Rucksack Cleaning Service

Cleaning Service Overview

• Removes most dirt, sweat, mud and expedition odours
• Cleans straps, hip belt, back panel and pockets
• Reduces surface mould growth
• Improves appearance and hygiene
• Helps maintain fabric longevity
• Includes natural drying in a controlled drying room
• Includes reproofing for improved DWR
• Does not guarantee killing of mould or removal of mould stains
• Does not repair broken buckles, zips or straps
• Does not restore faded colours or UV‑damaged fabric
• Does not reverse hydrolysis or coating breakdown
• Does not guarantee to remove deep‑set oil or chemical stains

What’s Included in the Cleaning Service

• Pre-work inspection
• Customer report
• Vacuuming of all pockets and compartments
• Removal of internal frame (if applicable)
• Deep wash of the rucksack (inside and outside)
• Controlled drying in our dedicated drying room
• Reproofing of the outer fabric
• Final pack‑down with all clips secured

Basic Pre‑Work Inspection

When your rucksack arrives, we carry out a basic pre‑work inspection. This inspection is referenced in our Terms & Conditions and includes:

• Confirming rucksack size for accurate pricing
• Checking for damage, missing buckles, broken clips or wear
• Identifying mould, staining, odours or fabric issues
• Assessing whether repairs or additional treatments may be required
• Photographing any issues for your customer report

Cleaning Price

We price this service based on the volume of the rucksack (Ltrs) an whether the frame is removable or not. This ensures fair, consistent pricing across all rucksack models and reflects the time, chemicals and energy required to clean, dry and reproof each rucksack properly. The price shown on the site shows the current price per litre of volume the bag is rated for. If frames are Non-removable an additional charge of £20 will be added, as it will need to be fully hand cleaned. A minimum £30 job price applies.
As a reference, here are example costs:
Day Sack = Tom Bihn Synapse 25 – £30.00 / Talon 22 Daypack – £50.00
DofE Expedition Rucksack = Vango Sherpa 60:70 – £45.50 / Osprey Atmos AG 65 – £62.25
Large Duffel Bag = Thule Chasm Duffel 90L – £58.50 / Osprey Transporter 90 Wheeled Duffel Bag £78.50

Reproofing

After cleaning and drying, your rucksack is reproofed using a specialist outdoor‑grade treatment designed for modern synthetic camping fabrics. This helps restore the rucksack’s durable water repellency (DWR), improving how the fabric behaves in wet conditions.

• Restores surface water repellency so rain beads and runs off the fabric
• Helps reduce water absorption
• Improves drying time after wet weather
• Provides a fresh protective coating
• Fully cured in our drying room over a 24‑hour cycle
• It does not repair fabric that has degraded due to UV damage or hydrolysis
• It does not fix seam failures or worn coatings
• It does not make a degraded rucksack waterproof
• It does not replace the need for proper rucksack care, drying and storage

Mould Treatment

Mould treatment is an additional service, not included in the base rucksack cleaning service. If you suspect or know of mould in your rucksack at the time of enquiry, please let us know so that we can include this in the quote, otherwise we will let you know if we find any, including the cost to treat it in our pre-work inspection report.
We use a specialist mould‑removal formula designed specifically for camping equipment. It kills 99.99% of mould, reduces mould staining, and continues working for up to 3 months after application. Mould treatment is usually required when food or other organic material is kept inside a rucksack pocket.

• Kills active mould growth
• Reduces visible mould staining
• Removes odour caused by mould
• Cleans and reproofs affected areas
• Helps prevent mould returning for up to 3 months

We cannot guarantee to completely remove any stains, reverse any fabric damage caused by mould, repair hydrolysis or degraded coatings, restore colour where mould has permanently discoloured fibres.

Delivery & Packaging

We use Parcel Force for smaller loads or Same Day Couriers for large bulk loads. If equipment is to be shipped to/from us via Parcel Force, we ask that the customer pack their items in boxes based on the following criteria:

• Maximum length: 70cm
• Maximum width: 50cm
• Maximum height: 50cm
• Maximum weight: 30 kg

If your boxes exceeds these limits, additional fee’s maybe required.

When sending items to us please ensure that all items are packed safely and reasonably so that they are protected from being damaged during transit.

Repairs, Maintenance and Any Other Additional Work

If we find any issues during the pre‑work inspection—broken poles, damaged eyelets, worn zips, missing pegs—we’ll let you know and provide a no‑obligation quote for repairs.

How Often Should You Clean Your Rucksack?

Clean your rucksack based on how often you use it and what you do with it. We recommend emptying pockets and wiping rucksacks down after every major trek, and give any regularly used rucksack a full deep clean at least once or twice a year.

Terms and Conditions

For more details, please refer to the Maintenance Terms & Conditions and our FAQs.