Washing – Lost Down Loft

Only thing I can suggest is that it is not yet fully dry and that the down is still clumped up. Every down wash manufacturer I know of advises to wash and dry in large commercial front-load machines. Most suggest adding a few new, clean tennis balls to the dryer to help fluff the down.

I'd take it and pocket full of quarters to a commercial laundry and let it spend a few hours in a large dryer on low heat.

I'd re rinse that bag while I was at the laundry. Needs more room to wash and rinse out than one might think.

And don't ever use a top-load washer. The twisting and wringing can very easily rip the baffles.

You may not have gotten soap out. There really isn't good water movement thru a bag in a washer. It either stays filled with air and floats in one place, or turns into a soggy rock.

Hand washing, works much better. I'd try rinsing it again, several times in tubs of clean water working the water thru the bag and fill. Then re dry

I hand wash, but put in top load washer to spin water out, then take to big commercial dryers to dry.

A few years ago my wife and I bought a top loading washer without an agitator, and a new dryer. I can't remember the sizes off the top of my head though… sorry. Anyway, I washed my Marmot Helium sleeping bag in the washer (can't remember what sort of soap I used either now…), but set it to rinse 2 or 3 more times after the initial wash. Then I carefully loaded it into the drier and ran it about 20 times! I would alternate between no heat and low heat. Towards the end when it started drying out some, I threw a few tennis balls in with it. Then later, as it was a bit drier, I even took it out of the dryer and fluffed it gently, and tried to break up any clumped down with my hands. After a few more cycles, it felt pretty much dried out, however, I then laid it over a bed, completely opened up and let it sit for a few days. After it was all said and done, it was just as fluffy as when I got it new… or maybe even a little more so. I would not hesitate to do it again the same way, however, time is the key when doing it this way. And even if I were to take it to a laundry mat to use bigger machines, I would still let it lay open for a few days.

In your situation, I would suggest as others have said. Rerun it in the washer on rinse a few more times, or in the bathtub, and then begin the drying process all over again.

Good luck!

you might want to run the washer once to remove any residual soap that could be harmful to the down and run the dryer before you put the bag in to see how hot it gets. you can also run your hand over the drum to see if there are any burrs that could snag the delicate nylon shell. Putting your bag in a laundry basket or otherwise supporting it when moving it around when wet is important to prevent damage to the internals of the bag.

Thanks everyone. I am going to a laundry mat to rinse, rinse and dry!

Derrick

Buy a container of three new tennis balls and throw them in the dryer every time you want to dry or fluff down. The balls falling onto the bag or jacket or pillow as the drier tumbles breaks up clumps of down and fluffs it up.

I keep the can of tennis balls on the shelf above the washer, next to detergents.

---

Top loader home washing machines are not good for down sleeping bags, but a home dryer should be fine on low heat. It may take several cycles (like a half dozen) to really dry a down bag.

I just want to clarify that not all top loading machines are equal. Many today are now made without an agitator (that big tower in the middle of the tub). Mine does not have an agitator and as I mentioned above, (IME) it's just fine for washing down bags, such as my Marmot Helium.

+1 on the tennis balls in the dryer. First time I washed a backpacking quilt it seemed dry but the down was clumped and lots of empty/dead spots. I tried fluffing by hand but wasn't making progress. Threw it in the dryer on no heat with tennis balls, it came out fluffier than brand new.

Manufacturers care instructions. Also has a video tutorial.

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

After washing the bag you can get clumped down that takes a while to dry. You can set it in the sun or you could sleep in it every night at home so your body heat will dry it out.