhere where you can dry it out it if the rain isn't letting up or spending a day in your tent with your bag open to the air isn't an option.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/8305. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
0 comment threads
0 comment threads