Vintage Suitcases: How to Clean and Refresh (and keep their classic appeal)
Vintage suitcases and trunks have seen a lifetime of wear and tear. Here are ways you can clean and refresh them, while still keeping their classic appeal. Fun for home decor and storage!
Warm weather is a wonderful time to refresh and rejuvenate old suitcases and trunks! Not necessarily to take any more trips, but to enjoy and use for vintage style decor and handsome extra storage. With a little TLC, these classic beauties can be enjoyed for another generation. Today I’ll share my insider secrets of how to refresh old suitcases while keeping their vintage charm. Vintage Suitcases: How to Clean and Refresh (and keep their classic appeal).
Vintage Suitcases: How to Clean and Refresh
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Before I begin with my tips and tricks to revitalize old suitcases and trunks, I want to clarify that I pick up vintage suitcases that are in rough shape. These are not pretty examples that have been taken care of through the years. If they were, I would pop them right into my house with a quick wipe-up. The suitcases I find are usually in curbside trash piles {“Curbside Junking Adventures and Tips”}. They’ve definitely seen better days and been given up on by their original owners. This is a vintage rescue mission, basically;)
First, Clean the Years of Dirt and Grime Away on the Vintage Suitcase
To begin the refresh process, give your vintage suitcase or footlocker a good scrubbing and cleaning. I like to do this outside in the driveway on a sunny day! Get a bucket of sudsy good-smelling soap (I love THIS) and a soft nylon cleaning brush and a sponge. If there’s ground-in dirt or scuff marks, especially on textured surfaces, use a mild bleach-free cleanser like THIS. An old toothbrush works well to get in small crevices, like where the metal closures meet the body and also the stitching.
Once you’re satisfied with your cleaning, rinse the suitcase with hose water soon after, so the soap doesn’t sit too long on the surface. Dry with an old towel or in the warm sunshine. Your suitcase should look noticeably cleaner and brighter!
Does your Vintage Suitcase have Stained Fabric on the Inside? Get rid of it!
Many times the inside fabrics of vintage suitcases and trunks have spills and stains. Sometimes they even have an old or musty smell from being closed most of the time. In order to be able to use these old suitcases as storage or for display, I usually rip out the inside fabric.
Rip the inside fabric out until you get down to the cardboard or wood foundation.
*Tip: Use a pliers when ripping out the inside fabric of the vintage suitcase; it will save your hand.
Vacuum out the debris, and scrub and clean the insides, like you did the outside. Dry well in the sun.
If your suitcase has a terrible damp smell. Try using THIS for the recommended time and also air it out in the sunshine.
Note: The only exception where I keep the inside is when a vintage suitcase still has it’s original, patterned paper inside! If this treasure is still intact and in good shape, I like to keep it. I may give it a sealing coat of decoupage medium (HERE) or give it a coat of poly (HERE). This will help seal in any old odors and make the surface wipeable.
Replace the Old Suitcase Insides with Decoupage
Now you’ve got a clean slate to decorate the insides!
Replacing the insides of the vintage suitcase with vintage paper or fabric will give you a much cleaner, sealed decor item. I like to decoupage old maps, old book pages and vintage music to the insides. You could also use a cute fabric that coordinates with your home decor.
Have fun with the placement and the theme of what you decoupage inside. I used an old science book that had skeleton illustrations for a Halloween themed inside of one black leather suitcase. This suitcase, above has a garden theme with pages pulled out of a vintage garden book.
Lastly, Revitalize the Outside of the Vintage Suitcase
Vintage suitcases and trunks are all made from different materials on the outside, but here are some ideas to revitalize them and make them look their best.
If the suitcase is a leather-type, use a leather reconditioner or wipes like you do for leather car upholstery. (HERE)
If the suitcase is brown and it’s surface is worn, showing the lighter below, wipe a coat of THIS over the surface to deepen it’s color. It will revitalize the oils in the surface, too. You can choose the light or dark version, whichever matches better.
If the suitcase is a hard vinyl-type (like the blue and greens) give it a coat of something like THIS and apply with a soft cloth, buffing after it dries.
For more of a metal trunk-type suitcase or footlocker, or even cardboard-type surfaces, brush on a coat of my favorite poly (HERE). This can also be used on any rusty metal hinges to bring out their patina also.
For more Creative Suitcase Ideas:
“9 Fun Ways to Decorate with Vintage Suitcases”
“5 Simple Steps to a Fun Vintage Suitcase Vignette”
Hopefully these ideas will give you some direction on how to make the outsides and insides of your vintage suitcases and trunks look good! Their beautiful, travel-earned character can still be enjoyed in your home for decor and extra storage.
The next time you see an old suitcase or trunk on the side of the road, don’t let it’s not-quite-perfect condition hinder you! With a little TLC and a refresh, it’s usefulness and beauty can be restored! Vintage suitcases have classic architectural character. No more trips for these beauties; they’re function and beauty can be enjoyed right at home!
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OK I don’t believe in tearing apart vintage thing. How do I clean the liner? I’m not tearing it out.
I’ve never tried it, so can’t advise you on that, sorry.
Hi Lora
I have recently bought an old Antler suitcase so will definitely try your cleaning methods on the outside. The inside is a lined with a satin like fabric that is dirty so I think I might try taking it out and hand washing it in the hope of re-using it. Would the same soap be ok for outside and inside? Also, the front panel where the fastenings are is quite weak. How would you recommend I improve its strength?
I’m in southern England and it’s been raining here since about August and now Autumn so not many dry sunny days around but I’ll still give cleaning a try, just expecting drying time to be a bit longer!
Thanks
Liz
(Nov 2023)
Your antler suitcase sounds divine, Liz! Yes, any gentle soap will work. Just don’t let the water sit on the surface long. To strengthen the front panel…hmmm. Maybe glue in a thick cardboard piece to the inside? Many suitcases that I’ve revived were made of cardboard inside. It’s stiff, but still more bendable than wood. Good luck!
Just saw this article and I loved your ideas! I’ve used your suggestions for restoring the interior and it worked like a dream! As per your suggestion, I added some antique book pages and it looks amazing! I was wondering if you had any suggestions for sealing the outside against any potential water damage. I believe my suitcase is a vinyl-type but we’re hoping to convert it into a side table. I wasn’t sure if the options you shared would be durable enough for all table potentials. Would love it if you could provide some feedback. Thank you very much!!
Glad you found it helpful, Aly! Vinyl-type suitcases are probably already moisture resistant somewhat, but I would seal the outside with a couple of coats of paste wax. I linked to some in the article. Have fun repurposing; sounds like a fun project!
Thanks for the information in restoring vintage suitcases. I can pick up some of the products you mentioned locally (none of them are available now on Amazon – I checked earlier).
I recently picked up a small brown vintage case, and mostly I know what I can do to improve its appearance. The one thing I am still considering is one of the sides has come partly detached from the back panel (originally stitched). I thought I might get some cloth sticky tape in brown and seal it from inside the case. I am not going to be able to stitch it, or glue it. I wondered if you had any suggestions. With thanks.
I think that sounds like a great idea, Linda! Don’t know if I’ve ever heard of cloth sticky tape; I need to look that up! Let me know how it goes!
I have a suitcase I am trying to find out who made it , and year it was made. Can I send you some pictures and maybe you can help me?
There are so many varieties out there, Paul. Sorry, I doubt my minimal knowledge would be helpful. I am better at providing decorating ideas. The best way to get more information is definitely to search on google and Ebay. The internet is a sea of knowledge, which surpasses one persons. Good luck!
I have had a love affair with old suitcases for a while. Recently I found one with “Cunard Line” round stickers on it at a local thrift store. So cool. I store material in some of them. I love your ideas.
How fun! Yes, they’re wonderful for storage. Glad you enjoyed the ideas!
hello, just wondering if you had any suggestions for replacing the leather trim on the exterior of the suitcase. I have one that unfortunately the leather was pretty dry rotted and started to fall apart as soon as it got wet. I ended up trimming away a lot of the dry rotted portions but need to some how patch or replace it since the trim is integral to the integrity of the suitcase. the trim is sewn threw the wood to hold it in place but I was hoping to use maybe glue to secure a patch on rather than trying to replicate the sewn in method. I don’t want to rip out the interior because it’s original plum satin and in pretty good condition.
I usually try and embrace the imperfections of old pieces. Like wrinkles, they’ve earned that wear and tear:) My only other thought is to glue jute rope around the perimeter, the kind you can get at a hardware store. It would add a different texture, but give it a nice-looking trim. Good luck!
LOVE this idea!! It can even be done with one of those card board box ones that you can by at the craft stores!! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
hugs,
Debbie
Your welcome, Debbie!
Hi Lora , Greetings from Australia ! I found your post whilst looking for info on how to refurbish a suitcase for a wedding for guests to put cards in . I need to line a suitcase with fabric and have some lovely Timeless Treasures fabric called Sakura, with cherry blossom branches on a pale cream back ground . The suitcase has strong checked paper lining which is firmly stuck in some places and a name and address with thick dark marker inside the lid . i think this will show through if I dont line the fabric, or the suitcase first , Can you give me any ideas or tips on howto mange this and line the case with fabric ?
Many thanks
Jenny
Hi, Jenny! Welcome! I think the idea of using an old suitcase for cards is wonderful; I helped a friend do it a couple years ago. Your cherry blossom fabric sounds lovely! I’m wondering if you could just paint the inside with a stain blocking primer first, so you have a white base. You have a couple options to attach the fabric inside: you can use a fabric glue and glue around the edges, turning the edges under a little, or you could decoupage the whole back of the fabric to the inside of the suitcase. The decoupage way is easier, but you may get some bubbles. Just use a light coat. You can always finish off around the edges with some cute fabric trim, too! Good luck! It will be a great piece to remember the special day with!
What a treasure trove of suitcases you have, Lora! Great storage and restoration ideas. Thanks for sharing all of your posts with us at Vintage Charm.
I have amassed quite a collection over the years, Diana! I especially love the old brown, Sound of Music types! There’s always room for one more though;)
I have quite a few old suitcases too. I did have to put hanging tags on them with the contents written on them because I kept forgetting what was in each one! You have some great tips!
Hang tags are a great idea, & especially because I can be so “out-of-sight, out-of-mind”! Thanks for commenting!
Me too, Tania! Their textures are so beautiful and they’re great storage! Thanks for commenting! Love your blog.