Re: [Paddlewise] How to clean tents and sleeping bags?

From: "PeterO" <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au>

> Can anyone advise on how to clean tents made of synthetic material and how
> often? I've been using a vacuum cleaner up to now. Likewise how to clean a
> sleeping bag - or should I send it to a dry cleaners? The tent is made by
> MacPac and the sleeping bag is filled with feather down. They both get aired
> properly and seem reasonable after several weeks of camping. But
> housekeeping guilt is setting in, making me feel that more should be done.

I'll take the opposite tack from Niels - I think you should feel comportable cleaning 
the tent and sleeping bag.

The tent is probably just nylon possibly with a polyester fly.  You can use any mild
detergent and a rag, sponge or, for tough spots, a soft brush.  I often shake the
loose stuff out or off of the tent and occasionally lie it on the lawn and hose it down.
That takes off most of the dirt, including the bird stuff.  I've only taken soap to a 
tent a couple of times - the few-times-a-year hosing seems to solve most of the
problems.  The side you need to clean the most is the side that's not coated, so
you don't have to worry about damaging that.  The exception is the inside floor.
For that I'd suggest not attacking it to roughly.  If the fly loses its water resistance
on the surface (i.e. water soaks into the fabric easily), you can spray it with a 
coating like Scotchgard or Nikwax spray to redo the dwr (durable water repellancy).

Down sleeping bags should be washed as infrequently as possible, since the down 
will eventually lose its natural oil coating from repeated washing.  It is best to use a 
mild soap - a product specifically formulated for down (like Nikwax Down Wash), is
ideal.  This should be available from a good outdoor gear shop.  Wash it in the 
bathtub by hand.  Rinse it until you would drink the rinse water (i.e _no_ soap residue)
and hang to dry.  

You could machine wash and dry if you have a front load washer (i.e. no central agitator)
and a large drier with a low heat setting.  Some people take sleeping bags to a laundromat
since they often have those types of machines.  Amie and I bought a front loader and fancy 
drier specifically with sleeping bags in mind (at least, that was _my_ motivation).

The old advise is to use a clean running shoe or tennis ball in the drier to fluff up the bag while
drying.  Mountain Equipment Coop now advises against that, saying that it doesn't do much except
stress the fabric unnecessarily.  The normal tumbling will do all you need.

Mike


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