You have come from a long trek and now you must be wondering how to wash your backpack, especially after all the adventures you have had.
Backpacks are usually designed for carrying gear over long distances. It carries clothes, equipment, medical kits, personal items, and all the basic things you need on a trek. Not to mention, your backpacks go through a series of airport terminals’ checkpoints or train carriers.
Trekking bags are often made from lightweight materials, such as nylon.
Read on how to pick the right trekking poles for you
But what the question arises, how to clean your backpacks?
It seems like yesterday that you bought your backpack, but here you are, and it’s covered in sweat, dirt, and smells like you’ve been living in the rainforest for the last ten years. Yes, it’s time to clean your backpack.
You can take your bag to your local dry cleaner, but that will cost a pretty penny. While that’s a great way to keep your pack clean, it’s not the only way. Because of this, you will want to do the job yourself.
That being said, it’s not hard to clean your backpack. Follow these steps, and you’ll have your backpack looking like new in no time.
Methods on how to wash your backpack
There are basically two ways on how to wash your backpack: Hand-washing and Machine-washing. Let’s get in-depth below:
Method 1: Hand washing your backpack
Step 1: Empty your bag
Take out everything there is inside the bag.
Things that are easy to remove and clean separately are a water bottle, cooking containers, sleeping mat (if it is a self-inflating or foam mat that is also washable), and rain cover.
You can put other items in a plastic bag to not misplace them.
Check every compartment of the bag, and if you find any dust or crumbs, you can brush it off with a soft brush or a handheld vacuum cleaner.
If there are any threads at the zipping area of the bag, cut them off. If your bag has any detachable pockets or straps, then take it out and clean them separately.
Step 2: Check for instructions on the label
Before starting the washing process, check for care instructions that are on the label of the backpack. Check what the label recommends in terms of washing and drying so that your bag won’t get damaged.
If there isn’t a label then, test a small section of the backpack to see how the bag reacts to the detergents you are about to use.
Step 3: Fill the basin/bowl with lukewarm water
Half-fill the basin/bowl with lukewarm water. Don’t use hot water as it will damage the backpack’s color. Scrub the backpack’s body with a brush or a sponge and focus on the crevice’s as well.
Turn the backpack inside out and wash the insides.
If your backpack has stains, then you can use treatment stain remover by keeping it in the stained area for 30 minutes; avoid bleach.
Step 4: Rinse
After the scrubbing, drain the dirty water. Again, fill the basin/bowl with water and rinse out any detergent or soap from the backpack.
Wring out the backpack and fold it into a large body towel to dry off excess water.
Step 5: Drying your backpack
It is better to dry your bag than on a drying machine.
To naturally dry your backpack, hang it upside down, unzip all the pockets, and let it dry in the sun. Before keeping it inside or using it again, make sure that it is completely dry.
Method 2: Machine washing your backpack
Step 1: Empty your bag
Take out everything that is inside the bag.
Things that are easy to remove and clean separately are a water bottle, cooking containers, sleeping mat (if it is a self-inflating or foam mat that is also washable), and rain cover.
You can put other items in a plastic bag to not misplace them.
Check every compartment of the bag, and if you find any dust or crumbs, you can brush it off with a soft brush or a handheld vacuum cleaner.
If there are any threads at the zipping area of the bag, cut them off. If your bag has any detachable pockets or straps, then take it out and clean them separately.
Step 2: Check for instructions on the label
Before starting the washing process, check for care instructions that are on the label of the backpack. Check what the label recommends in terms of washing and drying so that your bag won’t get damaged.
If there isn’t a label then, test a small section of the backpack to see how the bag reacts to the detergents you are about to use.
Step 3: Remove metal frames
Check for any metal frames before putting them inside the washing machine. Also, check if the straps are removed as they can get caught in the washing machine, which would damage the machine and the backpack.
Step 4: Pretreat the stains
If the backpack has any stains, apply stain remover, use a soft brush or a toothbrush with soft bristles, and let the stain detergent sit for 30 minutes. AVOID USING BLEACH to clean the stained areas.
Rinse away the detergent. It would be best if you cleaned the stains as soon as you wash the detergent off.
Step 5: Washing the backpack
Put the backpack in a pillowcase and place it inside the washing machine. The reason for doing this is to avoid the zippers and straps from getting caught in the machine.
Then apply 1-2 tbsp of detergent and put the machine on a gentle cycle.
Here is an article from the New York Times on the list of best laundry detergents of 2020
Check-in if the backpack has bunched up during the spin cycle. If it has, stop the machine move the bag, and spread it out. Restart the cycle again.
After the cycle is finished, take it out and wipe down the backpack.
Step 6: Drying your backpack
It is better to naturally dry your backpack than dry it on a drying machine.
To naturally dry your backpack, hang it upside down, unzip all the pockets, and let it dry in the sun. Before keeping it inside or using it again, make sure that it is completely dry.
How to wash your backpack: Things to avoid
- Do not use hot water: Hot water will not clean off sebum, dirt, or oil; you need warm water to do that. Hot water will also damage your backpack through deformation, fading, etc.
- Do not use durable Alkali detergent: This detergent is made for delicate fabrics and doesn’t work well on nylon or polyester clothes. It may ruin your backpack if you use it.
- Do not use a washing machine if your backpack is made of nylon: This can cause your bag’s deformation.
- Do not overwash your bag: Every time you wash something, the fibers get damaged. That’s why you should only wash your bag when it’s necessary.
- Do not use the dryer on high: This will automatically wrap your bag and ruin it.
- Do not use detergent with color: Your bag will fade and lose its color.
- Do not leave your bag to dry in direct sunlight: This will cause your bag to fade, get fuzzy, and lose its glow.
- Do not use detergent with fabric softener: Just don’t, this will affect the longevity of your backpack.
- Do not cut the locking system: Doing this will ruin the locks, and you’ll eventually have to replace them with new ones that are exactly like the old ones.
- Do not double-wear your backpack: You’ll have to wash it when you go away again, which will affect your backpack’s longevity.
I hope these tips and tricks made it clear how to wash your backpack properly. If you have any tricks that might come in handy, please feel free to comment down below!
