How to Care For Your Luggage

Ballistic Nylon Luggage Care. We recommend treating your nylon luggage with Scotchgard before use. Should your case become soiled use a soft bristled nylon brush (a toothbrush will work) to lift away loose soil and light stains without pressing the stain in. To clean ballistic nylon luggage, we recommend spot cleaning with a mild soap (i.e. dish soap) and water. If this is not successful, try a product used for spot removal on clothing such as Spray 'n Wash, or using a foam type cleaner used to clean car mats or automobile carpets (sold at car parts stores). If the luggage has an offensive odor, use a vinegar (1 part) and water (5 parts) mixture. This may take the odor out but it will then need to be aired out for a few days. Also, we recommend placing charcoal in the bag for a day or more (depending on the strength of the odor) and close the bag. The charcoal will absorb the smell.  After cleaning reapply Scotchgard to restore protection from water, dirt and stains. On the whole, ballistic nylon is not easily soiled so stain removal shouldn’t be a problem. 

Leather Luggage Care. The professionals at McKlein Luggage recommends Lexol leather care goods to preserve the beauty and permanence of your leather luggage. They recommend using LEXOL-pH as a non-alkaline cleanser and Lexol Leather Conditioner and Preservative to maintain the strength, beauty, utility and flexibility of leathers - old and new - and to restore resiliency. Understand that there is no available method for to restore cracked leather cracked by inadequate or inappropriate care. 

Hardside Luggage Care. To clean hardside luggage, we recommend using a gentle soap and warm water, rinsing well. If you would like to wax the case after cleaning, any good silicone-base automobile or furniture polish will preserve the luster and add resistance to the covering. We do NOT recommend, however, that you try to clean the luggage with a combination cleaner-polish.

Luggage Wheels. We recommend you periodically spray WD-40 on axles in order to keep them rolling quietly and smoothly. Do not wheel your case up stairs as the continual impact will shorten the life of the axle.

Telescoping Handles.  Firmly press the button on telescoping handles before pulling up. Do not lift the case off the ground by the telescoping handle. Use the leather handle attached to the case to lift and carry it. The telescoping handle joints may be stiff when you first use the case. Using WD-40 on it every month or so will alleviate any stiffness. 

Zippers. Do not try to zip an overstuffed case. If the zipper sticks, gently use a back and forth motion until the teeth are back on track.

Other Luggage Care Tips

• If you get caught in the rain, let your bag dry naturally, away from any direct heat source. Stuff the case with paper towels to absorb moisture and help retain the shape of the case.

• Many spots and marks on leather can be cleaned off with a pencil eraser.

• Hairspray helps remove ink and pen marks—just blot with a paper towel. 

• Spots can be removed with a solution of 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water, which is particularly effective on sugar or alcohol spots. 

• Oil and grease can be cleaned off leather with a spray-on spot remover. Rubber cement is another good oil spot remover. Apply over the spot, let dry and then rub off (do not use this treatment on suede). 

• Do not use any adhesives or other chemicals on the case as doing so might compromise the leather.

 
Luggage Storage

Extremes of temperature, as well as the extremes of humidity will tend to age luggage. Any luggage which is being stored in an attic or basement should be taken out of storage, opened, and permitted to "air" regularly. This will help to prevent mildew from forming as a result of humidity. It also assists in maintaining the normal resiliency of the case itself. Following storage where extreme temperatures prevail, we recommend cleaning the luggage (see cleaning instructions above).