How To Wash a North Face Backpack: Effective Tips

Washing a North Face backpack is a little more difficult than other bags. Its fragile material needs extra care. So you will never want to ruin your unique bag while washing.

What if smell or mold is still left behind even after you have washed your bag? Or you may deteriorate the color or material of the jester backpack during washing.

In this article, we have covered correct and easy ways of washing your special bag. Washing with a machine or hands correctly will remove bad smells or strong spots.

So, without any delay, let’s explore different tips and techniques¹.

Is Washing Safe?

In the care instructions, you can wash the bag safely.

Can I wash my The North Face product?

Not only are The North Face garments built to last, they are easy to care for. Routine care will ensure excellent performance and extend their useful life. Be sure to follow the care instructions – typically found on the inside tag.”

There is another way to clean a North Face backpack. Dusting the bag regularly after every use can be one of the best ways to clean your bag. But if the stains are stubborn enough, then go for washing. 

 So, you can wash the bag by following the precautionary measures below.  

Prep Before Washing

• Before washing, It is recommended to pretreat the stains. One way to pretreat the stains is to put a mixture of baking soda and warm water on the stains.
• Prepare all the necessary items that will be used during the washing process. These include the following.
• A toothbrush or any soft brush
• Mild detergent without bleach
• Dry cloth or towel
• Any water sink for soaking the bag 
• Make sure all the zippers are open and the pockets are inside out. 
• Turn the bag upside down and slightly shake it.
• It will remove the small debris which includes dust particles, grass pieces, or food particles from the bag.
• Remove all the extensions if detachable or put them inside the bag.

Use warm water for hand washing and cold water for machine washing.

Washing With Hands

You can wash it with the following method: 

• Try to start with spot cleaning. Use a damp cloth and rub on the stains. If not cleaned, rub a little forcefully. You can soak the cloth in a mixture of mild powder detergent and warm water. Then, rinse the cloth on the spots.
• If you want to clean the bag thoroughly, then put the bag in a tub or water sink. The water tub or sink must be filled with cold water and a mild detergent.
• Soak the bag completely in the tub for 20 to 30 minutes. Let each part of the bag sink in the water. Stir it. Scrub the bag with a brush or sponge, especially the parts with stains. 
• When you are done washing, rinse the bag with water. Make sure to remove remnants of the detergents from the bag. This will avoid any fading of colors. 

Machine Washing

Follow these steps for perfect wash:

• Set the temperature of the machine at about 105 °F/40 °C. 
• Set the machine on a gentle cycle.
• Wash the bag alone in the machine.
• Use the bleach-free detergent.
• Bleach can degenerate leather bags.  
• For extra protection, put the bag in the mesh bag when in the washing machine.

Solution For Moldy Bags

Following are some key methods to remove the fungus from the moldy bags. 

Using Vinegar To Remove Mold

There are two ways to remove mold when using vinegar. In the first method, you can put a small quantity of vinegar in the spinning washing machine. The rest of the procedure is the same as described above. 

But if you want to rinse the spots with vinegar. Then take a sponge or washing cloth. Put a little vinegar on the cloth and damp it. Now rub the fungus spots on the bag until all the mold is removed. 

Make sure to remove all the remnants of detergent and vinegar by water rinsing. Then, go dry the bag in a shady area.

White vinegar is also used to remove the smell from the bags. Just put 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar in the spinning machine. It will not only remove the smell from the bag but give it a pleasant smell.  

Baking Soda To Remove Mold

Using baking soda to clean mold is a little different. Firstly, empty the bag and place it inside out. Then, the moldy areas are exposed to sunlight for almost 24 hours.

Now, put the bag inside again. Put half a cup of baking soda in the moldy bag and make sure that it covers all the fungus spots.

Give it some time, and then take a damp sponge or washing cloth. Rub on that area until it eliminates all the fungus spots. Now, resume the cleaning procedure with the washing machine.

Drying

When drying, follow the tips given below. 

• Rinse thoroughly so that all the detergent residue, vinegar, or soda is no longer on the bag.
• Don’t use a hair dryer. 
• For drying, hang it in the shady area, not in the sunlight². 

Conclusion

Make sure you have all the pre-washing items before you start washing. Try to wash the Berkeley cross-body bag alone in the washing machine to avoid any scratches or breakage. Use bleach only on the hard stains.

If you follow the above-mentioned methods or techniques, your bag will look brand new after washing, and the bag’s color and material will definitely be safe.

If you have relevant queries about the right method to clean your Lulumen bag, then you must read this article.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Article Sources

Bagsbucks provides reliable information with good-quality references to support the facts.

1. Optimization of Backpack Design – ResearchGate ↩︎
2.  Hiking and Backpacking: Essential Skills, Equipment, and Safety – Victoria Logue ↩︎