Cleaning a sleeping bag?

[BethnalGreenBelle]

Hello there
I need to clean a sleeping bag - the instructions say hand wash only. Has any tried this in a machine? Did it work?
Thanks
BGB

Yep, chuck in machine at 30 on quickest wash (ours does a 30 min was). It also does a hand wash cycle but it takes forever so I reckon the quick 30 degrees is better!
I've done all our hand wash only stuff this way!

Def be okay on a 30 cycle with liquid detergent. Do it on a delicate cycle if you are worried.

It depends on what it is made from. I throw my polyester in the machine and then hang it up to dry (there should be some loops for this on the bottom end).

If it has a silk liner or is filled with down you could hand wash or maybe use a gentle cycle on the machine.

Is it a down filled sleeping bag? If it is then I'm not sure I'd try to wash it myself at all.

If it isn't then yes you should just be able to put it in a washing machine, but use a huge one at a laundrette, it will be too big for a domestic machine. It will of course fit in a domestic machine because sleeping bags are designed to compress for storage, but it could damage the machine and won't get all that clean because it won't be able to move around.

I've regularly washed several polyester-filled sleeping bags in big laundrette machines and they come out fine. I'm pretty sure they all said machine wash on the label though.

If it's a synthetic filling it should be fine on a gentle cycle in the machine. If it's down then best to hand wash as the down gets heavy when wet and can rip through the lining. If you have a bath, fill with lukewarm soapy water and gently squeeze, then repeat several times with clean water to rinse. Squeeze water out gently, supporting the weight carefully then tumble dry on low, preferably in a big commercial drier to refluff.

Thanks for your great tips. I'm not sure what the bag is made of - will check when I get home.
Thanks again - a great start for me on Mumsnet!

BGB