Yuck! Duckie's backpack is...

[tiredmommy]

filthy!!!

She has to put it on the floor of the bus, which is gets covered in snow and dirt from the other kids' boots before her. Then, her boots end up resting on the bag and she has some nasty footprints. The stains are that nasty black mixture of dirt, snow and ice melter. I don't think I can toss it in the washer, so I've been scrubbing. And scrubbing. Any suggestions?

by the way, this is Duckie's second backpack since September, she tore the bottom corner by dragging it into the school rather than carrying it.

Also, can I expect her to continue to go through backpacks at breakneck speed? This would be handy to know so that I could stock up while they are on sale.

 

[smallworld]

TM, this is one area where I don't scrimp. I buy backpacks for my kids at LLBean, and they last and last and last. In fact, my difficult child 1, who is in 8th grade, is still using his backpack from KINDERGARTEN! The zipper is broken, but there is not a tear in sight. He insists on using it because he can't stand change (sound like a difficult child?). On his bed, he uses the comforter I used in college 25 years ago!

 

[timer lady]

TM,

I stocked up on backpacks for the first 3 or 4 years the tweedles were here. kt went through at least 2 a year; wm goes through on average 4.

kt would just lose hers; wm destroyed his.

This year we purchased a more expensive backpack for kt as she is getting a bit more responsible. wm, we continue to buy a bunch of cheap ones at the beginning of the school year.

 

[Lothlorien]

Missy's is a mess too. One of the straps were shredded because she wheeled it and it got stuck under the wheel. I constanly have to clean out all the junk in her bag too. I think this is just going to be one of those battles that I'm not willing to deal with. I'm going to hopefully wait until the end of this year and chuck it and I'll get her a good one (like ll bean) for next year.

 

[Kathy813]

TM,

Some of the more expensive brands (like Jansport) have lifetime warranties. I don't know if they have cute ones for someone Duckie's age but it might be worth looking into.

~Kathy

 

[tiredmommy]

I'd like to get her a better quality backpack, but Duckie really loves the character ones. The sad thing is that her first one was washable and black (Hello Kitty!), that would come in handy now when dealing with the slushy stains.

 

[Fran]

Could you spray scotch guard on it once it's clean. It may make it easier to clean the crud off.

 

[amy4129]

TM-
Walmart brand on sale in Oct. I buy 4. figure 2 per kiddo/per year. The boys went thru even the expensive ones. $4.00 lasted as long as the $28.00 ones.
Amy

 

[rejectedmom]

TM, could you buy a more sturdy one and take it to a T-shirt store and have them put a heat set transfer onto it? -RM

 

[DammitJanet]

How bout one on wheels so she can wheel it instead of dragging it? That would also keep it slightly off the ground and muck.

 

[tiredmommy]

Fran- I'm kicking myself for not scotch guarding in the first place.
Amy- There's a small part of me that's afraid she'll lose an expensive one.
RM- I'm not sure if the material could handle a heat transfer, but I could ask!
Janet- Unfortunately, the wheeled ones are too big for her locker.

 

[PiperThree]

you could alwayst try to clean it with a Magic Eraser. Mr. Clean makes them and I swear by them - they've cleaned things around my house i never thought they would - include permanent black magic marker on my wood dining table. I buy the super duty ones - they come in a 2 pack and the best thing about them is you use them until they become so small they crumble apart - so one will last a long time depending on the job. Hope that helps!

Piper

 

[DammitJanet]

Down here all they can use is the clear or mesh backpacks. Yes...we are such a gang infested, huge metropolis with so many kids carrying weapons that they were forced to go to this...lol. Its been this way for years down here. I dont even know why they still carry the regular ones in the stores.

In saying all that...they have these clear plastic backpacks with that are kinda tinted...kinda like that tinted saran wrap. They would be easy to wipe off.

 

[Wiped Out]

My difficult child usually makes it through one year with a backpack-although there have been years where he didn't make it that long! This year's is holding up well. easy child used it for 5 years and now difficult child is using it. It cost 25 dollars. I'm sure by the end of this year it will be done for. We don't even buy him a lunch box anymore-they were destroyed so often-he just does brown paper bags!

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

I've never tried LLBean backpacks. My kids ruin them no matter what they cost!!! I usually just stock up on them when they go on sale. Usually, I buy 6/yr, 2/kid.
Hope you're able to salvage Duckie's backpack. WFEN

 

[Stella Johnson]

The last time my difficult child's was dirty I learned a new trick. Throw it in the washer with your regular detergent but add half a bottle of perxide. came out almost like new.

steph

 

[susiestar]

I have been off the board a while, but we have had our share of backpack problems. But I can COMPLETELY recommend a Land's End backpack. I bought one off of Ebay for $8, incl shipping. thank you carried it all through kdg and for part of first grade (until an older kid took it on hte bus). It was WHITE (HORRORS) with blue straps. It came clean from anything, I mean anything. And we have nasty red clay dirt here that stains stains stains.

for Jess and B I got backpacks at thrift stores over teh summer. Bought several for each.

Good luck!

Susie