How do I best clean rugged twill?Updated 2 years ago

Our Rugged Twill fabric requires very little in terms of maintenance. If it gets dirty, simply wipe it down with a clean damp rag or brush it off. Like our oil finish tin cloth, rugged twill should not be machine washed or dry cleaned. Additionally, if your rugged twill product has bridle leather straps or handles, washing will cause irreversible damage to the leather itself.

Generally, we don’t recommend spot cleaning with any type of soap or detergent. The wax treatment makes the fabric a bit darker than in its raw state, and cleaning with anything but water could strip out the wax, leaving a light spot.

If spot cleaning is necessary, use a very diluted solution of gentle detergent & water (approx. 2 Tbsp of castile or Dawn dish soap to 4-6 cups of water). Scrub gently at the spots using a clean cotton rag, being careful to avoid oversaturating your bag with liquids. Be sure to brush away all debris on the surface with a scrub brush before spot cleaning. Areas cleaned in this manner will need to be rewaxed.

Be especially careful to avoid dampening the leather trim – this could cause the natural dye to run from the leather.

After cleaning, leave the bag in a well-ventilated, well-lit room so mildew does not grow in or on the bag. You can also place the bag outside if you prefer, given the weather is somewhat dry and warm. Within 24-48 hours, the bag should be dry and ready for use.

Never wash your rugged twill item in the washing machine, as this will permanently damage the leather.