We love vintage suitcases. They are not only awesome to store stuff in but they are great for creating unique home decor objects like wall storage, pet beds and alternative baskets like for Easter and for a picnic . Vintage suitcases are durable, colorful and have great hardware. All that being said they are vintage which means they will need to be clean thoroughly prior to use. So let’s talk about how to clean vintage suitcases, shall we?
Materials Needed to Clean Vintage Suitcases
- soft cloth
- Simichrome Polish
- Armor All
Using your soft cloth apply some Simichrome Polish to the metal areas, locks and latches of the suitcase. Rub and buff all the areas to remove the tarnish, dirt and grime.
When I used this on my suitcases I was amazed at the black stuff (tarnish) that was coming off. It is safe for all metals and does not scratch.
BEFORE
AFTER
Notice the black on the cloth? That is a lot of tarnish and it was surprisingly easy to remove using the Simichrome.
For cleaning the non-metal areas of the outside of the suitcase I find that Armor All works really well!
Using a new cloth spray Armor All on the cloth and rub and buff the entire exterior surface.
The interior can be challenging to clean and if it is soiled and damaged the only solution we have found is to remove the inside completely and recover with fabric like we did with the Sweet Spring Suitcase. I would recommend trying to find suitcases that do not have a lot of interior damage if you do not want to replace the inside. If you are using it for a pet bed you will remove the inside regardless so the condition will not matter.With just a little bit of elbow grease you now have a shiny and new looking suitcase.
