The best luggage can be pricey and, while brands are constantly innovating newer, stronger materials to keep your belongings safe in transit, we’ve not found a case yet that’s returned from the hold entirely unscathed. Immediate marks all over your new luggage aren’t appreciated when you’ve spent hundreds of pounds on a sleek suitcase set. While you could just opt for black, let’s be frank: this is a dull choice. There are also suitcase covers, but this isn’t the chicest look, and in some instances, conceal your luggage completely under an unaesthetic opaque facade.
A better option is to learn how to clean a suitcase clean between trips. We’ve called in cleaning expert and author of The Five Minute Clean Routine, Anna Louisa, to create the definitive guide to maintaining your suitcases inside and out. See below for our tips, and watch the video on how we restored this Antler carry-on to its former glory after it was checked last minute (spoiler alert: with a lot of Pink Stuff).
How to clean a hard shell suitcase
In some instances, a damp microfibre cloth, a little dish soap and some elbow grease is all that’s needed, says Anna Louisa. For larger marks or those that’ve been hanging around a while, an abrasive might be useful for lifting dirt and grime. Anna also recommends a magic eraser – a slightly abrasive melamine foam sponge that works solely with water to spirit away marks without additional surfactants – and Pink Stuff cleaning paste when you need extra power.
We tried both products on our grotty Antler cabin case, and found a good dollop of Pink Stuff to be a far superior scuff-buster when paired with a damp microfibre soft cloth. But heed Anna’s warning to avoid any potential scratches or stains, by first testing in an inconspicuous area and rubbing gently, before slowly applying more pressure. Saying that, we had no issues when getting to work on our pale-toned test suitcase.
For a natural alternative, Anna recommends making a paste with warm water and baking soda to a consistency slightly thinner than toothpaste. Apply to scuff marks, leave to sit for 15 minutes, then buff off with a good scrub using a microfibre cloth.
The Pink Stuff miracle cleaning paste
This worked wonders on our dirty Antler Heritage carry-on case. The whole polycarbonate body looked good-as-new after a thorough going over the scuffs – and a little goes a long way, making it a very cost-effective cleaning method. The included scrubbing brush was useful for getting all the putty out of crevices and corner bumpers. Overall, highly recommended for a quick, efficient and pain-free hard-shell suitcase cleaning process.
How to clean a soft shell suitcase
You’ll need your microfibre cloths again, dampened with water and a smidge of washing up liquid. “Blot marks with your cloth or use a stain remover for fabrics,” says Anna. “Vanish and Dr Beckmann have good options, but avoid soaking the nylon for too long as it can lead to water stains.” For a natural alternative, the bicarb paste can also be used on soft fabrics too.
