The Best Luggage Cleaning Tips

Whether you travel often or just once a year it's important to keep your luggage and travel bags clean. Regular cleaning will help to prevent the spread of germs and keep your pieces looking nicer for a longer period of time. We recommend cleaning your luggage 1-2 weeks before traveling and then re-clean them again once you return.

The Best Luggage Cleaning Tips

Soft-Side Luggage:

To remove odors we recommend using household baking soda. Just sprinkle some inside your travel pieces and let it sit for a few hours. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove it.

If you have a plastic or nylon liner inside your suitcases you can wipe them out with a cleaning solution. Fill up a bucket with warm, soapy water. Liquid dish washing soap works wells. Use a cotton cloth and wipe the liner clean with the solution. Go back over it with another cloth that was just rinsed in water. Towel or air dry. If you're really concerned about transporting germs you can wipe out the liner with a disinfecting wipe. Just make sure you go over it again with a damp cloth. Air or towel dry.

Stains can be a big problem. We recommend using a laundry stain removing product. Several companies sell stain remover pens and those work well. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions for use. Don't have one? Use a little bit of liquid soap (dish or hand soap) and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Gently scrub and then rinse with clean water. Use a towel to blot-up excess water and air dry.

A week before traveling we like to give our travel bags a light misting of Lysol disinfectant spray. It will help to kill germs. If odors are a big issue for you...try spraying your bags with a light misting of Febreze (the variety that is specifically made for fabrics). Let air dry.

Hard-Side Luggage:

Fill up a bucket with warm, soapy water (liquid dish soap works well). Use a cotton cloth and wipe down the inside and outside. Go back over all areas with a clean, damp cloth. Towel or air dry.

You don't want to use harsh cleaners, scrub brushes, etc. which can remove the paint and scratch up your finish. If you need to remove scuff marks you can try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Just be gentle, so that you don't cause more damage to your travel bags.

Additional Tips:

Store travel bags in a dry area in your home. Don't store them in a damp basement or in an excessively hot attic. Don't store them in direct sunlight which can cause fading and damage. Keep them stored together when possible to help save space. Never, EVER place moth balls inside your pieces! That's a wive's tale!