Bushwalk Australia

video on advising how to wash a sleeping bag

http://www.backpacker.com/videos_wash_y ... y/videos/7

It still had quite a bit of water in it, didnt it.
Was that because he was able to set the washer for no spin, or is it just the nature of the material that all the water wont spin out ?

Slightly OT, but I was just thinking this morning about washing a hammock.....would it also be ok on a gentle cycle front loader ?

not sure what the case was with the sleeping bag, possibly no spin, as he said the down can get damaged on the baffles when its wet, thats the main issue with down in washing machines,
i doubt you'd have problems worrying about your hammock getting damaged in the washing machine..

Hang the bag up to drip? Why no spin? I'm glad I didn't learn to clean down bags and jackets from this guy.

Better advice: http://westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=product-tips-and-care

I've found that front loaders work too quickly. Their wash cycle is usually not long enough and they don't do enough rinsing. Plus, unless you own a big top loader, you're stuck in a laundromat for a few hours.

I just use a bathtub, although it is some work. I follow the tub wash and rinses with numerous rinse/spin cycles in a regular top loader. Then the dryer with the tennis balls for a long, long time.

Interesting. My front loader washes up to 45 minutes....with pre wash, around an hour. And you use a top loader, the one thing even your link warns against.

ReviveX seems to be the product of choice, but I don't know if thats available locally.

Wild Earth have Granger's wash and waterproof products. Anyone know if thats comparable ?

I always use the bath and gently hand wash my sleeping bags. One trick is to use a good quality laundry basket for lifting the wet bag, a wet down bag can be heavy enough to rip all the sewn seams instantly

Picaro wrote:Interesting. My front loader washes up to 45 minutes....with pre wash, around an hour. And you use a top loader, the one thing even your link warns against.

ReviveX seems to be the product of choice, but I don't know if thats available locally.

Wild Earth have Granger's wash and waterproof products. Anyone know if thats comparable ?

That's quick for a front loader. What cycle are you using?

My front loader takes around 1 hour 45 mins, without a prewash, on normal cycle and temp set to 55C.

hmm maybe i should change the topic to washing machine technical specs

wayno wrote:hmm maybe i should change the topic to washing machine technical specs

Sure, why not....

Its probably the time it takes to bring the water temp up to 55. Mines the same on the 60 setting.

I washed mine in the bath tub with shampoo, heaps of rinsing and dried it spread out on kids trampoline. Worked a treat.

i hope your kids wernt using the trampoline at the time

Kids work like tennis balls in the drier !!! lol

Another authoritative source on the subject: http://featheredfriends.com/index.php/washing/

Picaro wrote:Interesting. My front loader washes up to 45 minutes....with pre wash, around an hour.

That's good to know as tub washing a winter bag is a lot of effort. The front loaders I've used were in laundromats and did a poor job.

Picaro wrote:And you use a top loader, the one thing even your link warns against.

Did you not read my post or their link very carefully? I wash in a tub, not a top loader. I only use a top loader for rinsing and spinning where the presence of an agitator is irrelevant.

Frequently the only thing that needs washing is the shell around the hood area.