Children’s sleeping bag: should you buy a used sleeping bag?

If you’ve been thinking about saving some money and want to buy a used sleeping bag for your daughter or son, you might want to reconsider. Although it sounds like a good idea, you may be putting your child at risk for all sorts of germs and organisms, among other things, that they can pick up from a sleeping bag.

The only time I can think of that would be an exception would be when one is passed down from an older brother or sister. Chances are the child has already been exposed to the same bacteria, viruses and other germs as the brother or sister, so you shouldn’t be too concerned and you know where the bag has been, although a new sleeping bag would be better .

So what could be the concern for a used sleeping bag? There may be a previous mold or mildew exposure that has been treated that you cannot see. You don’t know where the bag has been and what it has picked up. You don’t know if it’s been sitting on a moldy foundation, left outside, or in the trunk of a car.

Perhaps the bag has been cleaned at a dry cleaner. There may be residue in the bag that you cannot see or smell and that your child will breathe in. With your face so close to the bag liner, you’d get a big smell of chemical residue.

There are likely to be germ-like bacteria, and possibly viruses, still present in the bag. These may be new ones that your child has not been exposed to. Some bacteria can live for a long time. The added fact that you can’t see them doesn’t help.

What about dust moths? Dust mites would love the environment of the bag. If the bag has been used a lot around the house during the summer or other times, chances are it has picked up some dust mites somewhere. Dust mites leave droppings that cannot be seen. And many children are allergic to dust mite droppings. They are difficult to remove because they require very hot water to kill them. And the bags are rarely, if ever, washed.

No matter how clean or good the bag looks, there are bound to be some problems that cannot be seen with the human eye. Play it safe and buy a new kids sleeping bag. They are relatively inexpensive and you can find many good sleeping bags for less than $20.