It is imperative to occasionally wash your backpack, whether it is for work or school.
Backpacks are an indispensable item for individuals who are constantly on the go, whether they are traveling abroad or for work or education. It’s simple to carry all of your necessities with you wherever you go when you wear a backpack, but it will eventually get dirty the more you use it.
Maintaining your backpack’s cleanliness is crucial to extending its life and making it your constant companion. It is simple to give your backpack a complete, deep clean, regardless of how filthy it may be. To find out how to wash a backpack and maintain its cleanliness in between washes, we consulted laundry professionals.
Materials You’ll Require
- Detergent for laundry
- Machine for washing
- Stain remover safe for colors
- Mesh washing bag with extra capacity
- Rack for drying
- (Optional) Bleach
- Cup for measuring (optional)
- An optional extra-large plastic dishpan
- (Optional) Plastic gloves
How to Clean a Backpack in a Machine
Are you prepared to run your backpack through the washing machine?
Verify the care label to see if your backpack can be machine-washed and for specific care recommendations.
Open the bag and take out all of the pockets, both inside and outside.
Apply liquid color-safe stain remover straight to any stains to pretreat them. Wait ten minutes before washing.
After putting the backpack into a mesh washing bag, zip the bag shut.
Choose the gentle cycle, warm water, and a high-quality detergent for washing the backpack in the machine.
The backpack should be taken out of the mesh laundry bag and hung upside down to dry naturally.
How to Thoroughly Clean a Backpack
Take extra care to give your bag a thorough cleaning if you detect any signs of mold or mildew. Don’t forget to have your backpack ready for a thorough cleaning. Don’t forget to take everything out of the pockets and take off any tags or other accessories you might have fastened to the bag.
To find out detailed care instructions and to confirm that your backpack is machine-washable, check the care label.
Open the bag and take out all of the pockets, both inside and outside.
Check if the bag is colorfast to bleach (if it’s any color other than white and made of nylon, it’s probably still colorfast, but it’s always a good idea to double check).
In a plastic dishpan, mix the bleach and water solution using 1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water.
Put the backpack in the bleach and water solution while wearing gloves. After ten minutes, wait and then remove the soaking solution.
After putting the backpack into the mesh laundry bag, zip the bag shut.
Choose the gentle cycle, warm water, and a high-quality detergent for the machine wash of the backpack. Then, fill the bleach dispenser to the brim with bleach.
After taking the backpack out of the mesh laundry bag, hang it upside down with the zippers open to air dry.
How to Clean a Backpack by Hand
Is there not a washing machine available? Not an issue. If you don’t have access to a clothes washer, pre-soaking a backpack in bleach is a good idea. By soaking your backpack ahead of time, you may let the detergent do its job without causing as much agitation as a washing machine.
To find out the precise care recommendations, consult the label.
Open the bag and take out all of the pockets, both inside and outside.
Check if the bag is colorfast to bleach (if it’s any color other than white and made of nylon, it’s probably still colorfast, but it’s always a good idea to double check).
In a plastic dishpan, mix the bleach and water solution using 1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water.
Put the backpack in the bleach and water solution while wearing gloves. After ten minutes, wait and then remove the soaking solution.
Pour fresh hot water into the dishpan and add a tsp of washing detergent. After submerging the backpack in the detergent mixture, swish the bag to distribute the solution into nooks and crannies.
Rinse well, working the rinse water into each compartment once more, until there are no more suds in the water.
With the zippers open, hang the bag upside down to air dry.
How Often Should Your Backpack Be Laundered?
The amount of time and place you spend using your backpack will determine how frequently you should wash it. Clean your backpack once a semester, but if it rides in a car to work or school, is stored properly when not in use, and is cleaned out completely at the end of each day, it might not require as much cleaning.
On the other hand, your backpack needs to be cleaned more frequently if it goes with you everywhere—including the bus, train, and subway—and if it holds food or snacks that aren’t always cleared out at the end of the day. It should also be cleaned more frequently if it goes with you into numerous offices, classrooms, and even the restroom. If so, you might want to think about giving your backpack a thorough cleaning once a month.
How to Maintain a Clean Backpack
Taking good care of your backpack on a daily basis might help you go longer between washings. You may keep your backpack cleaner for longer and avoid mildew and mold by presoaking it and giving it a bleach wash. In between washes, use disinfectant wipes to remove dirt and crumbs from inside the compartments’ corners and fissures.
Take quick care of any little stains or spots that you find. You can use a laundry detergent and water solution as a spot treatment. After the dirt has been removed, gently wipe the affected areas again with a towel soaked in clean water to get rid of any detergent residue on the fabric.
For further durability, you can go one step further and give your backpack a waterproofing spray. When applying special finishes, such as waterproofing spray, wait until your bag has completely dried before applying.