How to Clean Backpacks, Canvas Bags, and Bags Without Ruining Them
Think of all the places you (or your family members) put backpacks and other bags when you’re out and about. During the day, they may have come into contact with the floors of toilets, buses or cars, as well as with shopping carts, counters and other people. In other words, they can get pretty rough.
Here’s how to clean backpacks, canvas bags, and other bags without ruining them.
How to wash a backpack
Before washing a backpack or any other bag, read the manufacturer’s instructions on the label. Generally speaking, most polyester and nylon bags are machine washable (although outdoor clothing retailer REI advise against doing so). But while hand washing may be the safest, not everyone has the time to do so.
Luckily, there are steps you can take to wash your backpack in the car without ruining it. These include :
- Opening and emptying all compartments
- Using an enzymatic stain remover to spot-treat especially dirty parts of the backpack
- Placed in a protective bag for washing
- Wash in cold water on a delicate or gentle cycle.
- Air drying
How to wash canvas and cotton bags
Canvas and cotton bags — like the ones you probably have in your closet or trunk right now — can be machine washed using the same technique described above for backpacks, including air drying. It’s completely normal for bags to get wrinkled after drying . If that bothers you, ironing them will solve it.
How to clean leather bags
Backpacks, bags, and other leather bags are not machine washable, but they are fairly easy to clean . Start by emptying all pockets and using a brush or small vacuum cleaner to get rid of any dirt, crumbs or other debris inside.
Then, wipe the outside of the bag with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Then, clean the outside of the bag with a leather cleaner or a little warm, soapy water. If you choose soapy water, dry the bag immediately with a towel.