Do quilters/crafters reuse the down from old sleeping bags?

[Patrickjd9]

I have a down sleeping bag that is about 15 years old, and I'd like to get rid of it. It was pretty cheap and never very good to start with, but I could deal with its limitations. Even if I could redistribute the down properly, there doesn't seem to be enough of it to fill the baffles. The down is also not treated for water resistance.

Definitely not comfortable with washing it and dropping it off at our local outdoor consignment shop to sell. Would hate for a newbie to believe the temperature rating and take it out in the woods on a 32 degree night.

Before I simply toss it out, do people take sleeping bags and other outdoor items apart to reuse the down? Since a sleeping bag is lightweight, I'd be willing to mail it off.

[Franco]

I have never seen any cottage manufacturer or business doing that but individuals do.
It isn't all that difficult to wash your bag, just use pure soap* (not detergent) and a bathtub. Warm not hot water. Rinse several times and make sure you get most of the water out before you attempt to lift it off the tab. You probably will be surprised at how much more down you will seem to have....
Supermarket, mostly a bar or flakes. Marked Pure Soap regardless of the brand.

[Patrickjd9]

I suspect the bag would take multiple cycles of washing with no soap or detergent at all to begin.

It may get replaced with a synthetic fill bag or quilt to match my synthetic puffy.

[Time Zone]

I suspect the bag would take multiple cycles of washing with no soap or detergent at all to begin.

Not necessarily. Give it a try with some Zote. Costs $1.45 or so at Walmart for a 14-oz bar*, way up from $1.14 a year ago. I found it rinsed very well, 2 rinses was sufficient for me. After squeezing out what water you can, lift very carefully out of the tub so you don't strain the baffles or other stitching. Consider transferring it into a laundry basket nearby. Trigger warning: after that, I put my bag in our top-loading machine and chose the "drain and spin" cycle. There's no agitation involved in that, and it really helps get more water out than you can do yourself by hand. I was willing to chance it on a 15 year old, 600 fill power down bag. You'll have to decide on your own risk tolerance but from what you describe you don't sound too attached to yours either.

After that, it was to the dryer on low with 3 clean tennis balls.

Result: very fluffy sleeping bag!

* you can cut up the rest and use in the shower ... it smells nice (has a bit of citronella oil) and IMO works as well as any bath bar. Mrs. Time Zone prefers the smell of the white bar (vs pink), but both are good IMO.

[Patrickjd9]

I have a top-loading washer with no agitator, and have washed bags without physically damaging them in the past. I tossed the bag in for the longest cycle just now with no soap or detergent to see if there's anything reducing its loft.

[Franco]

Do you wash your bed sheets without soap/detergent?
How often do you wash them ?

[Patrickjd9]

Figured I needed to start with a good rinse of whatever I used that didn't work before going back and washing with soap.

[Traffic Jam]

I have a down sleeping bag that is about 15 years old, and I'd like to get rid of it. It was pretty cheap and never very good to start with, but I could deal with its limitations. Even if I could redistribute the down properly, there doesn't seem to be enough of it to fill the baffles. The down is also not treated for water resistance.

Definitely not comfortable with washing it and dropping it off at our local outdoor consignment shop to sell. Would hate for a newbie to believe the temperature rating and take it out in the woods on a 32 degree night.

Before I simply toss it out, do people take sleeping bags and other outdoor items apart to reuse the down? Since a sleeping bag is lightweight, I'd be willing to mail it off.

Don’t toss it out, that’s wasteful. There’s no reason you can’t donate it to a rescue mission thrift shop. You’re not responsible for how someone uses the bag…they may want it for a summer bag, an emergency bag for their vehicle, or to salvage it. I have used down bags for making skirts.

If you’re really worried about it, offer it on your local freecycle or whatever with a warning about the temp rating.

[Franco]

Figured I needed to start with a good rinse of whatever I used that didn't work before going back and washing with soap.

OK, if you have used detergent (standard laundry washing powder) that does cause the down to clump up, so yes it does take several rinses to get rid of it and then you start again with soap.

[atraildreamer]

I suspect the bag would take multiple cycles of washing with no soap or detergent at all to begin.

It may get replaced with a synthetic fill bag or quilt to match my synthetic puffy.

Ivory Flakes works very well. Use a big front loader washer at the laundromat. Dry in a large front loader dryer at very low heat for a couple of hours. Take it home while still slightly damp and spread it out on the bed to finish air drying.