Hi ACC’ers
I’ve got a few sleeping bags on the squadron. I’m trying to get sorted with a cleaning and recording plan, as several of my cadets can’t afford a sleeping bag for events.
The nearer style ones are fairly easy, warm wash, air dry, etc.
What about the likes of the old style ones, like the 58 Pattern sleeping bags, as I have a few of them.
Tornado
In a sqn I knew they Had the sleeping bags properly laundered once a year but they had the cadets use sleeping bag liners and they were washed after every use…
I don’t know too much about the hygiene of using the liners but if you think it’s ok it’s a thought 
If you have a lot of 58 pattern, put one through the wash to see what happens, that way you’ll only loose one, can’t imagine they’ll get destroyed by the machine on a low spin/no spin
Whats the reason for wanting a maintenance plan, don’t you just have them available for the cadets to use as required?
I’ve got a 58 bag and when I’ve washed it, it’s been in the bath a little more than hand hot with soap flakes, a few rinses and then out in the garden to dry. Never been too sure about putting it a washing machine.
If memory serves, '58 bags contain a down filling. May be worth googling cleaning down bags.
The '58 pattern (or any Down bag) bags can be washed, ideally in a big commercial washing machine, with something like Nikwax Down Wash. They then need to be tumble dried.
Wash and dry them, then buy some cotton sleeping bag liners and make people use them. The liners can be washed as easily as any other cotton and stop the bag itself getting dirty.
I would advise doing a test one first just to check.
Other than that, use a hot, dry day to dry them out on a washing line and be liberal with the fabreeze spray.
Liners are the way forward - much, much easier to launder!
A few years ago we used to borrow 58 pattern sleeping bags from the Army Loan Pool Stores.
When returning them I was required to sign a certificate that they had all been laundered…
I too have heard a “laundromat” style cleaning is recommended for sleeping bags…