Traveling’s tough for germaphobes. In addition to protecting themselves from bacteria found in airport bathrooms, the airplane’s tray tables and seat pockets, they have to contend with dirty luggage.
Fortunately, studies show that checked bags that are exposed to grease, mud, and a host of other foreign slime won’t likely make you sick. Of course, there is always the possibility that E.coli might take up residence on the bottom of your bag, so it’s always a good idea to formulate a post-trip cleaning plan sooner rather than later, especially if you are a germaphobe.
Health experts suggest that upon landing at your destination you spray the exterior of your bag with Lysol and give the bottom of the bag, (including the wheels) and the handles a quick once-over with an antibacterial product, such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. You could also squeeze some Purell on a rag and wipe the offending areas as well.
If money is no object and you want to completely de-germ your suitcase, you could shell out $45 for a professional ozone treatment. The process employs an ozone generator to oxidize bacteria, but it only works on select materials. If your bag is made of leather, vinyl or plastic you will have to send it to the dry-cleaner.
Smaller cleaning jobs can be tackled at home. For example, if your suitcase is covered with grease stains from riding on the luggage carousel one too many times, spray it with Simple Green. For tough grease stains try Formula 409 Glass and Surface Cleaner and Windex Original, which contain ammonia and are more aggressive cleaners. Just remember to test the material you are spraying before dousing the entire bag. Finally, if you find that your bag lost its luster in the cleaning process, use Armor All Original Protectant or automotive wax to restore the shine.
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