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ShaneP
12-09-2010, 10:07
I posted this question over on the Hammock Forums site and got some pretty good answers, but since this site gets a lot more traffic, I wanted to post it here also. Forgive me if you've already seen this over there.

I have a quilt that may have been compressed for too long and has lost some of it's loft.

Does anyone have any good strategies for reviving compressed Down?

Do you think putting it in a dryer with something wet like a towel and a tennis ball and drying on high heat would be a good idea?

At this point, I am going to try putting it in the dryer with no heat and a couple of Wool socks stuffed with tennis balls to employ static in bringing some loft back. I'll report back on that.

I don't think it needs to be washed at this point, being an underquilt, it really hasn't come into contact with my body, so I want to avoid that route to start with. I don't think it's dirty, I just forgot to unpack it for a month or two.

Thanks!

S

Lyle
12-09-2010, 11:27
How long has it been "uncompressed"? It will take a while of just sitting out in a dry environment. A dryer and a tennis ball or sneaker may well help. Make sure it's a nice BIG dryer. Low heat/no heat will depend on how hot the dryer gets, can always alternate. If you use a commercial dryer, check the interior thoroughly for sharp projections or melted-on gunk that could damage or transfer to your bag. This is worth the time it takes.

As a last resort, contact the manufacturer, see if you can send the quilt back and have them add some new down to revive the loft. Then don't leave it compressed for long periods again. :-)

Good luck.

ShaneP
12-10-2010, 10:48
I wanted to report that the static technique for relofting worked very well.

I put the quilt into the dryer with two old rag wool socks with tennis balls stuffed inside and tumbled on no heat for about forty minutes. After that, I added a polar fleece jacket and tumbled for another twenty minutes. when I opened the dryer door, the quilt had completely filled the interior of the dryer space and was lofted like new.


Thanks guys!

Grinder
12-11-2010, 13:03
thanks for reporting the results of your efforts. To often we see the question, but not the actual results.

neighbor dave
12-11-2010, 15:46
I wanted to report that the static technique for relofting worked very well.

I put the quilt into the dryer with two old rag wool socks with tennis balls stuffed inside and tumbled on no heat for about forty minutes. After that, I added a polar fleece jacket and tumbled for another twenty minutes. when I opened the dryer door, the quilt had completely filled the interior of the dryer space and was lofted like new.


Thanks guys!
very cool! but can you still fart in it without it exploding?:D

Wise Old Owl
12-11-2010, 17:13
How long has it been "uncompressed"? It will take a while of just sitting out in a dry environment. A dryer and a tennis ball or sneaker may well help. Make sure it's a nice BIG dryer. Low heat/no heat will depend on how hot the dryer gets, can always alternate. If you use a commercial dryer, check the interior thoroughly for sharp projections or melted-on gunk that could damage or transfer to your bag. This is worth the time it takes.

As a last resort, contact the manufacturer, see if you can send the quilt back and have them add some new down to revive the loft. Then don't leave it compressed for long periods again. :-)

Good luck.

Lyle that's a new one, have you ever contacted a business to do that? Call around to the different makers of bags and see what you come up with.

Lyle
12-11-2010, 19:31
Actually, yeah, I have heard of it being done. Why not, they repair bags all the time. No idea what they would charge these days, but it can be done.