UKH

My Rab Ladakh is in need of a clean. Left a couple of messages on Franklin's voicemail with no response. Website now only mentions carpet and upholstery cleaning. Anyone know? 

I used Elite Cleaning services last year, good fast service, never tried Franklin's so can't compare. 

Franklin’s haven’t been in business for quite a while. The cleaning was actually done by Elite in Rotherham who bought the kit when Franklin’s closed shop. I had a down jacket cleaned by them and they did a great job but it was a long time ago.

http://www.elitecleaningandaftercare.co.uk/

I occasionally put my Rab 900 down bag in the washing machine with a mild hand wash liquid. 

Followed by the tumble dryer. 

Comes up perfectly and its almost 30 years old. Had it down to minus temperatures, no problem. 

I was sad to see Franklin's close a few years ago (it was very convenient!) but Elite did a great job for me with a down jacket.

Thanks, I'll get in touch with them.

Thanks for the recommendation. Elite is much closer to me now, so will give them a try.

I have two "Daimor Monch" down bags bought in 1980. Both are still in use, but are 2 season rather than the 3-4 season bags they were when new!

I've washed them by hand several times over the years (never risked a machine) but both the washing and the drying were such a faff, even with a tumble dryer. Hours in the dryer on low, and even with two tennis balls in there I still needed to spend a long time "unclumping" the down through by hand. 

I thought I'd check out commercial cleaners and if the price isn't too steep, pay for someone else to take on the hassle!

I had my ME Snowline bag washed by Mountaineering Designs who also replaced the damaged down - its now as warm as when new although its 40 years old.

These guys do a good job: https://rab.equipment/uk/rab-wash

I've only ever washed sleeping bags at my mum and dad's as they have a tumble dryer and we never have. But I've done a bunch of sleeping bags old and quite new down the year. I've always used Nikwax down wash and been really happy with the results. Nice clean, sweet smelling bag and no perceptible change in performance. If you've got a a dryer, I wouldn't be worried about DIYing it! 

Do you use tennis balls in the dryer with the bags Toby, or just bung it in and switch on?

I have put something in each time I think. Tennis balls if I can find them, a couple of light shoes (Crocs or clean trainers) has worked fine.

The bag does look a disaster when you first take it out, of the machine, but not that long in the dryer and all the loft starts coming back. I think sometimes they are more loftier after a wash than before, I've washed down jackets the same way as well - my old TNF Nuptse looked great after a wash - but it had probably been 15 years of regular use before I washed it!

They were a bloody nightmare when we used them recently!

Me too! Mine's now good for another 40 years, which is probably more than I am.

Same here took my 20 year old rab bag to them on a trip to the Lakes - posted back to me a few days later and it looked brand new 

Thanks Toby! I don't have a tumble dryer myself, but there's a launderette just up the road which I can use. Do you tumble for a long time on a coolish setting, or will they take a reasonably high temp? I would have thought long and coolish?

I can't honestly remember. I think I was following instruction, probably on the Nikwax downwash bottle? Rab or ME might have instructions on their websites somewhere also. Good luck! 

BTW we stopped in Glossop on the way home from Manchester last weekend and went for a meal in the Sri Lankan restaurant. I don't know anything about Sri Lankan food but I enjoyed whatever it was that I bought!