If a hiking backpack keep long time enough, not only because it is of good quality, but also because of your love and care.
However, taking care of the backpack is not an important thing for most mountain friends. Many times you may accidentally not clean and maintain the backpack in the correct way, and unknowingly shorten its life.
Regular cleaning and washing help maintain the basic functions of the backpack. It extends the life of the backpack, and help you make the most of your equipment.
What happened to your backpack?
After going over the mountains and ridges, the backpack is covered with dirt and dust. Because it is too lazy to take care of it, it becomes more dirty every time. Clothes and food cannot be safely placed. The food residue in the backpack may attract insects. Worse, the parasites are raging everywhere.
After rubbing the rocks again and again, the durability and abrasion resistance are greatly reduced.
Without proper cleaning and washing, the waterproof function is slowly disappearing in order to supplement the waterproof coating.
The zipper is stuck, causing you trouble...
Backpack care usually includes small cleaning and large cleaning.
Simple cleaning & deep cleaning
Your backpack needs simple cleaning, but also deep cleaning.
Simple cleaning does not take a lot of time. After every hike, if the backpack is dirty, simply wipe the dirty area with a damp cloth and then let the backpack dry naturally.
In-depth cleaning is usually carried out after a long journey that lasts more than four or five days or after a march in bad weather. In-depth cleaning requires warm water to clean the backpack, but note that it is not cleaned after every hike, and the cleaning should not be too frequent.
How to perform simple cleaning?
Simple cleaning will not have much impact on the internal structure and the waterproof function of the backpack. For simple cleaning, the following steps should be followed:
1. First of all, take food residues and smelly clothes or other equipment out of the backpack. Empty the pockets and turn the backpack upside down to free up any dust or debris in the backpack.
2. Generally wipe immediately with a clean sponge, no soap and water are needed. But if the stain is larger, you can use a little soap and water to remove the stain, but you should be careful to wash it off with soap.
3. If the backpack is soaked, let it dry naturally, and finally store it in the cupboard.
How to perform deep cleaning?
How often do I need to clean my backpack?
Whether it is a small backpack or a large backpack, it should not be cleaned more than twice a year. Excessive cleaning will destroy the waterproof effect of the backpack and reduce the performance of the backpack. Two times a year with simple cleaning each time is enough to keep the backpack clean.
Can it be washed in a washing machine?
Although some backpacks do not clearly indicate that they are not machine washable, this is still undesirable. Machine washing will not only damage the backpack, but also damage the washing machine, especially large-capacity backpacks.
Hand wash backpack steps
1. You can gently vacuum the inside of the backpack first, and don't forget the side pockets or small compartments.
2. Backpack accessories can be cleaned separately, and the straps and belts should be specially cleaned with a small amount of detergent or soap.
3. When wiping with detergent, don't use too much force, or use a brush or the like to brush hard. If it is very dirty, you can wash it with high-pressure water or use something with adsorption to treat the very dirty place.
4. Use a cotton swab or a small toothbrush to gently wipe small areas such as the zipper of the backpack.
After cleaning
1. After washing the backpack, it should be dried naturally. Do not use a hair dryer to dry it for a short time. Do not use a dryer or dry it in direct sunlight. This will damage the fabric and reduce performance. Should be hung in a ventilated place to dry.
2. Before putting the essentials back into the backpack, make sure that the inside of the backpack is dry, including all zippers, small pockets and removable clips-keeping the backpack moist will increase the chance of mold.
Written at the end: The cleaning of the backpack may seem time-consuming, but it is a very valuable investment of time. You should take good care of your backpack instead of ignoring it.