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How To Disinfect And Clean Suitcases

How To Disinfect And Clean Suitcase

Your suitcases are your forever travel partner. But do you know they can turn into a home for viruses and bugs if you don’t disinfect and clean them after every trip? Hence, it is crucial to know how to sanitize and clean suitcases properly, and this article will you exactly the same things.

Here is everything you can find here:

How to disinfect suitcases
How to clean suitcase from the inside
How to clean suitcase from the outside
Some tips to take care of suitcases

How To Disinfect Suitcases

We have mentioned three products that will help in disinfecting suitcases. If the exterior of your suitcase has a hard exterior with a shell-like feel (made up of metal or hard plastic) you can apply these products using a wipe, and if the exterior is made up of any fabric, you can spray the following products.

By using commercial disinfectants: You can purchase disinfectant wipes from Dettol, Savlon, etc. online or from your nearest grocery stores. You will easily get Dettol, Savlon and other disinfectants in liquid forms. Fill them in a spray bottle and spray them all over the suitcase.
By using rubbing alcohol: You can find rubbing alcohol online or at your nearest pharmacy stores.Take approx. 60ml of rubbing alcohol and mix 30ml water in it. Now, pour this mixture into a spray bottle if you have to spray it on the suitcase or keep it in a bowl if you have to wipe the surface.
By using hydrogen peroxide: You can purchase hydrogen peroxide from your nearest pharmacy stores or online. Mix 60 ml of both hydrogen peroxide and water in a bowl. Make sure you wear rubber gloves if you are sensitive to chemicals. Leave it in the bowl if you have to wipe the surface or fill it carefully in a spray bottle if you have to spray the mixture on the suitcase.

To know more uses of hydrogen peroxide, you can refer to our article – Everything about using bleach.

While it is easy to spray each of the disinfectants on the suitcase, you might have no clue how to wipe the suitcase with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. You can take microfiber towels (disposable) or paper towels. Dip it in the bowl filled with disinfectants and wipe the surface as usual.

As far as the commercial/store-bought disinfectant wipes are considered, you may have to use multiple sheets as they are often small in size to cover the whole suitcase. In general 7-8 sheets can be used to disinfect a small-size suitcase.

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Caution: Don’t forget to do a patch test

Always use the disinfectant on a hidden area of the suitcase irrespective of the type of material of your suitcase. Leave it for 15-20 minutes. If there is no discolouration or any other adverse effect on the patch-tested area, you can use the disinfectant all over the bag.

All of these products can be used for any kind of suitcase except for leather ones. Just make sure you wipe all the high-touch areas. They are basically any area which directly touches the floors, roads and other external things such as the wheels. The handle and shaft of your suitcase are also high-touch areas.

How To Clean Suitcase From The Inside

Remove everything from your suitcase

Make sure that your suitcase is completely empty before you begin to clean it. Check all the pockets and any removable packets/pouches as well. If your suitcase has some liners or storage pouches/ packets that are detachable, remove them before cleaning.

Vacuum the suitcase from inside

You can remove dirt, dust and small debris by vacuuming the bag from the inside. You can use a standard vacuum with a hose attachment or use a hand vacuum. Do not miss vacuum within different zippers and compartments.

Remove the dirt with a cloth

If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner at home, you can use any piece of cloth to wipe the dirt and dust from the inside of your bag.

Wash the removable pockets/ liners/ linings etc.

You should wash the removable parts like liners, packets, etc. as follows:

Pour 1-2 teaspoons of liquid detergent or liquid dish wash into a bowl full of water.
Dip a soft-bristled small brush in this mixture.
Rub the brush on the liner or pouch in a circular motion gently. Cover smaller sections at a time.
Take a clean microfiber towel and wipe away the residue.
Take another clean cloth and wipe the whole lining or pockets to ensure there is no soapy residue left.
Leave it to air dry for a few hours.

We do not recommend washing a suitcase in machines at home. Because these machines are not made for the purpose of cleaning bags, they don’t have enough space for the bags to move freely. There is a high chance of damaging the bags with machine wash.

Your white and pastel-colour trolly bags need special care.

How To Clean Suitcase From The Outside

Remove dust and dirt from the outside

Remove any debris from the outside of your suitcase by brushing it with a short broom or cleaning brush. If you have soft-bodied bags, you can use a hand vacuum cleaner or the hose attachment for a regular vacuum. If your suitcase has pet hair, lint, or another form of difficult-to-remove debris, remove it using a lint roller.

Get rid of the mud from the suitcase

In case your suitcases have been to a muddy place, you should clean the mud first. Here is what you can do:

If your suitcase is made up of hard material like PET, Aluminium, ABS, Polycarbonate, etc.

You can pour water directly on the mud and scrub it away using a soft-bristled brush. Other than this, you can use throw water with pressure using a pipe so that the pressure can wash away the mud.

If you have a soft side suitcase made up of fabrics like Canvas, Polyester, Nylon, etc.

You can remove the excessive mud carefully using a knife. Then sprinkle some water on the mud. Now, take some paper towels and blot the mud quickly from the bag’s surface. Do not rub or wipe away the mud harshly, it can get absorbed deeply by the fabric leaving a stain behind.

Anything made up of leather needs special care. You can check our article – How to clean leather bags. It will give you a better idea about cleaning leather suitcases. You can also send your leather suitcase to dry cleaners to ensure the best care for them.

Clean wheels, latches, zippers, etc.

All of these elements are considered hardware materials. You can take warm water in a bowl. Mix 1-2 drops of dish wash liquid or liquid detergent in water. Dip a clean washcloth in this water bowl.

Let these parts air dry to prevent water damage. For metal hardware with scratches, scrub the damaged area with a steel wool scrubber.

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Clean the outer body of the suitcase

Clean soft-bodied manmade bags with detergent and water

Clean gently with a damp washcloth with a mild laundry detergent. Allow air-drying.

Wipe hard plastic using a damp cloth

Mix 2-4 drops of liquid soap, detergent or dish wash liquid in 100ml water. Dip a clean cloth in a mixture of soap/ detergent/ dish wash liquid and water. Wipe the whole bag with a fresh towel to prevent water marks. If there are scuff marks, scrub with an eraser cleaning pad.

Clean aluminium and similar suitcases with water

Some soaps can cause streaks or marks on aluminium surfaces, so cleaning with warm water alone is best. You can dip a clean cloth in warm water and wipe the whole suitcase evenly. For stubborn marks or scuffs, use an eraser cleaning pad.

Dry And Store The Suitcase Properly

After cleaning a suitcase, you can leave it to air dry. It is best if you can place it under a hot sun for a few hours. It will dry the suitcase quickly. And most importantly, it will remove the residual bacteria and viruses as sunlight is a natural disinfectant.

If you don’t have access to sunlight or it’s raining outside, you can leave the suitcase indoors. However, do not try to speed up the process with a room heater or hairdryer. Your suitcases may not tolerate the excessive heat from these things and get damaged.

Once your suitcase is clean, disinfected and dry, you should store it in a clean and dry place. You can purchase a suitcase cover online or at your nearest stores. Put the suitcase on the cover. In case you don’t want to purchase a cover, take an old bed sheet and wrap it around the suitcase. Then, cover it with a large plastic bag. Now, you can store it anywhere. Packing the suitcase is crucial to prevent insects from getting inside. It will also not let your suitcase get dirt, dust or stains.

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Some Tips To Take Care Of A Suitcase

Spray with air freshener

Fabric suitcases that have had strong-smelling items spilt in them or that have been stored for a long period of time often develop unpleasant odours. Prevent this by first spraying with a liquid air freshener such as Febreze. Be careful not to spray air fresheners directly on leather.

Place a solid air freshener inside your suitcase

Before storing your suitcase, place a solid air freshener inside to prevent musty smells from developing. You can use commercial solid air fresheners, dryer sheets, unused bars of soap, cedar chips, or other similar items.

Choose a safe area to store your suitcase

Many suitcases become damaged through poor storage. When putting your suitcase away, check the area thoroughly for leaks, musty odours, and mildew, and store it elsewhere if necessary.

Prevent damage to your suitcase while in storage

Do not place heavy items on top of your suitcase, as this can warp it over time. If your suitcase is leather, aluminium, or hard plastic, wrap it in cloth to prevent scratches and scuffs while in storage.

Apply a fabric protector spray

If your suitcase is made of fabric, you can protect it from further stains or damage by applying a fabric protector spray. Be sure to read the instructions thoroughly before using, as some materials, such as leather, can be damaged by fabric protectors.

Treat metal hardware with lacquer

Metal hardware on your suitcase can be protected against scratches by using a metal lacquer or clear nail polish.

Key Takeaway

Your suitcase comes in contact with germs, dirt and dust on every trip you go on. Hence it is crucial to disinfect and clean suitcases in a proper way. You can use products like commercial disinfectants, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to get rid of the germs. The methods of using these products are explained above in the article.

When it comes to cleaning a suitcase, you must focus on the material it is made up of. In general, the inner part of all suitcases is made up of hard plastic. You should use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of loose dirt and debris from the inner part. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, you can simply wipe the dirt away with a cloth.

In case there are stains you can use a commercial stain remover.

These tips and methods will give good results only if you clean suitcases regularly (after every use/trip). If your suitcases have been dirty for a very long time, you may not be able to remove long settled dirt and dust at home completely. In such situations, you can try bag dry cleaning to make them look like new again.

For more such articles, keep visting tumbledry.in as we post a lot on laundry, dry cleaning, ironing, and other such topics.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily purport to reflect the values or views of Tumbledry.