Use This Simple Luggage Hack To Make Your Clothing Smell Fresh During Your Entire Trip

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Whether you're heading to an all-inclusive resort or backpacking through Europe, knowing how to prevent musty-smelling clothing in your luggage is a game-changer for packing. Seasoned travelers may have mastered the art of packing in the 54321 method, or how to avoid excess baggage fees simply by tweaking their packing methods, but there's one thing travelers can't escape if they're traveling for a period of time: gross smells. Using cotton balls with a few small drops of essential oils on them is a simple hack that will make your clothing smell fresh during your entire trip.

Picture this scenario: You and your partner are planning to visit a beautiful, chic, and very popular restaurant during your trip. You've made reservations months in advance and picked out the perfect outfit to wear for the occasion. You've even studied up on what color clothing a professional stylist recommends wearing on a glammed-up vacation. As you open your luggage an hour before your dinner reservation, the odor hits you in the face like a ton of bricks.

While there are five things you should leave out of your carry-on, this is certainly one item you need in your bag on your next trip. Having musty-smelling clothes on your trip can be a real mood killer, not to mention how it can diminish your confidence when out in public. Simply add a few drops of essential oil on some cotton balls, and store them in something like these White Organza Bags by WenTao.

Not only do essential oils smell nice, but they also don't carry any harmful chemicals. This Lagunamoon Essential Oils Set has six pleasant scents to suit your personal favorite, and costs under $10. For crisp, clean, and refreshing-smelling luggage, opt for scents like peppermint, eucalyptus, or even a zesty lemon.

Before you go ahead and toss those essential oil cotton balls into your luggage, keep in mind that fabrics such as suede and leather are highly absorbent, which can be damaged if undiluted essential oils come into direct contact with them, or leave discoloration due to natural pigmentation in the oils. Getting essential oils on fabrics could also leave an oily residue, which could be difficult to remove if it settles into porous fabrics. Not to worry, though. If you happen to see an oil mark left on your favorite blazer, just dab a bit of 70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to lift the stain. 

If you don't happen to have essential oils on hand, another item to keep your clothing smelling fresh can be found in your laundry room. Placing a few fabric softener sheets in your luggage keeps things smelling fresh for the entire trip. Keeping your luggage smelling great will certainly give you confidence knowing you'll have a nice-smelling outfit when a laundry machine isn't always available.