How to clean Thirty-One bags without damaging them

Before you add water

Check the whole bag, not just the fabric

The outer fabric is only part of the cleaning decision. Look inside the pockets and along the interior seams for a care label. Then check for a rigid rim, removable bottom insert, coated lining, leather trim, or embroidery.

A material that tolerates washing on its own may be attached to something that does not. That is why a cleaning method for an ordinary cloth shopping bag is not automatically suitable for a structured utility tote.

The everyday method

How to spot clean a Thirty-One bag

Set the empty bag on a clean towel. Have two soft white cloths, a bowl of lukewarm water, and mild soap without bleach ready. Use a cloth that will not shed dye onto a pale print or monogram.

1. Empty every pocket

   Remove crumbs, receipts, and loose dirt before wetting anything. Turn accessible pockets outward gently, but do not pull a sewn-in lining away from the bag. Lift out any removable organizer or base insert.

2. Test a hidden area

   Add a little mild soap to the water, dampen a white cloth, and wring it out well. Dab an inconspicuous section. Let it dry and check for transferred color, a water mark, stiffness, or a change in the finish. Stop if the test causes damage.

3. Clean in small sections

   Blot the dirty area, then wipe gently with a clean part of the cloth. Work from the outside of a stain toward its center. Keep the fabric damp rather than saturated, especially near seams and the bottom panel.

4. Give handles and corners a separate pass

   Support the handle from underneath while wiping it. Use a folded corner of the cloth to reach the base and pocket edges. Do not tug loose stitching or scrape a coating to remove a stubborn mark.

5. Remove the soap

   Use your second cloth dampened with plain water. Wipe again until there is no visible lather or slippery residue, refreshing the cloth as needed. Avoid rinsing the entire bag under a running tap.

6. Blot, reshape, and air dry

   Press with a dry towel without wringing. Open the pockets and support the bag in its normal shape. Leave inserts out until both the bag and the inserts are dry.

This is routine cleaning. It is not a validated sanitizing treatment. The CDC distinguishes cleaning from disinfecting: soap-based cleaning removes dirt and many germs, while disinfection requires an appropriate product used according to its label.

Spills, smudges, and sticky corners

What to do about common stains

Try the tested mild-soap method first. If a stain remains, repeated hard scrubbing can leave a larger damaged patch. A stain remover is an option only when both its instructions and the bag's care instructions allow it on that surface.

Cleaning around a monogram

Support the embroidered area from behind and dab gently. Keep brushes away from raised threads. Do not pick at loose stitching, and do not assume that a stain remover safe for the main fabric is safe for the thread colors.

A monogram can stay stained even after the surrounding material is clean. If the bag matters to you, stop before trying stronger chemicals and have an experienced textile cleaner assess it.

Lunch bags and insulated totes

Clean the lining without soaking the insulation

Open the bag fully and check the bottom corners first. On an intact wipeable liner, use a soft cloth with mild soapy water, then a separate damp cloth to remove residue. Clean around the zipper without flooding it. Leave the bag open to dry.

If the lining has split, peeled, or separated at a seam, surface wiping cannot reach everything beneath it. When spilled milk or raw-meat juices have soaked into inaccessible padding, replace the bag if you cannot thoroughly clean and dry the affected material. This is a conservative recommendation for a food-carrying bag, not a model-specific manufacturer rule.

For grocery use, Health Canada's reusable-bag guidance recommends frequent cleaning and cleaning again before reuse when food juices leak. Keep raw meat separate from produce and ready-to-eat food. Choose bags you can clean thoroughly for that job.

Should you use disinfecting wipes?

Only if the bag's care instructions permit the treatment and the disinfectant label covers the surface and intended use. Follow its contact time and any rinsing directions. A quick swipe is not necessarily disinfection. Never mix cleaning products, and do not use a hard-surface disinfectant on fabric unless its label permits that use. See the CDC's instructions for cleaning and disinfecting.

If the liner is worn out, see our Thirty-One lunch bag alternatives. For larger grocery loads, use the insulated bag comparison.

Do not rush the last step

How to dry and store your bag

Keep the opening and pockets spread apart in a dry, ventilated room. Support the bottom on a clean, dry surface and change a damp towel underneath it. Avoid a tumble dryer, radiator, hair dryer, or other direct heat unless the bag's instructions specifically permit that method.

There is no reliable drying time for every bag. The amount of moisture, construction, and room conditions all matter. Give it more time if any accessible area still feels damp. Do not zip it shut, fold it for storage, or put it in a car trunk while wet.

What if it still smells musty?

Check for forgotten contents, damp inserts, and residue in the corners. Clean accessible residue and dry the bag fully. Avoid perfume sprays that make it harder to tell whether the original smell remains.

Visible mold, recurring mustiness, or contamination inside padding needs a different decision. The EPA explains that mold may be difficult or impossible to remove completely from porous materials. That guidance is general, not a bag-specific test. For a moldy bag with inaccessible layers, replacement is the more cautious choice; a valuable or sentimental item can be assessed by a specialist.

When should you clean it again?

Use what the bag carried as your cue. Empty a lunch bag after use and check for spills. Inspect a grocery tote when you unpack it. A bag holding sealed pantry items has a different cleaning need from one with a leaking chicken package.

For everyday work or storage use, check the handles, base, and pockets regularly and clean visible dirt. After carrying wet clothes or a spilled drink, empty and dry the bag promptly. Keep food-carrying bags separate from shoes, cleaning supplies, and dirty laundry.

Common questions

Thirty-One bag cleaning questions

Can you put a Thirty-One Large Utility Tote in the washing machine?

Do not machine wash it unless its original care instructions explicitly allow it. For a structured tote with missing instructions, use careful spot cleaning and air drying. Do not force a frame or stiff base into a washer.

Can you soak a Thirty-One bag in the bathtub?

Only if its care instructions permit immersion. A bathtub provides more space, but it still exposes the lining, base, trim, and seams to water. It is not a safe workaround for a bag that should only be wiped.

Can you use vinegar or baking soda?

Neither is the default method in this guide. Use the cleaner specified on the bag's label, or start with a tested mild-soap solution when instructions are missing. Do not treat a homemade mixture as a validated disinfectant.

Can you wash a Thirty-One bag with a cardboard insert?

Keep a cardboard or paperboard insert dry. Remove it only if it is designed to come out, and do not immerse an attached base. If you cannot identify the insert material, avoid saturating it.

How do you clean a secondhand Thirty-One bag?

Inspect it before cleaning. Look for a care label, damaged lining, loose seams, odors, and stains under the insert. Use the method appropriate to its construction. A fresh scent or an unstained exterior does not confirm that hidden padding is clean.

Will cleaning remove every stain?

No. Ink, dye transfer, old oil, and discoloration can remain. If the fabric starts fading, the coating changes, or threads loosen, stop. Further scrubbing can do more damage than the original mark.