View Full Version : Down bag in regular washing machine - ruined?
Shroomism
01-04-2009, 20:55
My roommate grabbed my REI Mojave bag while I was at work.. and threw it in the (regular, top loading) washing machine with regular detergent.. because he said it smelled.
I got home and it was still in the washer.. looked like it had a pretty rough ride. I dried it out and it appears to be ok but doesn't seem to have quite the loft it had before..
Am I screwed?
papa john
01-04-2009, 20:59
Put it back in the dryer on low heat and throw a clean tennis show or a tennis ball in there. That'll break up the clumps. Then see how it lofts. The ultimate problem is what did the washer do to the delicate baffles inside...
If I were you your roommate would be! :p
How did you dry it? Sometimes it takes a long time for the down to re-loft, and if you use harsh detergents it will wash the natural oils out of the down and make it brittle. You may not be able to return the bag to its original warmth.
My roommate grabbed my REI Mojave bag while I was at work.. and threw it in the (regular, top loading) washing machine with regular detergent.. because he said it smelled.
I got home and it was still in the washer.. looked like it had a pretty rough ride. I dried it out and it appears to be ok but doesn't seem to have quite the loft it had before..
Am I screwed?
Ouch! Did you run it through the dryer, lowest heat, with tennis balls? Wet down sticks together and the key to reviving it is to break up the clumps and get the individual feathers to separate from each other.
Shroomism
01-04-2009, 21:02
Yeah I forgot to mention I had a tennis ball in there with it when I dried it out, on the lowest setting. Doesn't appear to be any clumps left, but I guess there's really no easy way to determine if the baffles got damaged is there.. there does appear to be more loft on the bottom of the bag than near the head area.
PS--There are several ways to keep the bag from getting nasty-smelling again. Using a liner is one way. Another is to change into clean clothes before you sleep, especially clean socks. If your feet are really rank, wash them with water and douse them with Purell.
Sometimes you can redistribute the down a bit by shaking it from one area to another. If the baffles have been damaged, though, the down won't stay in place.
You may need to run it thru the dryer for several more cycles. The loft may recover. Otherwise, the detergent may have washed the natural oils out of the down. I do not know what damage that may cause, but you can check with Western Mountaineering to find out.
Shroomism
01-04-2009, 21:07
Alrighty thanks for the advice.
Yeah, I'm not too happy with my roommate right now :mad:
I just hope my bag hasn't lost most of its insulation qualities
The bag is fine. Use it a few times and the loft will return. Some baffles may have torn. But even that is not fatal. Just shake the bag before you sleep to redistribute the down.
Especially, don't worry about the loss of oils. All down is washable. I know of no logic that says a top loading washer removes more oils than a front loader. If anything, a top loader being less efficient, will remove less of the natural oils.
Weary
skinewmexico
01-05-2009, 00:29
It's not the type of washer that removes the oils, it's the type of detergent.
Pokey2006
01-05-2009, 00:54
I would try re-washing it with a solution made especially for down. Is there such a thing as a down "conditioner?" Like when I wash my hair with a harsh detergent, it strips the oils from my hair, drying it out. But I can restore some of the softness by using conditioner. Perhaps the same concept works for down?
Shroomism
01-05-2009, 02:13
He said he used an "Oxy Clean" type of detergent.
Pokey2006
01-05-2009, 02:20
Wow, that must have been a really smelly bag, to warrant something like Oxyclean. I'm starting to feel for the roommate!
Seriously, try going to an outfitter and seeing what they have for washing down. It couldn't hurt, if the damage is already done.
Good luck. I know how you feel. I have a teenage daughter who once left my $1,500 bicycle outside in the rain. Grrrrr....I'd have to maim her if she did anything to my down bag.
the next time roomie is out, take his credit card for a walk to the down sleeping bag store. he messed with your valuables, now it is your turn. :)
ofthearth
01-05-2009, 08:15
PS--There are several ways to keep the bag from getting nasty-smelling again. Using a liner is one way. Another is to change into clean clothes before you sleep, especially clean socks. If your feet are really rank, wash them with water and douse them with Purell.
Hello Marta and all,
Have been wondering about a liner - one) for a little extra warmth and two) to keep the bag a little cleaner/less stinkie :eek: . Had just about come to the conclusion that an extra layer of clothing would be more functional/useful in the warmth dept.-could be used other than for just sleeping but that still left the stinkie part :-?. Liner vs extra layer :confused: ? Thoughts ?????
I use clothing. In the summer I bring a set of silk-weight long underwear. In the winter, wool long underwear. Clean socks, always.
ofthearth
01-05-2009, 08:34
I use clothing. In the summer I bring a set of silk-weight long underwear. In the winter, wool long underwear. Clean socks, always.
And you keep these just for sleeping?
No one has asked what was the temperature of the water used?
Cold water only for down and original Woolite works fine.
I'd rewash it correctly in a big front loader at the laundramat....the little washer probly did'nt completly rinse all the detergent from the bag.
That would cause it to lose loft and be more prone to absorbing moisture.
I tried a liner once to keep my bag clean, but I only got twisted up in it at night as I am a tosser and turner. I pack a pair of lightweight cotton p.j's. to sleep in.
Jim Adams
01-05-2009, 09:50
And you keep these just for sleeping?
I follow the same concept as Marta. I tried a liner ONCE....I felt like I was always getting tangled up in it.
Now I just carry a pair of light weight smartwool top and bottom undies and wash my feet every night before bed. I only use these for sleeping unless an emergency arises. My bag seems to stay clean for a long time.
The added benefit is that you start the hike each morning with clean feet which goes along way to preventing foot problems.
geek
I follow the same concept as Marta. I tried a liner ONCE....I felt like I was always getting tangled up in it.
Now I just carry a pair of light weight smartwool top and bottom undies and wash my feet every night before bed. I only use these for sleeping unless an emergency arises. My bag seems to stay clean for a long time.
The added benefit is that you start the hike each morning with clean feet which goes along way to preventing foot problems.
geek
I met a couple hikers who would sleep in their hiking clothes - even when they were wet. They claimed that they always woke up with dry and warm hiking clothes. Of course, in their next breath they said that their sleeping bag smelled like ass. No thank you very much.
Wise Old Owl
01-05-2009, 10:54
Chris I am with Wilson If you are unhappy with the result do it again the right way. Then give the roomie a tongue lashing about reading the damn lables when seperating stuff. - Its happened to everyone once. I never forget someone came in with a wool suit after it went through the wash. 2x too small.
shelterbuilder
01-05-2009, 22:18
Try re-washing the bag in a front-loading washer, using "down soap" that's made specifically for washing down garments.
However, in the long run, you may find it more effective to use YOUR ROOMMATE to break up the down clumps instead of the usual tennis balls.:D He may make more noise as he rattles around in the dryer, but it's almost certain that he will NEVER touch your sleeping bag again!:banana
Good luck.
Don't get mad, get even.....
Panzer
Don't get mad, get even.....
Panzer
Sandpaper disk in his/her DVD player. I'd use 10 grit.
Give his/her (I-pod, mp3 player, cell phone) a bath,, "But it/they looked dirty, was that wrong?"
Easier just to find new roomate.