The rigors of travel can be demanding on your gear. Bags often get tossed around in transit, resulting in dust, scuffs, and stains. This is all part of travel, and in many ways informs our design philosophy. Arcido backpacks are designed to withstand the elements, but even the most robust bags need a wash now and then. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive bag cleaning guide.

Spot Cleaning

  1. Look at the type of stain you’re trying to clean. For most exterior garden-variety scuffs, try to avoid using detergent at all costs.
  2. To keep the fabric in tip-top condition, use a warm, damp cloth to get rid of any marks. The Kodra finish on the Arcido bags means that most dirt is easily removed without any sort of soap. If you’re dealing with particularly stubborn stains, then a mild detergent like NikWax Tech Wash is your best bet. This type of cleaning agent will ensure that the exterior finish retains its water-repellent properties while getting rid of stubborn dirt.
  3. Wipe down the backpack thoroughly with a wet or damp cloth to remove the surface dirt.
  4. Apply and scrub the foam solution to the affected area using a sponge. For smaller areas, a toothbrush will generally do the trick.
  5. Once the stain has come out, wipe down the remaining foam with a wet cloth and hang the bag out to air dry. The drying process shouldn’t be overlooked, as drying your bag in direct sunlight can fade the heathered gray Kodra finish on your Arcido bag. Instead, aim to dry your ‘pack in a warm, dry area without any direct sunlight.

For Full Immersion Backpack Wash

If you want to do a wholesale clean or need to get rid of internal stains, you’ll need to do a full immersion of the bag.

  1. The first step is emptying the bag of all its contents and shaking it out thoroughly. An additional and often valuable step is vacuuming out your backpack to get rid of any extraneous dirt and dust.
  2. Once again, avoid any detergents that could wear down the water-repellent finish. Fill up a large tub or bucket with enough cold water to submerge the bag and create a mild foam solution, much like you’d do for spot stains. Immerse the ‘pack and scrub the affected areas. The ‘rinse’ cycle is best performed with a detachable shower head which will allow you to remove all traces of the detergent and eliminate any remaining spot stains.
  3. Hang the bag upside down while drying, with all compartments opened to prevent any mildew.

It’s important to point out that washing your backpack too often can wear down the water-resistant coating on the Kodra fabric. At most, limit your wash cycles to once or twice a year. You also want to steer clear of tossing your Arcido bag into the washing machine or tumble dryer as this is likely to damage the fabric. Simply follow this guide to cleaning your Arcido backpack, and you won’t ever have to stress about keeping your travel gear in tip-top condition.

Written by Stuart Hendricks