I’m a dirty traveller a lot of the time. It comes from sleeping in tents, cheap hostels, floors of airports and often having the option of only cold showers. But aside from all this I LOVE a hot shower and I LOVE to keep everything clean. So this week is backpack cleaning time. It’s been a while, believe me. So how do you go about washing your backpack? Here’s what I do.
Tuesday’s Travel Essentials: Washing your backpack
1. Wait until your backpack is really dirty. After a safari, after a hike, after it’s being on numerous buses and your clothes start to smell. After you pick up bed bugs and bites. Once it smells bad – WASH it!
2. Empty your backpack. Take EVERYTHING out of it – including covers, straps that come off, zips that unzip from it etc. Clear it completely.
3. Clean everything that was inside or can be removed from your backpack.
– Put all the clothes in the wash
– Throw plastic bags out (don’t reuse them)
– Wash in the washing machine parts of the backpack which can be washed there (straps, covers etc.)
4. Now to washing your backpack itself. It’s easy and quite satisfying. I love it when I’ve a clean one ready to go!!! Follow these steps:
– Once it’s emptied find an empty bath and drop it in there.
– Squirt the shower on it, really hot and spray all over the backpack for about 20 minutes. All over. Watch as all the dirt drifts down the plughole. Satisfying!
– Apply soap to the backpack and scrub it all over. Go hard on it!!
– Add Savlon and any other strong germ killing liquid you feel fit. Wear gloves if necessary.
– Let it dry in the bath or hang it up in the sun!
It’s time to clean my backpack this week!!
Wait for a day and it’s ready to go again!! Got to love washing your backpack!!
With my endless travel tips and stories, I want to inspire you all to head out there and see the world! Check my advertising page if you have an idea for a product for my Tuesday’s Travel Essentials, and don’t forget I welcome free backpacks and other travel essentials…
Ha, love the details you cover here on the blog! My big backpack doesn’t get used so much as I travel fairly slowly but the smaller one gets thrown in the machine when needed.
Forest Parks recently posted…There’s No Place Quite That’s Home
Hi Forest, thanks for your comment. My bigger backpack is in need of a wash every few months – believe it or not washing it is something I REALLY enjoy!! Honestly – it’s a great feeling watching all that dirt go down a drain somewhere. Hot water and soap are the main things you need. I add Savlon normally too (not even sure why!). All my bags are clean now ready for my next adventure! Safe travels. Jonny