---
title: "How to care for down gear: washing, drying and storage"
description: "Advice and tips on how to care for down gear (sleeping bags, quilts, jackets) so it keeps a long life thanks to proper washing, drying and storage."
canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/how-to-care-for-down-gear"
last_updated: "2024-09-30"
---

# How to care for down gear: washing, drying and storage

Authors: Petra Kovalčíková

Date: 2024-09-30

Advice and tips on how to care for down gear (sleeping bags, quilts, jackets) so it keeps a long life thanks to proper washing, drying and storage.

Down is without a doubt one of the best insulating materials in the outdoor world. It's widely used to make [sleeping bags](/c/sleep/sleeping-bags), [quilts](/c/sleep/quilts), and insulated down clothing ([jackets](/c/clothing/men-s-clothing/men-s-jackets), [pants](/c/clothing/men-s-clothing/men-s-pants), [booties](/c/clothing/insulated-booties), [gloves](/c/clothing/gloves), or even standalone hoods). But to make sure our down gear lasts as long as possible and keeps exactly the thermal properties we value so much on cold days and nights, we need to take good care of it. With the right care, we give it a long lifespan and make our investment in quality down gear really pay off.

**You can find everything you need to know about down** in the article “[Not all down is the same](/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-down)” on our blog. Here, we'll focus on how to properly care for products with down insulation. And even though it might not seem like it at first, caring for them isn't all that complicated – it mainly comes down to occasional **washing,** **drying,** and **proper storage**.

Keep in mind, though, that down sleeping bags and clothing shouldn't be washed after every trip or short outing – for example, with normal use we recommend **washing a sleeping bag no more than once a year**. In this case, too much care can actually do more harm than good. You can extend your sleeping bag's lifespan and the time between washes by using a [sleeping bag liner](/c/sleep/sleeping-bag-liners) (also known as a liner), which protects it from sweat and dirt.

The following tips are fairly general and apply to caring for most outdoor down products you already own or that you can buy from us in [our store](/). That said, always carefully check the **care instructions and labels on the specific product** – care can vary depending on the other materials used, their treatments, and construction.

#### Table of contents

- How to wash down gear
- Washing
- Drying
- Professional care
- Restoring the DWR treatment
- Down leaking
- Storing down gear

## **Washing**

If you're about to wash something with down insulation, it's worth thinking about what exactly you're washing and whether you have the right equipment at home for it. **The more down there is, the more demanding the washing and drying process becomes.** You can wash down booties or a jacket without any trouble in a regular home washing machine, but a winter sleeping bag stuffed full of down is a different story.

If you want to wash a sleeping bag yourself, you'll need either a **large washing machine** (for example, an oversized high-capacity machine at a public laundromat) or a **bathtub**. We recommend washing a sleeping bag by hand in the tub, and only using a washing machine if you really have to. **Down gear soaks up a lot of water during washing**, and using a regular washing machine could damage the gear – or the machine itself.

[Nikwax Down Wash Direct 1 L](/p/nikwax-down-wash-direct-1-l.md)

#### **Spot cleaning**

If you just need to remove **small spots of dirt on the outer fabric**, a damp cloth or a soft sponge with warm soapy water will do the job. **Dirty zippers** should be brushed clean – don't use any balms or lubricants on them.

#### **Before washing**

Before you start washing, make sure **all the pockets (including the inner ones) are empty**, and **turn** the item **inside out.** It also helps to **soak down gear first** (especially a sleeping bag) by putting it in a compression sack and submerging it in lukewarm water, then pulling it out of the sack afterward. If the down has loft, the air trapped in it can make it hard to soak otherwise.

If you're washing in a machine, pre-soaking the down gear also matters because most washing machines adjust the amount of water based on the weight of the load (and wet down is heavier than dry down). Otherwise, the machine might not add enough water, and your jacket or sleeping bag could get damaged inside the drum.

#### **Detergents**

When washing, only use detergents **specifically made for down gear**, such as **Nikwax Down Wash Direct** (available in [300 ml](/p/nikwax-down-wash-direct-300-ml) or [1000 ml](/p/nikwax-down-wash-direct-1-l)), which works on both natural and hydrophobic down. Detergents made specifically for down gear not only clean effectively, they also protect the down's natural oils, and restore its thermal insulation and water resistance. Never use regular liquid detergents, solvents, bleach, fabric softeners, starch, or any other softening products. Never dry-clean down sleeping bags or jackets.

[Nikwax Down Wash Direct 300 ml](/p/nikwax-down-wash-direct-300-ml.md)

- [Cumulus Lite Line 400](/p/cumulus-lite-line-400.md)
- [Montane Women's Anti-Freeze Hoodie](/p/montane-womens-anti-freeze-hoodie.md)
- [Patizon D 290](/p/patizon-d-290.md)
- [Warmpeace Viking 300](/p/warmpeace-viking-300.md)
- [Patizon G Quilt 350](/p/patizon-g-quilt-350.md)
- [Cumulus Quilt 250](/p/cumulus-quilt-250.md)
- [Cumulus Panyam 450](/p/cumulus-panyam-450.md)
- [Montane Anti-Freeze Mitt](/p/montane-anti-freeze-mitt.md)
- [Montane Anti-Freeze Hoodie](/p/montane-mens-anti-freeze-hoodie.md)
- [Cumulus Incredilite Endurance Men's](/p/cumulus-incredilite-endurance.md)

#### **Machine washing**

When machine washing down gear, only use a **gentle cycle with no wringing** and **no spinning**, at a **temperature of 30 °C**, 40 °C at most. After rinsing, just drain the water from the drum instead of spinning it out. Some washing machines even have a preset **cycle specifically for down products**. You can also add two clean tennis balls to the machine, which will help beat up the down as it washes, making it easier to dry afterward.

#### **Hand washing**

Fill the tub with water at a temperature of no more than **35 °C**. First, let the sleeping bag soak fully submerged, spread out evenly along its whole length, for anywhere from a few minutes to tens of minutes. Then **gently wash** it by hand – you don't need to use much force. After cleaning, **rinse it in clean water** until you've removed all the detergent (usually 1–4 rinses is enough). Once you take it out of the water, just **squeeze it gently by hand** and shake it out – don't try to wring out as much water as possible by twisting or squeezing the material hard.

## **Drying**

Drying down gear, especially a sleeping bag, without a dryer is the gentlest method, but it's a really **lengthy process** that can take several days. For sleeping bags, we recommend using a dryer instead. For sleeping bags with more down and higher loft, though, you'll need a large-capacity dryer (for example, at a public laundromat).

#### **Machine drying:**

Before putting down gear in the dryer, make sure the label shows the **circle-in-a-square symbol**. If that symbol is crossed out, it means the product can't be tumble dried. Put the down jacket or sleeping bag in the dryer ideally along with **2–3 tennis balls**, which help fluff up the down continuously and prevent clumping. Dry at a **temperature of no more than 30 °C**. You can finish the process by drying at a higher temperature in short, few-minute intervals, letting the sleeping bag or jacket cool down between them so the outer fabric doesn't get damaged. You can also pause the drying and manually shake out and separate any clumps of down that have stuck together.

#### **Air drying:**

If you don't have a dryer, let your down jacket or sleeping bag dry on a drying rack in an **open, well-ventilated space**, **spread out evenly in a horizontal position**. Regularly **shake up the down inside the baffles** and separate any drying clumps by hand. Be prepared for the whole process to take up to several days. Especially with a sleeping bag, it's better to **dry it for longer than you think you need to**, even if it looks completely dry on the surface – **the down inside can still be holding moisture.** Never iron down products!

#### **Professional care**

One way to avoid the whole lengthy at-home washing and drying process is to have your down gear **professionally washed and dried at a laundromat** or **certain outdoor gear stores** that offer this service. If you go this route, make sure you're dealing with genuine specialists in washing outdoor gear, so you don't end up with an unpleasant surprise in the form of a damaged or completely ruined sleeping bag. If you own a sleeping bag or jacket from the Czech brand [Patizon](/b/patizon), for example, you can have it professionally washed directly by the manufacturer (more information [here](https://www.patizon.com/p/prani-peroveho-spacaku)).

## **Restoring the water-repellent DWR treatment**

For new down products with a DWR treatment, washing them with the down detergent [Nikwax Down Wash Direct](/p/nikwax-down-wash-direct-300-ml) is enough. **The DWR treatment won't wash off or lose its effectiveness after the first wash.** But if your jacket or sleeping bag has seen some action and you're already washing it for the umpteenth time, you can **re-treat the outer fabric** with a dedicated reproofing product, for example [Gear Aid Revivex Durable Water Repellent Spray](/p/gear-aid-revivex-durable-water-repellent-spray-500-ml).

[Gear Aid Revivex Durable Water Repellent Spray 500 ml](/p/gear-aid-revivex-durable-water-repellent-spray-500-ml.md)

## **Down leaking**

Most outer fabrics used in down products are already highly resistant to down poking through on their own. Even so, it can happen that some down works its way from the inside to the surface through the fabric. **This is completely normal,** especially with ultralight fabrics and when a product is still new.

If you notice down poking out of your sleeping bag or jacket, **never pull it out** – you could damage the fabric and widen the gap between its fibers. Instead, try grabbing the feather from underneath through the fabric and **pulling it back inside the baffle**.

You can also gently smooth the spot where the fiber structure was disturbed with your finger, so the fibers naturally settle back into a uniform structure. Feathers that tend to poke through are usually the larger ones with a stiff quill, which pierce the fabric and stick out.

If you can't pull the feather back in, you can carefully **snip off the protruding tip of the feather and then push it back inside.**

[Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-lightweight-dry-bag.md)

## **Storage**

To get the longest possible lifespan out of your down gear, you also need to **store it properly.** If you're out on a trek and using a [**compression sack**](/c/gear/drybags-and-organisers) for your sleeping bag, just stuff it in without using excessive force, whichever way it happens to fit.

**Avoid rolling or folding it the same systematic way every time,** so you don't put stress on the same spots over and over. If your sleeping bag is damp from condensation or sweat in the morning, take it out during the day and let it dry.

At home, ideally store your down sleeping bag **laid out flat or hung up** in a closet, or in a **large storage sack**. If you use a storage sack, take the sleeping bag out every so often and let it “breathe” and air out. **Always store down gear clean and dry,** somewhere cool and dry – never in spaces with high air temperature (such as a hot car or an attic). All of this applies to down clothing too.

- [Sea To Summit eVac Compression Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-evac-compression-dry-bag.md)
- [Sea To Summit eVac Compression Dry Bag UL](/p/sea-to-summit-evac-compression-dry-bag-ul.md)
- [Liteway Litebag With Dyneema®](/p/liteway-litebag-with-dyneema.md)
- [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-dry-bag.md)
- [Sea To Summit Lightweight Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-lightweight-dry-bag.md)
- [Hyperlite Mountain Gear Side Entry Pod](/p/hyperlite-mountain-gear-side-entry-pod.md)
- [Sea To Summit Lightweight View Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-lightweight-view-dry-bag.md)
- [Hyperlite Mountain Gear Pods](/p/hyperlite-mountain-gear-pods.md)

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