I thought dreft soap flakes would work but the box said detergent when i find it i ll wash in warm water in the bathtub taking the bag into pieces as much as i can.
Non detergent laundry soap for sleeping bags.
Charlie s soap laundry liquid 50 loads 1 pack natural deep cleaning hypoallergenic laundry detergent safe effective and non toxic 4 5 out of 5 stars 727 11 99 11.
Cold water most delicate cycle of the machine i e my machine has a handwash cycle delicate normal and heavy duty.
So your first step must be to purchase a laundry soap specifically made for down feathers i e.
I ve washed everything from brand new delicates in cold to heavy duty loads in hot.
One that won t ruin them.
But any mild soap like ivory snow or woolite works fine if you rinse completely.
The eagle creek website and other places say to use a non detergent soap but i m not sure what that means.
These are special non detergent soaps that won t strip the oil from the down in your sleeping bag.
Specialty soaps designed for cleaning down or synthetic sleeping bags are highly recommended.
This laundry soap works.
You ll also want to gather some old cotton bath towels and a few tennis balls.
Make a paste of a little non detergent soap and water and use a toothbrush to gently clean the shell.
Plus front load washers have a higher capacity and will accommodate large items like comforters sleeping bags and pillows.
Because washing a sleeping bag subjects it to wear and tear and decreases the loft spot cleaning is your first line of defense.
Due to the way down sleeping bags are manufactured they re more sensitive to water and can actually sustain damage making it unusable if it gets too wet.
If your dryer isn t working reliably on low heat go visit a neighbor.
If your sleeping bag is really dirty pre soak by filling a handwashing sink with lukewarm water and adding a small amount of mild laundry soap.
Dish soap is not mild non detergent.
For the majority of synthetic sleeping bags the recommended steps for how to wash at the laundromat are as follows.
Strip back from all the ingredients and fragrances in laundry detergent now and you have this a very old formula for laundry soap.
You might do a second rinse cycle as well.
Zip all zippers and close all velcro attachments.
Mild non detergent means something along the lines of woolite.
Next choose a detergent for cleaning.
Do not use harsh laundry detergents.
Down can never be dried at a high temperature.
Drying must be done low and slow.
The laundry aisle wasn t helpful.
Use whatever is most delicate for your machine.
Before you do anything buy yourself a product made especially for washing down such as nikwax down wash.
Dryer with low heat setting.
The clothes are getting nicely clean and with just a tiny scoop.