I'm posting this here, because I'm not really sure WHERE it best belongs... if a moderator feels that it would fit better in some other forum, please feel free to move it.

I have a soft-sided duffel bag type suitcase which has wheels and a retractable handle. The outside is canvas, and the inside looks like vinyl, but it's probably some type of plastic.

Anyway, since my last trip with it, I've unpacked it and left it sitting on the floor, where my cat has taken up residence in it. At some point, she used it as a litter box, as it now smells like urine. I cleaned the inside and outside with soapy water to remove the stain, and sprayed the entire thing with Febreze to try and remove the smell. However, after a few days, it still smells really strongly of cat (and Febreze 'fresh' scent now as well).

This is one of my favorite bags, as it is bright orange and easy to spot on the baggage belt, so I'd really like to get the smell out completely. Does anyone have any other ideas on how to clean the bag thoroughly at home? Would a dry cleaner be able to help out here?

I'd love to hear if anyone has had a similar experience, or even a stain/spill on/in your luggage, and how you got it out.

Have you tried white vinegar to get the smell out? It allegedly neutralises the pong. Febreze IMO is just a cover up (as you've discovered) not to mention that I hate the smell of it! You might also like to put the bag out in the sunshine assuming you have some at the moment.

Vinegar, hmm... how would I do that? Just pour it onto the fabric straight from the bottle? Dilute it? Mix it with something else? And then, how do I get THAT smell out? Also, is it color-safe, or will it fade/stain the bright orange fabric?

Keep the suggestions coming, thanks!

There are pet odor nutralizers you can get in spray form at any pet store, they work frialy well, but you have to get them to soak through the bag. The other option is to bring it to a dry cleaner and see if they would do it.

Lysol makes a concentrate, it's the last product on this page

http://www.lysol.com/product_page/productallp.html#5

That does an incredible job on lots of odors, but you really have to get it to soak through where ever the cat did the same for it to work.

White vinegar is an excellent call. Here's how I'd approach it: Mix up 2 parts vinegar to one part water. With a rag, saturate the most offending areas (presumably where the stain was) and then wipe down the rest (not as much need to saturate). You might then do another wipedown with lightly sudsy solution after that (but wait a little while - 20 min - for the vinegar to do its thing). Getting the vinegar smell out isn't hard. It dissipates quickly and is vastly more pleasant than your current aroma.

I'd then fill the bag with crumpled up newspaper and zip it up for a day or two. The paper will absorb odors. Lastly, I'd store the bag until I needed it next with cedar balls/blocks and/or a bowl of kitty litter or baking soda in the bag. All will help absorb stray odors.

Febreze, and the like, will mostly cover any smell rather than taking it away. Lysol products will kill any germs that are still lingering but the steps you've already taken have probably done that already. Now it's just about leaching out the ammonia based offenders.

Good luck Mark! It's been ages...hope all (else) is well

The only thing I've found that is better then a vinegar solution is to use a vinegar solution on the area after you dust it with baking powder.

When the vinegar solution reacts with the baking powder oxygen is released and helps break down the stains better then vinegar does alone.

Although I've never tried this on luggage, I've found it works very well on carpeting/furniture/etc where my cat has made a similar mess.

Add some red food dye as well, and it makes a really great 'volcano'!

Thanks for the suggestions, folks... I'll try vinegar and let you know how it turns out.

At least a red "volcano" won't clash with your orange bag too badly

I don't believe that Oxygen would be released in this situation. More likely the Sodium Bicarbonate (an ingredient in most baking powders) is neutralizing ammonia and excess vinegar.

In another recent thread on the subject, someone suggested the dishwasher.

I tried it, worked great. Had to take out the top rack and nestle the bag in just so... but it worked. Came out great!

I just wanted to make sure that the tip is indeed to use Baking Powder and not Baking Soda (like Arm&Hammer in the yellow box). I've used Baking Soda very successfully to get paint off of brass hardware, red wine stains out of white carpet and the like. I've only leveraged Baking Powder, however, in breads and cakes to ensure that they rise. Have I been missing an opportunity?

Baking soda is probably best for the other applications you mentioned (especially if you are adding water, as that will cause the the baking powder to neutralize itself). Baking powder might be better in this case as the acid in the baking powder will react with the ammonia binding it into a salt like ammonium tartrate (depends, of course, on the formulation of the baking powder).

Whenever you are using baking powder for anything make sure it is fresh, as it will get weaker over time.

Sorry I meant Baking Soda (like Arm&Hammer in the yellow box). This is what I get for spending too much time in planes

From plenty of experiences with this exact topic I can save you a lot of time and effort:

1. Throw soiled bag away
2. Go to store (or online) and purchase new bag
3. Keep cat away from all luggage in future

Seriously...nothing is going to completely remove the urine smell from a piece of luggage. Tried it all, and also tried the fancy organic odor removers.

Are you sure you don't work for Tumi?