When you think about the smelliest piece of gear you own, you’ll likely think about your backpack and cringe. What you might not realize is how to wash a hiking backpack.
As you hike, your armpit sweat goes straight into your shoulder straps! Now think about just how many miles of sweat that is over a whole thru-hike or summer of adventures. Gross!
Never fear; you can clean a stinky backpack in about an hour!
I’ve been thru-hiking for 16 years, and after every thru-hike, I wash my hiking backpack before storing it for ski season. Cleaning a backpack is a simple process that makes a world of difference when you pull it out for your next hike!
This post contains affiliate links. I have used every product mentioned, and if you purchase one of these products, I can make a small commission at no cost to you.
Why You Should Clean a Stinky Backpack
You should wash a hiking backpack after a thru-hike or at the end of summer because it’s vital to the backpack’s longevity.
Basically, if you want your backpack to last more than one season or thru-hike, clean it!
If you don’t, the next year when you pull it out, all that hiker funk will still be in your backpack. It’s much harder to clean a stinky backpack once the grime has set in for months.
If you wash your hiking backpack, you and anyone around you will thank you later!
When You Should Wash a Hiking Pack
You should wash a hiking backpack:
- After a thru-hike
- At the end of your hiking season
- If you plan on storing it for more than 1 month
Unless you get into some crazy dirty situation, you should wash a hiking backpack 1-2 times per year, depending on use.
If you’re going out backpacking for a weekend here and a weekend there, wait to wash it until you’re done for the season.
However, if you’re doing a big year with multiple thru-hikes, you should wash your backpack between each thru-hike. We like to wash our SMD Swift X/V after each thru-hike.
Best Backpack Cleaning Products
Over the last 16 years, I’ve experimented with several backpack cleaning products.
Here are the ones that I’ve found work the best to wash a hiking backpack:
- OxiClean (unscented)
- Nikwax Tech Wash
- Nikwax TX Direct
(You can often get Tech Wash and TX Direct in a two-pack here.)
I use all of these products for the 3 different aspects of cleaning a stinky backpack.
First, the OxiClean is what really gets the stinky hiker funk out of a backpack. This is the stink eliminator. I ensure it gets into the shoulder straps and the mesh on the backpack that sits against my sweaty back.
Second, Nikwax Tech Wash is the best product for cleaning the backpack material overall.
Finally, Nikwax TX Direct helps to re-waterproof the backpack material. (In all honesty, though…nothing is fully waterproof. However, this will help a lot.)
4 Pro Tips for Getting the Stink out of a Backpack
After washing my backpack after (almost) every thru-hike, here are a few extra bonus tips for you.
- When you’re in steps 1-8 below (the OxiClean and Tech Wash steps), really squeeze the cleaners into your shoulder straps. That’s often the smelliest part of a hiking backpack.
- If you’re using a tub, place a folded towel on the ground next to it. When I didn’t do this, my knees hurt for a few days afterward!
- Check the weather before you wash a hiking backpack. When you can air dry it in the sun after washing, it does better than indoor air drying.
If you have sap stains, you can try to spot cleaning these first with either a little Dawn dishwashing soap or hand sanitizer. I would definitely try Dawn first as it’s gentler on material, but I’ve used hand sanitizer on other things sap and it works great.
Wash a Hiking Backpack: Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to wash a hiking backpack with step-by-step instructions.
- Start by using a large washing area like a tub or utility sink and get your cleaning supplies ready (OxiClean, Tech Wash, TX Direct.)
- Fill the bottom of the tub with a few inches of water and add a large scoop of OxiClean as you add water.
- Add your backpack (zippers open) and use your gloved hands to agitate the backpack into the OxiClean water. Really get in there and use a light scrubbing brush if needed.
- Drain the tub and thoroughly rinse the backpack with fresh water. Make sure you get all the dirt out of the bottom of the washing area.
- Refill the tub with a few inches of water and add Nikwax Tech Wash per the instructions on the bottle.
- Add your wet backpack to the Tech Wash water and use your gloved hands to agitate it again. I’m serious with the agitating but be gentle if you use a scrub brush.
- Drain the tub and rinse the backpack thoroughly with fresh water.
- If the fresh water rinse is still coming off the backpack in a brown color, repeat steps 5-7 again.
- Refill the tub again and add Nikwax TX Direct to the water, agitate, and then let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The water should have a slight milky color.
- Drain the tub again and thoroughly rinse the backpack with fresh water.
- Hang the backpack to dry. Preferably, hang it outside in the sun. DO NOT put it in the dryer.
If you’re more of a video instructions person, here is an Instagram reel I made about when we washed our backpacks after the Continental Divide Trail. As you can see, 2800 miles of dirt on our SMD Swift X backpacks made for quite the watercolor during the washing process.
Final Thoughts
In summary, you should wash a hiking backpack about once per year. Preferably, you should clean your stinky backpack after a thru-hike or before you store it for an extended time.
While it’s not my favorite process, it’s so much better to pull my backpack out the next season after I’ve washed it. Trust me…when you let that stink fester, it’s not great. That stink will hit you in the face like a ton of bricks!
If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below!
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