How to clean a camera bag? - DPChallenge Forums

02/13/2010 10:50:49 AM · #1

Hey all,

I recently dug up an old Blacks camera bag in fairly good condition but a bit on the grimy side from travels with its previous owner. It's nylon with velcro strapping on the insides, no leather tabs or anything like that to worry about damaging.

Is it Ok to just toss it in with the laundry (cold water cycle)? Or is there a certain way to clean it?

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

02/13/2010 11:00:12 AM · #2

I took one to a dry cleaner friend of mine, and he just touched it up using one of the spray bottle type cleaners, then wiped it down with a damp cloth. It came out fine. In this case, it was one that I bought at a thrift store, and it had something like hand lotion on the outside of one of the pockets. I have only washed one once, and it came out sort of soft, not as stiff as it was to begin with. Some of them have cardboard in the bottom so water would mess that up.

02/13/2010 11:02:34 AM · #3

My mom's cat peed on one of my camera bags and I just put it in the washer by itself on cold/gentle and then hung it up to dry. It took a while to dry completely, but it smelled a million times better and it got nice and clean.

02/13/2010 11:06:32 AM · #4

Let's see...*rummaging in bag* aha, yes, the bottom does seem to be both that dense foam AND cardboard. Thankfully it also lifts out easily! So guess that answers my questions. I'll toss it in the next load of laundry.

Thanks for your help, Spaz and Melon!

02/13/2010 11:10:55 AM · #5

Oh, I also took out the foam/plastic inserts and washed them in the same load.

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

02/13/2010 11:20:02 AM · #6

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Oh, I also took out the foam/plastic inserts and washed them in the same load.

Hmmm...it's a pretty old bag, my friend took it overseas to warm sandy places back in the 80s, so I'm guessing there's some cardboard in there...*snipping open the stitching at one corner of the insert* Yep, it is foam and cardboard. Rest of the bag feels like foam only, however, so should be OK.

JulietNN

Canon EOS R7

02/13/2010 11:30:39 AM · #7

i think you will have problems with the cardboard. Have you tried vacuuming it out, then use Magic Eraser to clean it. Magic Eraser is like a Godsend to mothers, even gets crayon marks off walls, best invention since sliced bread

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

02/13/2010 11:40:41 AM · #8

Originally posted by JulietNN:

i used magic eraser to get sharpie marker off of hardwood floors. :P

02/13/2010 11:43:16 AM · #9

Originally posted by JulietNN:

Think I have a Magic Eraser kicking around. And as the insert itself is pretty clean I think I can get away with just using a lint roller on it. It's the main bag itself that needs a good wash.

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

02/13/2010 11:46:38 AM · #10

Originally posted by snaffles:

Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Oh, I also took out the foam/plastic inserts and washed them in the same load.

Hmmm...it's a pretty old bag, my friend took it overseas to warm sandy places back in the 80s, so I'm guessing there's some cardboard in there...*snipping open the stitching at one corner of the insert* Yep, it is foam and cardboard. Rest of the bag feels like foam only, however, so should be OK.

I should mention that I bought this bag in 1979/80 and took it all over the country. The cat peed on it in the 1995/6 timeframe, so I know what you mean. It was a Lowe Pro35 bag. I still have it somewhere, it's a real tank.

JulietNN

Canon EOS R7

02/13/2010 11:46:42 AM · #11

Originally posted by karmat:

Originally posted by JulietNN:
i think you will have problems with the cardboard. Have you tried vacuuming it out, then use Magic Eraser to clean it. Magic Eraser is like a Godsend to mothers, even gets crayon marks off walls, best invention since sliced bread

i used magic eraser to get sharpie marker off of hardwood floors. :P

Pfffrrtt I know, I would be lost without it.

Is it nylon or leather on the outside??? Either way it will come off with the ME. If it is leather, make sure you 'feed' the leather as well afterwards.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

02/13/2010 12:03:54 PM · #12

Originally posted by JulietNN:

Originally posted by karmat:

Originally posted by JulietNN:
i think you will have problems with the cardboard. Have you tried vacuuming it out, then use Magic Eraser to clean it. Magic Eraser is like a Godsend to mothers, even gets crayon marks off walls, best invention since sliced bread

i used magic eraser to get sharpie marker off of hardwood floors. :P

Pfffrrtt I know, I would be lost without it.

Is it nylon or leather on the outside??? Either way it will come off with the ME. If it is leather, make sure you 'feed' the leather as well afterwards.

The outside is nylon. No leather on it and even if there were, never fear, I know how to look after it as most of my horse-related equipment is made of leather. I have plenty of leather cleaniong products and conditioners like Lexol kicking around.

Thanks everyone! :-)

pedrobop

Canon PowerShot SX100 IS

02/13/2010 12:14:02 PM · #13

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

hahahah!
Great story!

JulietNN

Canon EOS R7

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

02/13/2010 12:14:42 PM · #14

Duuuuuuuuh on me, my brain is sometimes as stupid as the other half of my brain. I am sorry!

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

02/13/2010 12:52:44 PM · #15

If you plan to put it in the washing machine, and it has heavy steel "D" rings on it, you may want to wrap the rings with electrical tape to keep them from beating up the washing machine.
The one that I washed was one that I bought in the 70's, made by Attan. It was all nylon and foam. If you are going to machine wash it, you may want to use dish washer soap, which has no fabric softener in it. Regular Dawn or Joy dish soap will foam a lot if you try to use that in a washing machine.

02/13/2010 01:16:50 PM · #16

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

Nope, no steel D-rings on the bag, just plastic. And I would do what is done when washing stuff like horse blankets which usually do have heavy metal D-rings, and rubber-band an old piece of foam/sponge/cloth around them.

I do my laundry at a place in town, no laundry softener, just cheap laundry soap. So wonder if I could get away with *accidentally* using dishwashing soap? If I do better have the camera ready ;-)

02/13/2010 01:17:34 PM · #17

Originally posted by JulietNN:

Duuuuuuuuh on me, my brain is sometimes as stupid as the other half of my brain. I am sorry!

No prob! :-)

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

02/13/2010 01:29:51 PM · #18

Soap for an automatic dish washer does not foam, but speaking from experience, Joy or Dawn, that you use for hand washing dishes will create a bubble storm in a washing machine.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

02/13/2010 05:23:58 PM · #19

I'd stick with clothes detergent.

This is coming from someone occasionally puts Tang in their dishwasher on purpose.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

02/13/2010 05:26:03 PM · #20

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

Soap for an automatic dish washer does not foam, but speaking from experience, Joy or Dawn, that you use for hand washing dishes will create a bubble storm in a washing machine.

Is that a recommendation or a warning? ;-)

Bugzeye

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

02/13/2010 05:40:31 PM · #21

for some reason I am getting visions of that episode of The Brady Bunch when Bobby got his good Sunday Clothes Dirty and decided to Wash them himself. He poured a whole box of Laundry Soap into the Washing Machine and filled the Room with Suds. I think the dish soap idea would cause a similar effect. So you should Definately try it and and definately take a camera along.