Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Deodorizing/Cleaning Backpacks

I did a quick search in case this has been covered before but came up empty.
My Arc'teryx Bora 65 smells like dead animals, despite having very little blood on it (I use a dry bag). Since I also use it for activities other than hunting, I'd really like to get rid of the smell (as would my wife), but I'm not sure quite how to go about it. The frame is not removable, so that limits my options. I have already wiped it down fairly well with marginal success. Suggestions are much appreciated.
Thanks!

I wipe my equipment down with water to clean it up. I know that REI has cleaning stuff, but I haven't needed any more than wiping down with water.

Since you asked about deodorizing, here's what I do. All of my hunting packs, clothes, etc. get cleaned up with water and air dryed. I have a large rubbermaid tub that seals up well. I put an earth scent wafer in the bottom corner of the tub, I carefully put my stuff in the tub leaving plenty of air movement between the pieces, and then put another wafer on top. I leave them in that tub until I need them. I popped the top on my hunting tub a few weeks ago to get my hatchet out, and everything still smelled of earth.

If you use a tub with your pack, Baking Soda may be your best friend to get the stink out of your pack at this point.

It works very well for me, hope it will work for you.

Mike.

I always try (if I can) to hose out as much blood and game funk as I can the same day. That's not always possible but it seems to keep my pack clean.

Now that you have stinky pack already you best bet is to fill the bathtub up and scrub away. Dish soap works really good as well as woollite. Just keep scrubbing still its as clean as it will get. When you done hang it up in garage on a close line.

I hit my crewcab with spray on DWR. Not sure if that helps keep it clean or not.

I have also been wondering how to clean the game smell out of my packs.
Good advice here.
Thanks fellows!

I always thought they were supposed to smell a bit gamey

I use it as a cover scent!

KC

Hehe.
That is an idea!

Scrub it down real good with a big bucket of soapy water. Scrub it in and out, everything you can get to. Rinse the snot out of it with the garden hose. Then hang it and put a fan moving alot of air over it and through it. Move is around for a day with the fan blowing on it. As long as you dry it well you can't hurt it.

Thanks for all of the input! I appreciate it.

After the scrub with hot soapy water and good rinse, I'd try some pet urine smell remover and then some skunk remover.

RedRabbit is on the trail here. Find a good enzymatic carpet deodorizer... actually if you know anybody with a truck mount carpet cleaning unit, see if they can hook you up with just a spray bottle of it for a buck. If I remember right from my Stanley Steamer days, a gallon of concentrate costs about 40 bucks and would make about 15 gallons of solution. I know Stanley Steamer uses one, as does Bane-clene, and Von Schrader. I seem to recall that once mixed it has a very short shelf life due to the instability of the enzymes but I can't quite remember.

First thing is first. Clean the pack thoroughly inside and out with a solution of 1 tbsp Dawn dishwashing detergent and 1 gallon HOT water with a stiff brush. Let it sit wet for about an hour. Rinse thoroughly with one of them hose end sprayers (for lawn weeds) filled with vinegar and a garden hose. Then rinse with clear water until you can only faintly smell the vinegar. Let dry. Thoroughly wet the surface (but don't soak!) inside and out with the enzymatic and throw it into a black lawn and leaf bag and hang it in the sun for an hour or two. Take it out and get it dry quickly, fans, tree on a windy day... One last mop-down with a damp sponge and I think you'll be pretty happy with the results...tub it or bag it with some cover scent.

Any time you think it might have acquired potential funk afterword, give it a good rinse as soon as you can, then a fine spray of the enzymatic and hang dry. I think you'll be happy with the results.

Coffee grounds and charcoal briquets are very good smell absorbers. They are the poor man's activated charcoal.

Here's how we recommend handling this situation with a Mystery Ranch Backpack.

Step One.

Haul something bloody in your pack to get it dirty.

Step Two.

Take to car wash...... soap, wash, rinse. (Treat it just like your truck)

Step Three.

Dry in Shade.

Mark,

Does it matter if you do it quickly, or would you still recommend it if the blood and dirt was from say, last archery season?

Thanks,
Carl