Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Bushwalking gear and paraphernalia. Electronic gadget topics (inc. GPS, PLB, chargers) belong in the 'Techno Babble' sub-forum.
Forum rules
TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.

Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby groovymango21 » Thu 28 Jul, 2022 8:50 pm

Hi everyone,
My down sleeping bag (and puffy jacket) are in desperate need of a good wash! I don't trust myself to do it myself, is there anyone who could kindly recommend someone in Canberra to do a professional wash? Thanks heaps!
groovymango21
Nothofagus cunninghamii
Nothofagus cunninghamii
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu 28 Jul, 2022 8:32 pm
Region: Australian Capital Territory

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby Moondog55 » Fri 29 Jul, 2022 8:55 am

It's a simple and easy job to DIY if you have a bath and a plastic laundry basket but winter is not the right time to be washing down goods.
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
Moondog55
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11066
Joined: Thu 03 Dec, 2009 4:15 pm
Location: Norlane Geelong Victoria Australia
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby Warin » Fri 29 Jul, 2022 10:09 am

Agree that now is not the time for it. The jacket would be easier than the bag simply because there is less of it, so do that one first.

My washing machine has a 'hand wash' program ... uses some 90 litres of water. Not tried it yet... I'll be trying it on an old synthetic bag first when the weather warms up and the chance of rain recedes.
User avatar
Warin
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1408
Joined: Sat 11 Nov, 2017 8:02 am
Region: New South Wales

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby Lamont » Fri 29 Jul, 2022 12:25 pm

Hi everyone,
My down sleeping bag (and puffy jacket) are in desperate need of a good wash! I don't trust myself to do it myself, is there anyone who could kindly recommend someone in Canberra to do a professional wash? Thanks heaps!



Have you contacted the big outdoor places in Canberra? There is someone there that does it I've been led to believe.

Other than that-'Remote Repairs' in Victoria.
Last edited by Lamont on Fri 29 Jul, 2022 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Lamont
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1960
Joined: Sun 21 Feb, 2016 1:27 pm
Location: Upper Kumbukta West
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: https://www.againstmalaria.com/
Region: Other Country

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby matagi » Fri 29 Jul, 2022 12:44 pm

Maybe give Mont in Fyshwick a call. They might be able to recommend someone.
This makes me the first man to climb Mount Everest backwards, without oxygen...or even a jumper.
User avatar
matagi
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 628
Joined: Sun 01 Jan, 2012 5:51 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby philm » Fri 29 Jul, 2022 2:30 pm

I just had One Planet in Melbourne wash mine. They do all branded bags not just there own.
The price includes the return postage so you have to pay to get it to them.
I was happy with the result
User avatar
philm
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 477
Joined: Sat 06 Nov, 2010 10:49 am
Region: South Australia
Gender: Male

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby Zapruda » Sat 30 Jul, 2022 7:26 am

Ainslie Laundrette specialise in washing down. They are the people Mont recommend.

I’ve had a a few jackets and quilts washed there over the years and the outcome has always been really good and the price pretty fair imo.
User avatar
Zapruda
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1690
Joined: Thu 07 Apr, 2016 10:46 am
Region: Australian Capital Territory
Gender: Male

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby myrtlegirl » Mon 01 Aug, 2022 8:51 pm

All the info on washing down items says you have to be super careful, use special stuff, dry with a tennis ball, etc.

BUT........

I wash my sleeping bag with ordinary washing powder, in a big front loader washing machine (2 x load) at the laundrette, costs $8, takes 30min. I should probably use proper down wash stuff from the bushwalking shop, but my bag seems just fine. I'd handwashed an old down jacket with Omo and it came up fine, then I did a double doona at the laundrette and it was great, so I took a chance with my good sleeping bag (700g down 700 loft with lightweight shell) and it seems just fine, fluffy, warm, down dispersed around, and smells so much better now.

Then I pop it the dryer at the laundrette. After an hour ($12) it's dry, or if I can't wait that long I give it 20min and take it home and hang it in a warm living area for 2-3 days. In summer I don't use the dryer at all, just hang it on the line for a day.
I don't use a tennis ball in the dryer like some say, but despite this the down naturally unclumps as it dries and I give it a bit of a shake. I figure a tennis ball just rubs against the shell and squishes the feathers, neither of which seems a good idea to me.

I've tried washing a doona in the bath tub. Geez, what a palaver, for a pretty poor result. I got soaked, water all over the floor, and the doona didn't really come up all that clean, still smelt a bit of old socks, mixed in with eau de beans-for-dinner.

Has anyone tried the above methods and got a bad result? Or wrecked their down item with an alternative wash method?
myrtlegirl
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 06 Jan, 2010 3:40 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Female

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby potato » Tue 02 Aug, 2022 8:43 am

myrtlegirl wrote:All the info on washing down items says you have to be super careful, use special stuff, dry with a tennis ball, etc.

BUT........

I wash my sleeping bag with ordinary washing powder, in a big front loader washing machine (2 x load) at the laundrette, costs $8, takes 30min. I should probably use proper down wash stuff from the bushwalking shop, but my bag seems just fine. I'd handwashed an old down jacket with Omo and it came up fine, then I did a double doona at the laundrette and it was great, so I took a chance with my good sleeping bag (700g down 700 loft with lightweight shell) and it seems just fine, fluffy, warm, down dispersed around, and smells so much better now.

Then I pop it the dryer at the laundrette. After an hour ($12) it's dry, or if I can't wait that long I give it 20min and take it home and hang it in a warm living area for 2-3 days. In summer I don't use the dryer at all, just hang it on the line for a day.
I don't use a tennis ball in the dryer like some say, but despite this the down naturally unclumps as it dries and I give it a bit of a shake. I figure a tennis ball just rubs against the shell and squishes the feathers, neither of which seems a good idea to me.

I've tried washing a doona in the bath tub. Geez, what a palaver, for a pretty poor result. I got soaked, water all over the floor, and the doona didn't really come up all that clean, still smelt a bit of old socks, mixed in with eau de beans-for-dinner.

Has anyone tried the above methods and got a bad result? Or wrecked their down item with an alternative wash method?


X2 - dont over think it
potato
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 330
Joined: Thu 28 Jan, 2016 1:06 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby ribuck » Wed 03 Aug, 2022 4:07 am

X3. Many recent down bags have a water repellent treatment applied to the down, and as a result the bag doesn't absorb very much water.

I washed mine, with down detergent bought from an outdoor shop, in my front-loader washing machine (never put a sleeping bad in a machine with an agitator). I used the "delicate" cycle and the fast spin. The bag dried overnight, hung up in a warm room, and lofts as much as ever.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1883
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby WestcoastPete » Wed 03 Aug, 2022 3:47 pm

x4

It was scary the first time but it's just washing something a touch delicate. You just wash it with a touch more care
WestcoastPete
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu 25 Apr, 2013 10:35 pm
Region: Tasmania

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby Tortoise » Wed 03 Aug, 2022 3:48 pm

Decades ago, I washed my first down sleeping bag, doing all the right things. It was never the same again. Never washed one since - just inner sheets.
User avatar
Tortoise
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 5136
Joined: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 9:31 pm
Location: NW Tasmania
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Female

Re: Washing down sleeping bag - ACT

Postby Huntsman247 » Thu 04 Aug, 2022 9:36 am

I do the front loader on a delicate cycle with down detergent and into the tumble dryer with some tennis balls. My sleeping bag is translucent with 10d fabric and never had an issue. I've got lots of down gear that I was this way.

Sent from my LE2115 using Tapatalk
User avatar
Huntsman247
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed 22 Mar, 2017 10:07 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male


Return to Equipment

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests