down right funky

[Uncle_Tricky]

Hey kids, I got an old down bag that is beginning to produce its own methane-like swamp gas. Aside from bottling the odor and running propane appliances off it, what can I do? Can you just throw a down bag in the washer and the dryer or will this hopelessly ruin it? What are the options for de-funkifying down stuff?

[Paco]

Burn it!!!

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

REI and Nikwax both have down washing products, and washing stuff seems to be a proven de-stanking method. Be sure to use a front-loading washer, though (visit a laundromat if you ain't got one), unless you want to rip all the baffles out of the bag. Once it's done with the first wash, leave it in the washer and run another full cycle with no soap to get all the residual soap out from the first wash. Then it's into the dryer (again, the laundromat is your best bet, as the bag needs room to tumble). Down, as you're probably aware, takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r to dry, so bring a book. Toss a few tennis balls, balled-up socks, or even some shoes in with your bag (although shoes can purportedly damage the bag as they're a bit heavy and clunky -- your call on that one) to bust up the clumps of wet down and speed up the drying process.

 

Ahh, nice and clean!

[thelawgoddess]

you can totally wash and dry down bags. highly recommended. you might try calling rainy pass for further defunkification strategies if the simple homegrown wash-n-dry doesn't do the job.

 

i've got some matches if you're up for the burning method, though!

[Minus]

All the above is good advice, but would add that washing it in a liner bag or large cotton bag thing so that when you come to take it out of the washing machine to put it in the dryer, you don't touch the sleeping bag/down. I've heard from various sources that you can damage the down/get down stuck together, and then even the tennis ball trick won't stop it being clumpy.

[allison]

I've written some articles about gear maintenance and repair, and am very close to someone involved in the manufacture of down sleeping bags.

 

Don't bother spending $$ on fancy down soaps. The down mfrs recommend our good friend Woolite.

 

Front loader, the biggest one they've got, extra rinse cycle, that is all good. Also the tennis ball/tennis shoe dryer thing does no good and is just plain hard on your sleeping bag.

 

Down sweaters and pillows can be safely done in a top-loader.

 

I consider the REI repair department to be every bit as good as Rainy Pass. When faced with repair problems I couldn't or wouldn't conquer, they have done great work on my gear.

[allthumbs]

Just out of curiosity, could I take my Feathered Friends jacket back to them and pay them to clean it? Might be worth $$ it so I don't have to mess around doing it.

[RedMonk]

woolite in the bathtub works great! jsut add some woolite to some bathwater and massage the down...then...drain the tub and fill with clean water and amssage the soap out till the water is clear...then dry and call it good...dont air dry though as it takes so long to dry that it will get mildew...good luck...

[snoboy]

Good advice, one thing to add -

 

When the bag is sopping wet, as it will be coming out of the bath, be very careful picking it up, as the weight of the wet down can tear out the baffles. Make sure you get under the whole thing.

[freeclimb9]

Febreze is the shizzy foshizzy

[T-Bag_Balzac]

Once you've farted in a bag that much, you'll never get the stank out of it. Throw it in the dumpster.

[allthumbs]

You know, I've never farted. Does it hurt?

[thelawgoddess]

no. it usually feels good.

[forrest_m]

feathered friends does a good job on washing, but it can take quite a while. on the plus side, if the gore-tex delaminates in the wash, you might just get a new jacket...

 

for the DYI, i second the recommendation about putting the bag/jacket/whatever through the washer a second time without soap so that it rinses really well and gets all the soap out of the down. soap residue is a major cause of clumps! also, if it's a gore-tex/dryloft/whatever bag, turn it inside out so that the water can escape through the non-waterproof fabric more easily in the spin cycle.

[Ade]

Feathered Friends will only wash their own down bags, or at least that's what they told me when I asked. Rainy Pass Repair were the people they recommended for washing "other" down bags.

[allthumbs]

Works for me, as I have their bag and their coat. Hell, they should give me a commission check for tooting their horn.

[allison]

I gotta ask you guys, is going to the laundromat too scary or what? The method is straightforward, the materials are readily available, and with multiple washers at hand, one can wash more than one bag at a time. People, it's easy! Been washing my own down gear in big washing machines for years with nary a problem.

[allthumbs]

If I'm real nice will you wash mine?