Cleaning a Golf Bag: A Quick Guide

Late winter is a great time to do a deep clean of your golf bag, since you’re probably not out on any courses but spring is just around the corner.

Dallas Golf Company is not just a great place to find the hottest and newest golf bags for men and women. Let our experience work for you, and this post be a guide for a deep cleaning of your golf bag.

1. Empty it out

The first thing you need to do is empty that thing out. Season after season, your golf bag will accumulate bits of trash (that you might not even have noticed) as well as grass, mud, and bits of leaves.

Remove all your golf clubs, then open every pocket (even the valuables pockets and cooler pockets) and remove all your gear. Place it all somewhere nearby so you don’t lose any of it.

2. Dump it

Once you’re sure you’ve completely emptied your golf bag, take it outside and let gravity do some of the hard work for you. Turn it upside down and shake it. This will dislodge (and dump) most of the larger stuff that’s floating around inside.

Be sure to tap each pocket a few times to dislodge anything that might be stuck inside. Once nothing else flutters out, right it and break out a car vac.

3. Vacuum the interior, including all the pockets

Once you’ve knocked out all the larger material, vacuum each of the pockets as well as the bottom of the bag. If there is any dried-on dirt or caked-on mud at the bottom, use a brush to dislodge it before vacuuming it out.

Make sure you vacuum each of the pockets in turn if you really want to get your golf bag perfectly clean. You need to remove all of the loose dirt before washing with soap and water or you’ll make your job harder.

4. Wash the outside

If your golf bag is made of a water-sensitive material, then use a spray bottle or a damp rag, and don’t soak it. You just want to lightly wash it to remove any of the surface dirt.

If your bag is made from vinyl, polyester, or any other material treated with a water-repellent finish, feel free to spray it with a hose.

If necessary, use dish soap and a sponge to scrub down the outside of the bag. You should be able to get most dirt and stains out with dish soap and a rag or brush, which means you might be able to skip step 7 here.

5. Wash the inside

Once you’ve cleaned the outside of the bag, make sure you wash all of the interior storage spaces. If they’re not that dirty, just wipe them down with a damp rag, otherwise, be more aggressive with your cleaning and use more dish soap and a scrubbing brush if necessary.

Pay close attention here to the bottoms of each pocket of your golf bag, as these are areas with dirt, crumbs, and mud will accumulate. You should have already shaken most of them out for the more stubborn dirt will take some scrubbing to remove.

6. Rinse it off

How much soap you used on your golf bag will dictate how aggressively you need to rinse it off. If it’s really sudsy, give it a good spray down with a hose outside. If you only cleaned it lightly, either wipe it down or rinse it under a spigot. Whichever works best. You just don’t want the soap to dry on the bag.

7. Spot clean as necessary (to remove any remaining stains)

By this point, your golf bag is mostly cleaned. All that’s really left for you to do now is spot clean any stains as necessary. You can use a stain remover if needed (just be sure to use one in a manner consistent with the directions and one which is safe for use on your golf bag’s material). Target any dried-on dirt or other aggressive stains at this stage of the game.

Rinse once more after this stage if necessary or if the spot cleaner calls for it.

8.Thoroughly dry

Once your bag is cleaned, you want it to dry off. Do not allow it to dry slowly or remain damp or you run the risk of it developing mold or mildew.

If you can, leave it outside for a day in the sun. That should dry it off pretty quickly, even in the winter. You can also bring it inside and place it near your furnace, heat vent, or fireplace - whichever makes sense and will get it dry the fastest.

If you do dry it outside, dry it upside to discourage any dampness from pooling at the bottom of the bag, which will slow down the drying time.

9.Apply protectant if desired

This last step is optional, but if you like, you can apply a protectant finish or seal to the golf bag to help protect it against stains in the future. You can also waterproof sprays at this point, too, if you like.

There are special waterproofing sprays that you can apply once per season and which will not only waterproof your bag (protecting your gear) but also discourage stains.

Gear Up for Spring with New Golf Bags for Men and Women

Excuse the pun, but is your stand bag on its last legs? Has your travel bag traveled too far and too wide? Do you need a new golf cart bag with a wide variety of storage options?

Sometimes, cleaning won’t bring your golf bag back to life. Good thing we’re here!

We carry a wide range of quality golf bags for men and women here at Dallas Golf Company, including plenty of quality bags featuring full-length club dividers, quality materials, and lightweight designs.

Take a look through our collection via the link above and find your next golf bag today.