I know I am brand new to disc golf but am not brand new at all to washing bags such as this. As a cyclist who commutes to and from work a lot and who has ridden close to 30,000 miles between at least three bikes in the past almost 25 years and has used various types of nylon bags made from the same materials as disc golf bags I have learned several things about taking care of them.
First these are mostly nylon canvas material bags, usually with either a nylon or metal zipper. Some bags have a stiffener piece or pieces in them to help create and keep a shape, some even have a frame. These materials are usually hard nylon or plastic materials. Some bags may have plastic buckles and nylon canvas straps and some may have metal hardware such as nuts and bolts. While some may have padded straps made from a foam material.
The one thing they all have in common is they all get dirty and need to be laundered from time to time.
Washing:
1. Open all zippers and leave all straps with buckles unconnected.
2. Remove any stiffener piece, hard frame or foam padding material that is mean to be removed with out cutting seams. Some of these are held in with zippered or Velcro closures.
3. Make sure the bag is empty of all contents.
4. A front load washer is recommended over a top load with the spindle. Straps and things like that can get caught and wrapped around the spindle.
5. DO NOT USE bleach.
6. Use liquid laundry detergent, it rinses better than powder.
7. Do not wash anything else with the bag.
8. Wash on cold water.
9. Do not use fabric softener.
10. Wash on regular cycle for colors.
11. DO NOT dry the bag in a dryer. Hang it to dry. Because these bags are made of synthetic material they will dry very quickly compared to cotton based materials.
12. Ask your wife, mother or S.O., especially if it is her washer, before you wash the bag because it will make a heck of a racket, but will not cause any damage, while tumbling around inside the drum.
I have been riding a recumbent for 15 years. It has a steel seat frame and a rear rack. The types of bags I use on this bike are: a Camel Bak pack, a seat frame bag and a pair of saddle bags. They all get dirty through out the year where I have to wash them. With the exception of the Camel Bak pack, I am still using the same bags I have for the past 15 years. The two biggest things that soil these bags are my own perspiration soaking into the seat bag and road grime that sprays onto the saddle bags, Camel Bak pack and seat frame bag.
I am looking at investing a good disc golf bag in the future. I always look at the materials the bag is made from. The bags I have checked tells me washing a disc golf bag in the washer should be no problem when necessary.
. The outside could use a good cleaning as well.
