Ok! So got responses back from Katabatic and Enlightened Equipment very quickly.
Katabatic seems more stand offish about using anything besides specific down wash.
Enlightened Equipment thinks it will be A' OK!
I like that they recommended down washes I hadn't heard of before. I will do the washing this week and see how it goes. If it doesn't work out I will invest in one of their recommended washes.
Thanks for everyone's help!!
@Ugly - responses below!
(I asked about vinegar or baking soda)
Enlightened Equipment:
Hello Miya,
I talked it over with the team here and the consensus is that neither should damage the down, but thorough rinsing is recommended to ensure you get the residue of baking soda out of the down.
My manager, Dan, also suggested
Revival Odor Eliminator which he says is quite effective. If you want to go for a pro-cleaning, we recommend
Tersus Cleaning Solutions which has a solid reputation and works with our products and other established brands.
I hope that helps you get the funk out!
Colton
Customer Service Specialist
Enlightened Equipment
Katabatic:
Good Morning Miya,
Ahh, yes. The hiker funk. We’ve all been there. I’m afraid we steer folks away from vinegar and baking soda as we fear they might cause damage to the down, fabrics, or DWR. Here are a bunch of other tips for you though:
Washing by hand in the tub might give all the fabric and down more thorough attention, and you can let it sit/soak for a bit longer than a typical washing machine cycle (agitate, soak, agitate, soak. . .). Also, if you stuff the quilt into the stuff sack first, then pull it out underwater, it helps make sure everything gets wet (instead of floating on top of the water). Since you squeeze all the air out getting it into the stuff sack, it becomes a little sponge-like.
If you’re not into hand washing, giving the quilt a presoak (plain water) before the wash cycle can help ensure that the DownWash is more evenly distributed during the wash cycle. This will help geteverything more thoroughly cleaned.
Hanging it in the sun after it’s dry might do a little to help with the funk.
Finally, our down supplier (Allied) offers a detergent that has a bit of a scent. I personally think it is kind of piney. A few of us here have used it on smaller gear (down jackets) and haven’t found it too overpowering once rinsed and dried. However, if you hike in bear country, some folks even avoid scented laundry and toiletries, as it’s been said that those scents can attract bears. I’m not a pro in that department, but if you want something with a slight smell,
here’s a link to that Allied down wash.
Hope one (or more) of these options does the trick for you! Washing down gear is a big task, so I admire your persistence. Best of luck!
Kindly,
Kris Diers
(She/Her/Hers)
719-207-4552
info@katabaticgear.com