This Is One Piece of Travel Gear You’re Not Washing Enough

I never put my suitcase on my bed. Whenever I get home from a trip, I spray down everything with Lysol. My shoes do not go past the entryway in my home, and I don’t wear “outside clothes” inside. Part of this behavior is ingrained from my upbringing, but I became more vigilant after reporting on the travel industry. Travel can be so gross!

There are bed bugs and communicable diseases. People and animals are peeing, pooping, bleeding, and vomiting on airplanes. Goodness, there are even people making shrimp in the airplane sink and making sourdough in coach. I could continue, but I won’t. Even without all of the bodily fluids, vermin, and rogue food, traveling is inherently picking up a bit of dust and dirt on the way. You’re really not doing it right if you aren’t getting a little messy.

But, while picking up souvenirs is awesome, bringing all the grime back home with you is not. Today, I share a friendly reminder to wash a piece of travel gear that is probably coming in contact with all sorts of germs, sweat, and worldly grit but probably hasn’t been cleaned since you purchased it: your fanny pack.

Whether you wear it cross-body, around your waist, or hanging from your shoulder, most travelers carry a little bag with them everywhere they go. When you’re in the airport, it holds your passport, phone, boarding pass, and wallet. When you are out and about, it probably holds some local currency, your phone, and your hotel room key. But no matter the stage of the trip you are on, that bag is probably with you.

Instagram user @ShireenAroundTheWorld_ posted a video recently about how dirty her Uniqlo bag got after she’s spent the last 18 months traveling 15 countries. After washing it in the sink, the water quickly turned brown.

“Honestly I knew it wouldn’t be great but I didn’t realize quite how bad it would be,” she wrote. “I can’t even imagine the amount of bits from different countries that were being carried around on that.”

Her darker bag was obviously able to conceal most of the wear and tear it accumulated over the last year and a half. But just because you can’t see the grime doesn’t mean it’s not there. Take this post as a sign to wash your fanny pack/bum bag/crossbody as soon as possible. Even if you just carry it around in your everyday life, it could probably benefit from some nice soap and warm water. Just make sure you are following the care instructions for the material.