Buying brand new luggage is pretty exciting. However, one downside that some people experience is a plastic odor coming from their new suitcase. This odor mostly affects cheaper luggage pieces that have a hard plastic case but, every now and then, a more expensive set or a fabric suitcase can be just as guilty.
We have scoured the internet and talked to people who were victorious over their slight luggage odor. Depending on the severity of the odor, it could be very tough to eliminate the smell entirely, but these are the proper steps to take to do everything you can to get rid of that plastic chemical luggage smell.
5 Steps to Eliminate New Luggage Smell
[1] Wipe it down.
Take a damp cloth and wipe the inside and outside of the suitcase.
[2] Set a box of baking soda inside.
Open a new box of baking soda and place it inside the closed suitcase for a couple days. Baking soda is great at absorbing a lot of other odors around the house as well. If that’s not working fast enough, we suggest sprinkling the actual baking soda inside the suitcase and letting it sit overnight. Just vacuum it up the next day.
[3] Air it out.
Weather permitting, try setting the bag outside and open as many compartments as possible. The longer you can do this the better, but ideally you should at least attempt to leave the luggage outside for two days. It’s also good to air the bag out again after your trip.
The more time your bag is open the better your chances of odor elimination.
[4] Spray Febreeze on the inside and outside.
We don’t really consider Febreeze to be the miracle solution that the commercials suggest , but it can really freshen up your luggage. Spraying Lysol can work as well. Make sure to leave your suitcase open to air out after spraying.
If you don’t have Febreeze or if you just want something a little more neutral smelling, try a homemade concoction of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle.
Sprayable deodorant can also help with luggage smells.
[5] Keep dryer sheets inside.
Placing dryer sheets inside the suitcase, including pockets, can also help maintain a pleasant smell. You can keep doing this step especially when traveling.
Even the best luggage brands are prone to that new luggage odor. It’s not as appealing as that new car smell so we hope that our quick guide helped you out.
Performing most, if not all, of these five steps will help ensure that your new luggage smell goes away as quickly as possible. Have you had success a different way? Is there a scented fabric spray that you’ve found does the trick? Let us know!