Cleaning Packs, Tents, Sleeping Bags, Pads, Poles and Stoves
Each item has its own logic: hand wash rather than machine, air dry rather than sun, store loose rather than compressed.
Packs get warm water, mild soap and a soft brush, then air dry away from sun. Tents need spot cleaning and must be bone dry before packing, or the coating hydrolyses. Sleeping bags use a dedicated wash, thorough rinsing, and either low tumble with dryer balls or air drying with repeated lofting. Pads are wiped and stored loose or half-inflated. Poles are wiped, not oiled with cooking oil. Stoves are cleaned cold, and canisters are never refilled or heated.
The single rule that prevents most gear death: if it can be hand washed, do not machine wash it; if it can air dry, do not put it in the sun; if it can be stored loose, do not compress it.
Packs
- Empty every pocket, remove the rain cover, bladder and keys, and shake out grit.
- Warm water with a little mild soap and a soft brush — shoulder straps, hip belt, back panel and base. No laundry powder, no fabric softener.
- Rinse thoroughly, then hang or prop it to dry in shade with airflow. Never machine wash, never dry in direct sun.
- Clean zip teeth with an old toothbrush. Run the zip when dry, never force it.
- Bladders and bottles: warm water with bicarbonate or a cleaning tablet, soft brush, rinse fully. Dry completely with the valve open before storage.
Tents
- Shake out mud, sand and leaves. Spot clean with a damp cloth or soft brush and mild soap. Never machine wash.
- Bone dry before packing. Storing damp hydrolyses the coating and grows mildew.
- Dry in shade with airflow; UV ages both nylon and coating.
- Wash the footprint separately. Wipe poles dry, clean the joints of grit, and never use cooking oil.
- Store rolled loosely, not creased in the same fold for months.
Sleeping bags
- Read the care label; down and synthetic differ. Use a dedicated wash, in a front-loader or by hand, on gentle.
- No softener, no bleach, and rinse thoroughly.
- Down: low tumble with dryer balls, or air dry while breaking up clumps repeatedly. It must be completely dry, or it clumps and mildews.
- Synthetic: air or low tumble, never hot.
- Storage: a large breathable cotton sack, loose. Compression is for transport only.
Pads
- Air pads: warm water and mild soap on the surface, clean grit from the valve, never machine wash.
- Dry fully before storage. Most brands recommend storing loose or partly inflated, never compressed long-term.
- Self-inflating pads: valve open, stored flat, so the foam can recover. Avoid heat.
- Repair with the brand's patches. Household glue does not work.
Trekking poles
- Take apart as the brand allows, clear grit from locks and joints, wipe dry.
- Do not spray cooking oil or general-purpose lubricant. Use silicone or dry lubricant, sparingly, as specified.
- Replace worn tips and cracked baskets. Do not force a stuck lock with pliers.
- Store collapsed or loosened, out of a hot car.
Stoves and canisters
- Clean the stove when cold and empty: jet, burner and legs. Do not flush water into the valve.
- Never refill, heat or leave a canister in a hot car. Dispose of empties per local rules.
- Store ventilated, away from flames and children. Never in a tent or a car.
Water filters
- Backflush and disinfect per the brand. Do not wash the cartridge with soap, and protect it from freezing — ice destroys the membrane.
- Dry completely before storage, and follow the maker's long-term storage instructions.