CARING FOR YOUR GOOSE DOWN SLEEPING BAG OR QUILT
Over time it is normal for your goose down sleeping bag or quilt to become spoilt by oily skin contact, smoke from the fireplace or other contact with odors, or stained by nature. If you notice some smell this can easily be reduced and removed by simply hanging your product outdoors in a dry and airy area. This should be done every time after use on a trek or camping trip.
The goose down can become damp and also get dirty when oil from the skin or other substances pass through the fine nylon. This compromises the loft over time and will affect the insulation and will lessen the temperature rating of the product. Then it is time to wash and regain the loft or puffiness of the down.
CLEANING GOOSE DOWN PRODUCTS
You can of course leave this to the professionals and most dry cleaners have experience with Down Products nowadays. However, it is not very hard to clean your items yourself. You will need the following:
-Your down sleeping bag or quilt
– Large volume washing machine
– Mild detergent, preferably down friendly (NikWax is a great option)
– Large volume tumble dryer
– 2-3 clean tennis balls
Close zippers before washing. Add little detergent and wash in machine on low temperature and gentle settings, make sure to add another rinse cycle to remove all detergent.
Machine Dry (hang drying will lump up the goose down and can cause mildew buildup). The tumble dryer should be large enough that the bag can tumble freely and keep the dryer on the lowest or no heat. Add the tennis balls to break up the goose down lumps. This procedure will take time, but its worth the wait to get the loft back in your quilt or bag.
STORAGE
Store your bag or quilt once they are completely dry. To avoid breaking the down fibers, please keep the down products in a large storage bag (BlackCrag products has one supplied) in a dark ventilated area. Avoid storing the bag or quilt in the compression or stuff sack, this should only be used for transport and hiking.
