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Quilt Care Instructions

Quilt Care & Maintenance

It is very important to care for and maintain your Hammock Gear quilts, to ensure they will maintain their temperature rating for many years to come.  The information below will help you to keep them clean and instruct you on proper use, storage, and how to wash a down quilt. 

Cleaning

It is very important that you NEVER dry clean your Hammock Gear quilts.  Dry cleaning strips goose down of its natural, protective oils and clogs the pores of most technical fabrics.  Cleaning down products is a tedious process and requires a significant amount of time and dedicated effort to protect the internal baffling system, as well as, ensure even down distribution.  We only recommend washing your quilt, when absolutely necessary.  If someone else is washing your gear,  make sure they understand the importance of using the appropriate methods.  

Small Stains

  1. Use any mild, non-detergent soap

  2. Shift the down away from the soiled area and, using a clean cloth saturated with soapy water, gently scrub the stain until it fades or is gone

  3. Remove the soap residue with a clean, damp cloth

  4. Be sure the area is dry before it is returned to storage  

Hand Washing (Preferred / Safer Method) 

  1. Fill a bathtub with cold water

  2. To minimize down migration, locate the horizontal chambers of your top quilt.  There should be 2 areas featuring horizontal chambers on your Burrow: one is above and the other is below the vertically baffled torso section.  To stabilize those areas, loosely tie a string around your quilt.  The string should NOT contain any sharp plastic or metal pieces and should also be a diameter of .25" or greater (similar to a shoe lace). This string is only intended to be utilized while hand washing the should be removed after pressing out excess water prior to drying (step 6).

  3. Follow the directions on recommended cleaning products such as Granger's Down Wash, McNett ReviveX Down Cleaner, Nikwax Down Wash, and “Zero” by Woolite. They are formulated to clean and restore the loft to your quilt while preserving the natural oils in goose down.

  4. Gently work the water and recommended amount of detergent into the quilt with a kneading motion.  Lightly press on the quilt to remove as much air as possible. Let it soak for 20 minutes.  Then, repeat this agitation process.

  5. Drain the bathtub and gently rinse any remaining detergent with warm (NOT HOT) water by using the same kneading motion above.  Continue this process until there are no more soap bubbles and the water runs clear.

  6. While the quilt is still in the bathtub, press out as much water as possible. NEVER wring the quilt out. If a string was utilized to minimize down migration between vertical and horizonal chambers, remove it.

  7. At this point it is crucial that you handle your now heavier, wet, and more delicate quilt CAREFULLY.  When removing the quilt from the bathtub, cradle the entire quilt while lifting, as opposed to pulling. This will help to avoid tearing of the baffling material.  NEVER wring the quilt out.  

Machine Washing

  1. NEVER use a top-loading washer with an agitator as they are likely to damage your quilt. Use only a front loading washing machine...the bigger the better
  2. To minimize down migration, locate the chambers of your top quilt which change from horizontal to vertical.  There should be 2 areas on your Burrow: just below the top horizontal chamber and just above the footbox.  To isolate those areas, loosely tie a string around your quilt and keep it tied until the quilt is done tumble drying.  The string should NOT be synthetic material and should also be a diameter of .25" or greater. Cotton clothesline rope is recommended. 
  3. Follow the directions on recommended cleaning products such as Granger's Down Wash, McNett ReviveX Down Cleaner, Nikwax Down Wash, and “Zero” by Woolite. They are formulated to clean and restore the loft to your quilt while preserving the natural oils in goose down
  4. Never use bleach (or bleach alternative) or fabric softener during any part of the cleaning process
  5. Use the Gentle, cold water cycle, using a cold water rinse
  6. To eliminate any residual soap, complete a second cycle with water only.
  7. Use the lowest spin cycle option to eliminate excess water.
  8. At this point it is crucial that you handle your now heavier, wet, and more delicate quilt CAREFULLY.  When removing the quilt from the washing machine, cradle the entire quilt while lifting, as opposed to pulling.  This will help to avoid tearing of the baffling material.  NEVER wring the quilt out.   

Drying via Machine (Only Recommended Method)

This last step of learning how to wash a down quilt is typically the most tedious and time consuming. The more down your quilt has, the longer it is going to take to dry, sometimes a couple of hours or more.  While this step tends to take the longest, it is very important that it is done properly to protect the internal baffling system, as well as, ensure even down distribution.  Cutting corners here will result in a quilt with noticeably less loft or uneven down distribution.  Again, extreme care should be taken during this stage.

  1. Use a front loading dryer (the bigger the better)

  2. If using a public facility, inspect the inside of the machine for anything which might damage your quilt. This includes items left in the dryer or any burrs which could potentially snag your quilt.

  3. At this point it is crucial that you handle your now heavier, wet, and more delicate quilt CAREFULLY.  When removing the quilt from the bathtub or washing machine, cradle the entire quilt while lifting, as opposed to pulling.  This will help to avoid tearing of the baffling material.

  4. If there is an air dry option, this is the preferred method.  If an air dry option is not available, use the lowest heat setting possible.  Confirm that the temperature selector is accurate before use. If the dryer is unfamiliar, your quilt should be checked periodically during the drying process to make sure it is not melting the fabric.

  5. Stop periodically to hand disperse the down throughout the quilt by gently patting it on a flat surface.  Again, be careful when removing the quilt from the dryer.  You may also want to manually pull apart any hard down clusters, to encourage better distribution.  It is important to do it throughout the drying process because the dryer the clumps become, the harder they are to break up.

  6. Depending on the size of the quilt, it will take a number of cycles to complete the drying process.  If the down still smells gamey, the quilt is not yet dry.  

Long Term Storage

Ideally, the quilt should be stored using our provided, cotton storage bag, fully lofted in a clean, dry environment.  Do not store the quilt in the provided stuff sack. The stuff sack is meant for use during hiking/camping trips in which the quilt is likely to be taken out on a nightly basis.   It is important to make sure the quilt is completely dry before it is put away for storage. The preferred method for drying a slightly damp quilt is in the open air (avoid direct sunlight if possible).  If the quilt was exposed to any significant moisture, it should be inspected for any loss of loft that might be the result of clumping.  Refer to the drying instructions above if needed.