How To Clean A Backpack

Clean Your Backpack

As every parent of school-aged children knows, preparing for kids to go back to school can be really expensive! In addition to getting them registered and getting their school books, they’ll also need school supplies, clothes, shoes, maybe a haircut, and more! But there’s one thing you can cross off your Back-to-School shopping list, and that’s a new backpack!

Clean Your Backpack

Obviously a backpack that has seen one or two school years is going to look a little worse for the wear. But the good news is that most backpacks are built to last, so there’s really no reason to get a new one each school year when you can give a facelift to the perfectly good one your child used last year! With a little TLC, that backpack will be looking as good as new and will serve your child just as well as a new one during the coming school year.

Clean a Backpack

The first step to cleaning a backpack is emptying it out completely. Crumpled old papers, gum wrappers, crumbs, etc. should all be removed or shaken out.

Clean Your Backpack

Next, assess the damage. Is the entire bag dirty, or are there just a few spots that need attention? If there are only one or two dirty spots, spot treating with warm, soapy water should be enough to get it clean. Make sure to wipe the area clean with a clean rag afterwards.

Clean Your Backpack

If the bag needs more heavy-duty help, you can pre-treat the worst spots with a stain remover like my homemade “Shout, or let it soak in the sink for few hours in warm water and some oxygen bleach.

Clean Your Backpack

If the bag doesn’t have any structural components that shouldn’t get wet (such as cardboard backing or reinforcement), you can wash the bag in your laundry machine on the delicate or handwash cycle. To make sure the straps don’t get tangled or caught on something while it’s washing, put the backpack in a spare pillowcase and tie a knot at the top before throwing it into the wash.

Clean Your Backpack

If you do wash a backpack in your washing machine (or in the sink), never put it in the dryer. Instead, let it airdry (outside is best), with a few towels stuffed inside the bag to absorb moisture and help the bag retain its shape.

Clean Your Backpack

Even the grimiest of backpacks can get a new lease on life with a little effort! It’s an easy way to save money during an expensive time of the year.

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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