How to Clean a Diaper Bag

Wiping down and Disinfecting Your Bag

Empty the contents of your diaper bag and open all compartments. Make sure absolutely everything is removed from the inside of your diaper bag before proceeding. This includes removing any stiff partitions, straps, or handles. Open all pockets, compartments, zippers, snaps, clasps, etc.

Shake out loose debris and vacuum the inside of the bag. Hold your diaper bag upside down and shake out any loose debris and dirt. Then, use a vacuum to remove any remaining debris, dust, or dirt from inside the bag, especially in the corners and creases. Use the wand-like attachment on your vacuum to make sure you get into all the edges and creases inside the bag.

Place an open box of baking soda in the bag for 24 hours. Alternatively, sprinkle a light dusting of baking soda inside the compartments of the bag. Or, put a small amount of baking soda inside smaller, open containers that can fit in each compartment. Allow the baking soda to absorb odours for at least 24 hours. If you opted to sprinkle baking soda inside your diaper bag, shake out and vacuum your bag once the 24 hours are up to remove all the baking soda.

Use warm water and soap to clean the bag. Mix together 1 gallon (3.8 L) of warm water and 1–2 tsp (4.9–9.9 mL) of mild laundry detergent in a bucket, bowl, or sink. Use a clean cloth or rag to spot clean the inside and outside of your diaper bag to remove dirt and stains. Scrub stains in a circular motion if required. Even if there are no stains, make sure you wipe the entire inside and outside of the bag with the soapy, damp cloth. Clean any straps, handles, and compartments using the same method.

Mix together baking soda and water for a scrubbing cleanser if required. For any tough stains that can’t be removed using soap and water, use a baking soda paste. Pour ⁄2 c (120 mL) of baking soda into a small bowl and add warm water until it forms a thick paste. Use a toothbrush or cloth to scrub the stains with the baking soda paste in a circular motion. If you find stains that cannot be removed by soap/water or baking soda/water, you may need to use a commercial stain remover. Just make sure to test an inconspicuous spot on the bag first to ensure the stain remover won’t damage the bag.

Rinse and dry the bag using a clean, damp cloth or towel. Remove all of the soap and baking soda paste using a clean, damp cloth. You may need to rinse the cloth several times while doing this as it may accumulate soap and/or baking soda paste. Use warm water to dampen the cloth. Do not submerge the diaper bag under a tap or faucet to remove the soap or baking soda.

Allow the bag to air dry indoors or outdoors. Keep all the compartments, zippers, clasps, etc., open while your diaper bag air dries. Hang the bag somewhere, place it on a dry towel, or put it on a drying rack to air dry. Place the bag outside in the sun if you’re able to. Due to the minimal amount of water used, your diaper bag should be dry within a couple of hours.

Spray the inside of the bag with white vinegar to disinfect it. Put white vinegar inside a spray bottle and spray the inside of the entire diaper bag. The smell of vinegar will disappear as the vinegar dries. Alternatively, dampen a cloth or towel with white vinegar and wipe down all the surfaces of your diaper bag. Do not rinse or wipe the vinegar away after it dries. To keep your diaper bag regularly disinfected, you can spray the inside with white vinegar regularly, every couple of days.

Deep-Cleaning with Soap and Water

Empty your diaper bag completely and open all the compartments. Remove everything from your diaper bag before continuing. Hold your diaper bag upside down and shake out crumbs, dirt, and other loose debris. Use a vacuum to remove any remaining debris that may be hidden in the creases and corners. If your bag contains any removable stiff partitions, bottoms, straps, or handles, you’ll want to remove them at this stage as well.

Fill a bucket or sink with warm water and 1–2 tsp (4.9–9.9 mL) of mild laundry detergent. Make sure the bucket or sink is large enough so that you can submerge your entire diaper bag in the water. In most cases, you can use warm water to fill the bucket or sink. However, if you own a diaper bag that’s made of a natural material like cotton and the fabric contains multiple colours, you may want to use cold water instead (to prevent the colours from running). Do not follow these steps for a leather diaper bag. Leather bags of any kind should not be submerged in water.

Submerge your diaper bag under the soapy water for 10-15 minutes. Make sure the entire bag is under the water for the full 10-15 minutes. If necessary, place a heavier item on top of the bag to keep it submerged (such as a glass bowl, bottle of water, etc.). Soaking the bag will help lift and loosen stains that may have formed inside the bag without completely soaking through all the fabric of the bag.

Scrub stubborn stains with an old toothbrush to remove them. Once you’ve removed your bag from the water, inspect both the outside and inside of the bag looking for stains that may have not been completely removed. Use an old toothbrush to scrub in a circular motion any stubborn stains. If you don’t have an old toothbrush available, use a clean cloth or rag to scrub the stains, also in a circular motion.

Rinse your diaper bag with clean water to remove the soap. Hold your diaper bag under the tap of a large sink (such as a laundry tub) to rinse away all the soap. Make sure all the soap has been rinsed from both the inside and outside of the bag. Turn the bag inside out to rinse the inside of the bag. If you don’t have a large enough sink, use the faucet and/or showerhead in your bathroom to rinse the diaper bag.

Hang your diaper bag somewhere to air dry. Do not put your diaper bag in a dryer. Hang the bag on a clothesline, towel bag, or even a shower rod. You can also lie your bag flat on a towel to dry, just remember to turn it over a couple of times so every side dries out. While the bag is drying, you may want to re-shape the bag. Washing and rinsing the bag may have stretched or twisted it out of shape. Make sure your diaper bag is completely dry before using it again.

Using the Washing Machine

Read the manufacturer’s care and cleaning instructions thoroughly. Not all diaper bags are designed to be cleaned in a washing machine, such as leather diaper bags or those with leather trim. If you’re unsure, it’s best to avoid using the washer and just spot/hand clean the bag. Some diaper bags may have warranties that will be voided if you don’t clean them properly.

Remove partitions, straps, and handles from the diaper bag. If there are any items in or on the diaper bag which can be removed, take them off before putting the bag in the washing machine. Straps and handles may be damaged if they get caught on something while inside the washing machine. Removable parts may not be washed properly if left inside the bag. If you need to clean the removable handles, straps, or partitions from the bag, do so by hand, not in the washing machine. The removable partitions may have cardboard as their interior (to keep them stiff), which may be ruined if you submerge them in water.

Put the diaper bag inside a mesh bag or pillowcase. Instead of placing your diaper bag directly into the washing machine, put it inside a large mesh bag or even a pillowcase first. The mesh bag or pillowcase will protect the bag from being damaged inside the washing machine and will help prevent the diaper bag from being stretched out of shape. This step is particularly important if you have a washing machine with an agitator. The agitator can damage the bag, or straps/handles may get stuck on the agitator during the spin cycle.

Use the gentle cycle with warm water and a mild detergent. Always use the gentle or delicate cycle on your washing machine for cleaning a diaper bag. Use a warm water setting (or a cold water setting if you’re concerned about colours running). Only use gentle or mild laundry detergent. Avoid using bleach on any bags that aren’t entirely white. Wash the bag in a load with other delicate items of similar colours. Use whatever mild detergent you already have for cleaning your baby’s clothing.

Remove the bag from the washing machine and allow it to air dry. Take the diaper bag out of the mesh bag or pillowcase. Put your diaper bag somewhere where it can air dry. Either hang the bag to dry, lay it on a towel, or put it on top of a drying rack. You can also put your diaper bag outside in the sun if you’d like. The mesh laundry bag or pillowcase you used can be put into the dryer with another load or dried using the same methods as the diaper bag.