Add years to the life of your travel luggage by maintaining it. It shouldn’t take up a lot of your time. Travel bags can still take a huge chunk off your budget. You would want to prolong the life of your travel bags so you would not end up spending money on a new bag any time soon.
Here are some of the best care and maintenance tips you would want to use:
1. Clean your bag before and after traveling.
Before traveling, vacuum it a little to get rid of accumulated dust. You can also try wiping it with a damp towel to pick up dust particles. After traveling, make sure you try to check for damaged parts. Find out if there are torn seams or any protruding screws. Fix the torn seams. Clean the casters of your rolling bag. Get rid of accumulated dirt underneath the bag. Clean it before storing it.
2. Canvas bags can be washed.
Try hand washing it using lukewarm water and mild detergent. Do not add bleach. You can get rid of the dirt particles or crusty stains using a soft-bristled brush. Gently loosen up the hardened stains or dirt on your bag.
3. Lubricate the parts.
The rolling wheels might need to be lubricated. After being stored for a long time, the wheels might have trouble moving around. You should use a lubricating fluid. Also use the same product to the retractable handles of the bag. If your travel bag has metal zippers, try lubricating those zippers too. They can get stuck after some time.
4. Fix and replace broken parts immediately.
Do not wait for those small rips to turn into big holes. Fix them right away. You should also replace broken and worn-out parts, especially the retractable handles and the rubber wheels. Most plastic wheels do not work well when subjected to heavy loads. Try replacing them with rubber wheels. Rubber wheels can be moved around easily. Moreover, rubber materials are pretty resilient so they cannot be damaged easily.
5. Try using a luggage cover.
Many luggage stores specialize in making covers. Look for a company that sells luggage covers and find out if they sell one for your brand of travel bag. Get the right size of cover. If not, they can customize a cover for your bag. These covers will help prevent stains and dirt from settling in your bag.
As expected, caring and maintaining your travel luggage is not such a huge hassle. So try these simple tips and you can add years to your travel bag.
