Washing, Drying, and Storage

Proper maintenance is essential to keep your sleeping bag warm and comfortable.

When oils from the skin, sweat, and other dirt adhere to the insulation inside a sleeping bag, the insulation loses its ability to trap air. As a result, the sleeping bag’s heat-retention performance decreases.

If the entire sleeping bag is dirty, or if it has lost loft and no longer feels as warm as when it was new, it should be washed. You may ask a professional cleaner to do this, but spot cleaning and full washing can also be done at home.

Before washing at home, always check the care label.
If you ask a cleaning shop to clean it, be sure to tell them whether the insulation is down or synthetic fiber.

Preparation Before Washing

Detergent

Do not use ordinary household laundry detergent for down products. Regular detergents may damage the protein structure of down and reduce its heat-retention performance.

Use a detergent specifically designed for down products.

O.D. Maintenance Down Cleaner

This is a neutral detergent that does not damage the fabric or the down. It removes sweat, skin oils, and other dirt absorbed into the down, helping restore the loft and the natural warmth of the down.

It can also be used for synthetic-insulated sleeping bags.

Spot Cleaning

For heavily soiled areas, spot cleaning before full washing is effective.

Dissolve down cleaner in water, soak a sponge or towel with the solution, and gently wipe the dirty area as if rubbing off the stain.

For stubborn oil stains that do not come off, wiping with a towel soaked in benzine may be effective.

Also check the sleeping bag for tears or damage before washing. If there are any torn areas, repair is necessary. Montbell recommends using its repair service.

Care Instructions for Down Sleeping Bags

Montbell down sleeping bags are divided into two main types:

1. Seamless Series
   Models without internal baffles, using the Spider Baffle System.
2. Down Hugger Series
   Models with internal baffles.

The care method differs slightly depending on the structure. You can identify whether a sleeping bag has baffles by checking whether there are quilting seams on the surface.

Washing Seamless Down Hugger Sleeping Bags

Important Note

The Seamless Down Hugger series has no internal baffles. This gives it excellent airtightness and insulation, but when the down absorbs water during washing, it becomes heavy and may shift inside the sleeping bag.

To prevent internal damage, always wash it inside the dedicated storage bag.

Do not lift the sleeping bag while it contains a large amount of water, and do not pull on only one part of it.

Step 1: Place It in the Storage Bag

For the waterproof Dry Seamless Down Hugger series, turn the sleeping bag inside out before washing because it has a waterproof membrane.

Make sure the zipper is fully closed. Fold the sleeping bag lightly and place it inside the included dedicated storage bag.

A. Hand Washing

Step 2: Soak in Lukewarm Water

Fill a bathtub or large washbasin with lukewarm water below 40°C, then add detergent.

Fold the sleeping bag lightly, press out the air, and soak it in the water.

Step 3: Washing and Rinsing

Gently step on the sleeping bag with your feet to wash it. Dirt will come out and the water will gradually become cloudy.

After washing all areas evenly, begin rinsing.

Slowly tilt the washbasin or drain the bathtub and allow the water inside the sleeping bag to drain naturally. Then lightly roll up the sleeping bag and press out the remaining water.

Soak it again in clean water and repeat the same process until the water is no longer cloudy.

Step 4: Removing Water

Do not wring the sleeping bag, as this can damage the down.

Instead, press down from above to push out the water. Once some water has been removed, place the sleeping bag between bath towels and press to absorb the remaining moisture.

Then proceed to drying.

B. Machine Washing

Sleeping bags with a care label indicating machine washing can be washed at home using a front-loading drum washing machine.

Check the care label inside the product.

Do not use a top-loading washing machine.

Also check your washing machine’s instruction manual, as some machines may not be suitable for washing sleeping bags.

Step 2: Washing and Rinsing

Add down cleaner according to the amount of water and wash using a gentle water flow.

Rinse thoroughly at least twice to ensure no detergent remains. If rinsing is insufficient, detergent residue may prevent the down from regaining its original loft.

Step 3: Spin-Drying

Before drying, keep the sleeping bag in the laundry/storage bag and spin-dry it in a drum washing machine for about five minutes.

Step 5: Drying

Dry the sleeping bag in a dryer set to low heat.

If you do not have a dryer or washer-dryer at home, use a dryer at a nearby laundromat.

When placing it in the dryer, do not remove it from the storage bag at first.

Drying time varies greatly depending on the dryer’s performance and the amount of down. Take it out several times during drying to check the condition. Do not over-dry it.

Each time you check it, gently pat the sleeping bag with both hands. This helps loosen the down inside and prevents uneven distribution.

When the sleeping bag is about 80% dry, remove it from the laundry/storage bag. Open the zipper, spread the sleeping bag evenly inside the dryer drum, and dry it again.

Even if the surface down appears dry, the inside may still be damp. As a final step, dry it for several days in a shaded, well-ventilated area until all moisture is gone.

After drying, gently pat the entire sleeping bag to loosen any unevenly distributed down.

Dry it in the shade to avoid UV damage to the outer fabric.

Storage After Drying

After drying, do not store the sleeping bag in the included stuff sack for long periods.

Instead, place it loosely in the storage bag so that the down does not become compressed.

Store it in a cool, dry place, away from high temperature and humidity.

Washing Down Hugger Sleeping Bags

Step 1: Soak in Lukewarm Water

Fill a bathtub or large washbasin with lukewarm water below 40°C and add detergent.

Close the sleeping bag zipper completely. Fold the sleeping bag lightly, press out the air, and soak it in the water.

Washing with the zipper or Velcro open may damage the fabric.

Step 2: Washing and Rinsing

Gently step on the sleeping bag with your feet to wash it. Dirt will come out and the water will gradually become cloudy.

After washing all areas evenly, rinse thoroughly.

Drain the water slowly and allow the water inside the sleeping bag to come out naturally. Then lightly roll the sleeping bag and press out the remaining water.

Soak it again in clean water and repeat until the rinse water stays clear.

Step 3: Removing Water

Do not wring the sleeping bag because this may damage the down.

Press down from above to push out water. Once some water has been removed, place the sleeping bag between bath towels and press to absorb moisture.

Step 4: Drying

Dry it in a dryer set to low heat.

If you do not have a dryer or washer-dryer at home, use a dryer at a nearby laundromat.

Drying time varies depending on dryer performance and the amount of down. Remove it several times during drying to check the condition. Avoid over-drying.

When checking, gently pat the sleeping bag with both hands to loosen the down and prevent uneven distribution.

Even if the surface appears dry, the inside may still be damp. As a final step, dry it for about one week in a shaded, well-ventilated area.

After drying, gently pat the entire sleeping bag to loosen unevenly distributed down.

Dry it in the shade to prevent UV damage to the outer fabric.

If areas such as the inside around the neck or the draft tube near the zipper are difficult to dry, turn the sleeping bag inside out while drying in the dryer.

Care Instructions for Synthetic-Insulated Sleeping Bags

A. Hand Washing

Step 1: Washing and Rinsing

Fill a bathtub or large washbasin with lukewarm water below 40°C and add detergent.

Close the zipper completely. Fold the sleeping bag lightly, press out the air, and soak it in the water.

Gently step on it with your feet to wash. Dirt will come out and the water will gradually become cloudy.

After washing evenly, rinse thoroughly.

Drain the water slowly and allow the water inside the sleeping bag to come out naturally. Then lightly roll up the sleeping bag and press out the remaining water.

Soak it again in clean water and repeat until the water is no longer cloudy.

Step 2: Removing Water

Press down from above to push out water. Once some moisture has been removed, place the sleeping bag between bath towels and press to absorb the remaining water.

Then proceed to drying.

B. Machine Washing

Sleeping bags with a care label indicating machine washing can be washed at home using a front-loading drum washing machine.

Check the care label inside the product.

Do not use a top-loading washing machine.

Also check your washing machine’s instruction manual, as some machines may not allow washing sleeping bags.

Step 1: Washing and Rinsing

Close the zipper, fold the sleeping bag lightly, and place it in the drum washing machine together with detergent.

Rinse thoroughly, for example by setting the machine to rinse twice.

If rinsing is insufficient, detergent residue may remain and prevent the synthetic insulation from regaining its original loft.

Step 2: Spin-Drying

Place the product evenly inside the drum washing machine and spin-dry for about five minutes.

Step 3: Drying

After washing, dry the sleeping bag slowly and completely in a shaded, well-ventilated area.

Lay it flat on a breathable surface such as a wooden slatted mat or mesh screen, or hang it after shaping it properly.

It may take a long time to dry completely. Depending on temperature and humidity, it may take more than one week.

Once completely dry, gently pat the entire sleeping bag to loosen any unevenly distributed synthetic insulation.

Dry it in the shade to avoid UV damage to the outer fabric.

Do not use a dryer, as it may damage the synthetic insulation inside.

Water-Repellent Treatment

Water repellency helps prevent the fabric from absorbing water and helps reduce loss of down loft caused by moisture. It also helps prevent dirt from sticking to the fabric.

However, water-repellent performance naturally decreases through friction during use and repeated washing. Therefore, it should be restored periodically using a water-repellent treatment.

If washing does not restore water repellency, it is time to apply a water-repellent treatment.

Montbell’s water-repellent treatments are PFAS-free and environmentally friendly.

Liquid Spray Type

This spray-type water repellent allows easy and strong water-repellent treatment.

Apply it after washing and before tumble drying.

Aerosol Spray Type

This type works simply by spraying.

After the sleeping bag has dried, spray it evenly over the entire surface and leave it in a well-ventilated area for about one day.

Storage Method

Store the sleeping bag in a large, breathable bag without compressing it.

Keep it in a low-humidity place.

A storage bag for long-term storage helps prevent loss of loft recovery. Montbell offers breathable mesh-type storage bags and taffeta-type storage bags that help keep out dust.